Among the tools we checked, live chat software runs from free plans to roughly $19–$132 per agent per month at published list prices, plus usage fees for AI. Enterprise tiers are usually custom.
As of October, 2026, everal tools had free plans. The lowest published paid per-agent price was $19 per month, shared by LiveChat Essential and Freshchat Growth (annual billing), Intercom Essential (new-customer price), and Zendesk's Support Team plan (which doesn't include live chat). The bigger cost difference now is AI. Some plans include a small number of AI resolutions and sell more in packs, some charge per session, and Intercom charges from $0.99 per Fin outcome, at most once per conversation.
Key takeaways
- There are five pricing models: free, per seat, per workspace, per conversation, and per AI resolution or outcome. Most vendors mix two or three.
- LiveChat lists $19 (Essential) and $79 (Growth) per user per month with annual billing ($25 and $99 monthly), with 10 or 200 AI resolutions included.
- Intercom combines seats and outcomes: $29 (Essential, with a $19 new-customer price shown at the time of writing), $85 (Advanced), and $132 (Expert) per seat per month, and Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome.
- Compare cost per resolved conversation, not entry price per seat.
All prices below are list prices from each vendor's pricing page, checked in US dollars. Vendors change prices often, so confirm before you buy.
How live chat pricing works: the five models
Vendors charge for live chat in five ways, and most combine two or three:
| Model | How you're charged | Examples (published Nov 1, 2026) | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, with limits | tawk.to (free for life); free plans from HubSpot, Freshchat (up to 10 agents), Tidio, Crisp, Zoho SalesIQ (3 operators) | Low-volume sites, testing | Limits on seats, history, AI, branding; paid add-ons |
| Per seat (per agent/user) | A monthly fee for every person who answers chats | Intercom, LiveChat, Zendesk, Freshchat, Olark | Predictable human costs | Costs grow with headcount, even when AI could handle more |
| Per workspace (bundled seats) | A flat fee that includes a set number of seats | Crisp (Mini: 4 seats; Essentials: 10; Plus: 20+) | Small teams that fit a bundle | Paying for unused seats between tiers |
| Per conversation | Tiers based on monthly billable conversations | Tidio (e.g., Starter includes 100 billable conversations) | Low, steady volume | Costs move with traffic spikes |
| Per AI resolution / outcome / session | A fee each time the AI resolves (or handles) a conversation | Intercom Fin (from $0.99/outcome); Zendesk automated resolutions ($1.50 committed / $2.00 pay-as-you-go); LiveChat packs (50 for $49.50); Freshchat Freddy AI Agent ($49 per 100 sessions) | Teams automating a large share of chats | Definitions differ: "resolution," "outcome," and "session" aren't the same unit |
Live chat pricing comparison (published prices, Oct 30, 2026)
Several vendors list a $19 per-agent entry tier, though Zendesk's first plan with live chat starts at $55. The bigger gaps are in higher tiers and in how each vendor charges for AI.
| Tool | Free plan | Entry paid plan | Mid / higher tiers | AI pricing | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercom | No | Essential: $29/seat/mo ($19 new-customer price shown at time of writing) | Advanced $85; Expert $132 (per seat/mo) | Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome on all plans | 14 days, no card |
| LiveChat | No | Essential: $19/user/mo annual ($25 monthly) | Growth $79 annual ($99 monthly); Enterprise custom | 10 AI resolutions/mo (Essential), 200/mo (Growth); +50 for $49.50 | 14 days, no card |
| Zendesk | No | Support Team: $19/agent/mo annual ($25 monthly), no messaging/live chat | Suite Team $55 ($69 monthly) incl. messaging and live chat; Suite Professional $115 ($149 monthly) | 5–10 automated resolutions per agent/mo included; $1.50 committed / $2.00 pay-as-you-go | Yes |
| Freshchat | Yes, up to 10 agents | Growth: $19/agent/mo annual | Pro $49; Enterprise $79 (annual) | Freddy AI Agent $49 per 100 sessions; Copilot $29/agent/mo | Yes |
| Tidio | Yes | Starter: $24.17/mo (annual) | Growth from $49.17/mo; Plus from $300/mo + usage; Premium custom | Lyro AI conversations metered separately | 7 days |
| Crisp | Yes | Mini: $45/mo per workspace (4 seats) | Essentials $95 (10 seats); Plus $295 (20+ seats) | Included AI credits ($5 / $25 / $75) | 14 days |
| tawk.to | Yes (free for life) | n/a | Branding removal $29/mo | AI Assist from $29/mo | n/a |
| Olark | No | Human-only chat: $29/agent/mo | Standard AI Website Agent $400/mo billed annually, incl. 1 human seat | Flat AI plan | n/a |
| HubSpot | Yes (free live chat) | Not verified (pricing page failed to load Nov 1, 2026) | Not verified | Customer Agent uses HubSpot Credits | Free tools |
| Zoho SalesIQ | Yes, 3 operators | Priced per operator (not rendered on page Nov 1, 2026) | Not verified | Zia Agents | 15 days, no card |
| Salesloft chat agents (formerly Drift) | No | Contact sales | Contact sales | Contact sales | n/a |
Intercom's pricing page has a billed annually / billed monthly toggle but doesn't label each price, so Intercom prices are shown as displayed on the page.
