Alternatives · Help Desks
Text by LiveChat alternatives
Text by LiveChat compared with 7 alternatives: Tidio, Intercom, Zendesk, Crisp, tawk.to and 2 more.
Text by LiveChat is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly). 4 of the 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.
7 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text by LiveChatThis tool | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Tidio | Free plan · from $24.17/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Intercom | Free trial · from $29/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Zendesk | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Crisp | Free plan · from $45/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| tawk.to | Free plan · from $29/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| LiveAgent | Free trial · from $15/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Smartsupp | Free plan · from $17/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Text by LiveChat starts at $19 a month for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 7 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Tidio, Zendesk and Crisp score higher without starting lower. LiveAgent and Smartsupp start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Text by LiveChat
- Free plan · from $24.17/mo
Tidio
Live chat, ticketing and the Lyro AI agent priced by conversations
- Tidio starts at $24.17 per month for 100 conversations, billed annually ($29 monthly). Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Tidio has a free plan. Text by LiveChat does not, though it has a free trial.
Suits: Small online stores, especially on Shopify or WordPress
- Free trial · from $29/mo
Intercom
Helpdesk with live chat and the Fin AI agent priced per outcome
- Intercom starts at $29 per seat / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly). Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Only Text by LiveChat lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Intercom also covers shared inbox, reports and help center.
Suits: Software and app companies that support customers through in-app chat
- Free trial · from $19/mo
Zendesk
Ticketing, messaging, help center and AI agents for support teams
- Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly). Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Only Text by LiveChat lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Zendesk also covers reports and help center.
Suits: Support teams handling email, chat and phone in one queue
- Free plan · from $45/mo
Crisp
Live chat and shared inbox priced per workspace, not per seat
- Crisp starts at $45 per workspace / month, with 4 seats. Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Crisp has a free plan. Text by LiveChat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Crisp also covers shared inbox and help center.
- Text by LiveChat also covers help desk.
Suits: Small teams that want chat and email support at a flat monthly price
- Free plan · from $29/mo
tawk.to
Free live chat, ticketing and help center, with paid add-ons
- tawk.to starts at $29 per month for the AI Assist or Whitelabel add-on. Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- tawk.to has a free plan. Text by LiveChat does not, though it has a free trial.
- tawk.to also covers help center.
Suits: Small businesses that want website chat without paying per seat
- Free trial · from $15/mo
LiveAgent
Help desk with email tickets, live chat, call center and AI agents
- LiveAgent starts at $15 per agent / month, billed annually ($19 billed monthly). Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Only Text by LiveChat lists macOS and Windows apps.
- LiveAgent also covers reports and help center.
Suits: Teams that answer email, chat and phone from one help desk
- Free plan · from $17/mo
Smartsupp
Live chat, WhatsApp and email inbox with the Mira AI shopping agent
- Smartsupp starts at $17 per month for 1 operator, billed annually ($24 billed monthly). Text by LiveChat starts at $19 per user / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Smartsupp has a free plan. Text by LiveChat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Text by LiveChat lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Smartsupp also covers shared inbox.
- Text by LiveChat also covers help desk.
Suits: Small online stores, especially in Europe
Limits worth knowing in Text by LiveChat
- New sign-ups now get Text plans; the older LiveChat plans stay only for existing customers, and Text features are not part of them.
- AI resolutions beyond the monthly allowance (10 on Essential, 200 on Growth) cost $49.50 per pack of 50.
- There is no free plan, and every person who answers chats or tickets needs a paid seat.
- Essential keeps chat and file history for 60 days and tracks 50 live visitors; unlimited history and multilingual chat need Growth.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Text by LiveChat?
The alternatives to Text by LiveChat in this directory are Tidio, Intercom, Zendesk, Crisp, tawk.to, LiveAgent and Smartsupp. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Text by LiveChat.
Is there a free alternative to Text by LiveChat?
Yes. Tidio, Crisp, tawk.to and Smartsupp have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.