Alternatives / LiveChat
A LiveChat alternative when you want the AI to answer first
LiveChat is a polished live chat tool for teams that staff their chat with people. Visitor tracking, campaigns, a work scheduler, staffing prediction, and detailed reporting are built around human agents answering in real time. Every plan includes Text Intelligence, which suggests replies and summarizes chats for those agents.
The AI agent that answers customers on its own is a separate product called Text, also priced per user. On Text's own pricing page, the Essential plan includes 10 AI resolutions a month. SupportHQ is built the other way: the AI agent answers first, includes 2,000 conversations a month on Starter, and hands off to your team when it should.
The comparison below quotes LiveChat's pricing page as of the date shown, and Text's pricing page for the AI agent numbers. Where a detail is not published, this page says so.
LiveChat pricing quoted from its pricing page as of October 1, 2026. Prices change. Check the source before deciding.
SupportHQ vs LiveChat at a glance
LiveChat is live chat software for human agents, with AI as a separate per-user product. SupportHQ is an AI agent with an inbox for your team. Pick by who answers most chats: people or the agent.
| SupportHQ | LiveChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly plan. No per-seat fees, no per-resolution fees. | Per person per month. The AI Agent is a separate product (Text), also priced per user. |
| Entry price | Starter $29/month or $290/year. Growth $49/month or $490/year. | Starter $19 per person/month billed annually ($25 monthly), 1 user. Team $49 ($59 monthly). Business $79 ($89 monthly). Enterprise on request. |
| Team seats | Unlimited team members on every plan. | 1 user on Starter. Unlimited users on Team and above, each paid per person. |
| AI agent pricing | Included. 2,000 conversations/month on Starter, 3,000 on Growth. Resolving more costs nothing extra. | LiveChat plans include Text Intelligence (reply suggestions and chat summaries for human agents). The customer-facing AI Agent is part of Text, from $19 per user/month billed annually. Text's pricing page lists 10 AI resolutions/month on Essential and 200 on Growth, with 50 extra resolutions for $49.50. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial. Card required, not charged if you cancel before it ends. | 14 days, no credit card. No free plan. |
| Channels | Website widget, Telegram (chats and groups), Discord (servers). WhatsApp coming soon. | Website, mobile apps, direct chat link, and Facebook Messenger. SMS and Apple Messages for Business on Business. WhatsApp, Instagram, X, and email via marketplace. Telegram and Discord are not listed. |
| Human handoff | On every plan. The agent escalates with its own reason, urgency, and summary into a unified inbox. Team notified by email, Telegram, or SMS. | Human agents chat live by default. Text's AI Agent hands conversations to the team with full context. |
| How the AI answers | Answers only from approved content: files, synced website, articles, past conversations. Says when it does not know. | Text's AI Agent answers routine questions from your approved knowledge. |
Feature by feature
| Feature | SupportHQ | LiveChat |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly plan | Per person, AI agent as a separate per-user product |
| Entry paid price | Starter $29/month (unlimited members) | Starter $19 per person/month (billed annually), 1 user |
| Team of 5 in the inbox | $29/month, unlimited members | 5 people on Team: $245/month (billed annually) |
| AI resolutions included | 2,000 conversations/month on Starter, 3,000 on Growth | Via Text: 10/month on Essential, 200/month on Growth |
| Website chat widget | Yes | Yes, with full customization on Team and above |
| Telegram and Discord | Yes, both | Not listed |
| WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS | WhatsApp coming soon; others not supported | Messenger included; others via marketplace or Business plan |
| Visitor tracking and campaigns | No | Yes |
| Agent escalates on its own with reason and summary | Yes, with reason, urgency, and summary on every plan | Text AI Agent hands off with full context |
| Free trial | 7 days, card required | 14 days, no credit card |
When LiveChat is the better choice
- People answer most of your chats and you want strong tools for them: visitor tracking, campaigns, and staffing prediction.
- You sell on your website and want to greet visitors proactively before they ask.
- You need Apple Messages for Business, SMS, or WhatsApp in the same chat tool.
- You need enterprise options like SSO, HIPAA compliance, and a white label chat widget.
When SupportHQ is the better choice
- You want the AI agent to answer most questions and include thousands of conversations, not 10 or 200 resolutions.
- You want the whole team in the inbox without paying per person.
- Your customers ask on your website, in Telegram, or in Discord.
- You want the agent to escalate on its own with a reason and summary, and your team notified by email, Telegram, or SMS.
Switching from LiveChat
- Bring your content. Point SupportHQ at your public help center or website to sync it, upload exported articles as files, or write articles directly. The agent answers only from what you approve.
- Add the widget. One script tag on your site. Connect Telegram and Discord in a few clicks if your customers are there.
- Set escalation rules. Plain English, per channel. Start strict and relax as the knowledge base covers more.
- Run both during the trial. Keep LiveChat live for 7 days while you compare answers, handoffs, and the bill.
For the reasoning behind flat pricing, read how AI support pricing models compare. For the full plan detail, see pricing.
FAQ
Is LiveChat cheaper than SupportHQ?
For one person, LiveChat Starter is $19 per month billed annually, which is less than SupportHQ Starter at $29. LiveChat is priced per person, so five people on Team cost $245 per month, billed annually. The AI agent is a separate Text subscription. SupportHQ is $29 per month for the whole team with AI included.
Does LiveChat include an AI agent?
LiveChat plans include Text Intelligence, which helps human agents with reply suggestions and summaries. The AI agent that answers customers is part of Text, from $19 per user per month billed annually. As of the date on this page, Text Essential includes 10 AI resolutions a month.
Does SupportHQ have visitor tracking or proactive campaigns?
No. SupportHQ is built around an AI agent that answers questions and hands off to your team. If you rely on watching visitors and starting chats with them, LiveChat is the better fit.
Can SupportHQ answer from my existing help content?
Yes. Sync your public help center or website as knowledge, upload files, or write articles in SupportHQ. The agent answers only from that content and says when it does not know.
Do both have a free trial?
Yes. LiveChat offers 14 days with no credit card. SupportHQ offers 7 days on every plan, card required, not charged if you cancel before it ends.