LiveChat pricing explained
LiveChat costs $19 per user per month on Essential and $79 on Growth with annual billing ($25 and $99 monthly); Enterprise is custom. Many people searching "live chat pricing" mean LiveChat the product, so here's what its pricing page shows (the product is now presented as Text, from the team behind LiveChat.com):
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | AI included | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $19 per user/mo ($228/yr) | $25 per user/mo | 1 AI Agent, 10 AI resolutions/mo | Chat and inbox, ticketing, Shopify selling, 50 live visitors tracked, 3 proactive campaigns |
| Growth | $79 per user/mo ($948/yr) | $99 per user/mo | 10 AI Agents, 200 AI resolutions/mo | Chat supervision, shared canned responses, unlimited history, 400 live visitors tracked, 30 proactive campaigns |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom AI agents, SSO and audit logs, SLAs, white-label widget |
LiveChat defines a resolution as "the AI directly solved a customer question. Multiple questions in the same chat still count as one." Extra packages of 50 AI resolutions cost $49.50. LiveChat's own example: "5 users on Growth at $79 each" comes to $395 a month, or $4,740 billed yearly, with 200 AI resolutions included.
Intercom pricing explained
Intercom combines seats and outcomes. The pricing page describes two components: you pay per teammate based on your plan (Essential, Advanced, or Expert), and you pay for what you use, such as Fin outcomes and messaging channels.
| Plan | Price per seat/mo | Fin AI Agent | Notable features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $29 ($19 new-customer price shown at time of writing) | From $0.99 per outcome | Messenger live chat, shared inbox and ticketing, pre-built reports, public help center, basic automation |
| Advanced | $85 | From $0.99 per outcome | Workflow automation builder, multiple team inboxes, round robin assignment, private and multilingual Help Center, 20 free Lite seats |
| Expert | $132 | From $0.99 per outcome | SSO and identity management, HIPAA support, SLAs, multibrand Messenger and Help Center, 50 free Lite seats |
| Fin with your existing helpdesk | No Intercom seats | $0.99 per outcome | Works with helpdesks including Salesforce, HubSpot, Freshworks, Zoho, and more; 50 outcomes per month minimum (fin.ai/pricing) |
What counts as a Fin outcome?
The pricing page counts an outcome when "a customer confirms their issue is resolved," "they don't ask for more help after Fin responds," or "Fin completes a workflow (Procedure), including handoffs." Three rules sit alongside that definition:
- Once per conversation. "You're only charged once per conversation, even if multiple questions are answered."
- No charge for unsuccessful attempts. Fin does not charge for unsuccessful attempts.
- Spend controls. "You can track usage, set alerts, and use hard limits to control spend."
Add-ons and usage charges
- Copilot (AI assistant for your team): $29 per agent per month billed annually, or $35 billed monthly.
- Pro: an optional add-on at $100 per month.
- Proactive Support Plus: $99 per month, including 500 messages.
- Fin Voice: custom pricing.
- Channel usage: WhatsApp, SMS, email campaigns, and phone are usage-based; "inbound support (e.g. responding to customer emails) is included."
Minimum, contract, and trial
One Full seat minimum, no required platform fees beyond that, contracts optional for self-serve plans, and a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Startups can apply for the Early Stage program, listed as "up to 93% off + 1 year of Fin free."
What live chat actually costs: worked examples
Total cost depends on two things seat prices don't show: how many people you need and how many conversations AI resolves. Model it like this.
The formula: Monthly cost = (agent seats × seat price) + (AI resolutions × AI price) + add-ons + channel usage
A one-seat example. At the $19 new-customer seat price, a team handling 120 conversations a month where Fin resolves 91 (76%, Fin's average) would pay $19 for the seat plus $90.09 for 91 outcomes: about $109 a month. Your rate will depend on your content and setup.
Illustrative comparison at list prices (hypothetical team of 5 agents, before AI overages and add-ons; LiveChat, Zendesk, and Freshchat on annual billing):
| Seats | Included AI | What extra AI costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LiveChat Growth | 5 × $79 = $395/mo | 200 AI resolutions/mo | $49.50 per 50 extra |
| Zendesk Suite Team | 5 × $55 = $275/mo | 5 per agent/mo = 25 automated resolutions | $1.50 committed or $2.00 pay-as-you-go each |
| Intercom Advanced | 5 × $85 = $425/mo | Billed per outcome | From $0.99 per Fin outcome |
| Freshchat Pro | 5 × $49 = $245/mo | None stated | $49 per 100 Freddy AI Agent sessions |
Seat prices sit in a similar range. AI is where the totals split, once it's handling hundreds or thousands of conversations a month. And if AI resolves a growing share of conversations, you may need fewer new seats over time, which a seat-only comparison misses. Run the numbers on your own volume.
Hidden costs to check before you buy
Look beyond the seat price. These are the costs that most often change the total:
- AI caps and top-up packs. How many AI resolutions are included, and what do extra packs cost?
- Definitions. "Resolution," "outcome," "session," and "billable conversation" are different units. Ask how each vendor counts them, and whether a handoff to a human is billed.
- Channel usage. WhatsApp and SMS are usually charged per message on top of your plan.
- Add-ons. AI assistants for agents, advanced reporting, proactive messaging, and branding removal are often extra.
- Monthly vs annual billing. LiveChat shows annual billing saving about 24% on Essential; Zendesk advertises 20% off annual. Make sure you're comparing the same billing period.
- Seat types. Some plans include free "lite" seats for teammates who only collaborate (Intercom's Advanced and Expert plans include 20 and 50).
- The cost of a bad handoff. If your bot and helpdesk are separate tools, agents spend time re-asking questions. That's a labor cost even if it isn't on the invoice.
Is free live chat worth it?
For low-volume websites, yes. tawk.to, HubSpot, Freshchat, Tidio, Crisp, and Zoho SalesIQ all have free plans. They typically limit seats, history, automation, AI, or branding. You'll outgrow free when you're missing chats outside business hours, answering the same questions all day, or managing chat separately from email and other channels. Whichever tool you pick, installing it is the cheap part: here's how to embed a live chat widget. For a full shortlist, see the best live chat software and LiveChat alternatives.
How to choose a pricing model
Match the pricing model to your team size, volume, and channels:
| If you… | Look for… |
|---|---|
| Have a small team and low volume | A free plan or a low per-seat entry tier |
| Get lots of repetitive questions | Usage-based AI pricing without low caps, and a clear definition of what you pay for |
| Expect volume to grow fast | Pricing that doesn't require a new seat for every spike; spending limits |
| Need chat plus email, phone, and messaging | A helpdesk that includes live chat, so you're not paying for two tools |
| Are a startup | Startup programs (the Intercom Early Stage program, for example) |
If you're still deciding between automation and human chat, read chatbot vs live chat. For a primer on the channel itself, start with what is live chat.
Frequently asked questions
How much does live chat cost?
Among the tools we checked in October, 2026, prices ranged from free plans to roughly $19–$132 per agent per month at list prices, plus AI usage. The lowest published paid per-agent price was $19 per month (LiveChat Essential and Freshchat Growth on annual billing, and Intercom Essential at its new-customer price). Enterprise tiers are usually custom.
How much does LiveChat cost?
LiveChat lists Essential at $19 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly) and Growth at $79 per user per month billed annually ($99 monthly). Enterprise is custom. Essential includes 10 AI resolutions a month and Growth includes 200; extra packs of 50 cost $49.50.
How much does Intercom live chat cost?
Intercom's live chat (Messenger) is included in every plan: Essential at $29 per seat per month (with a $19 new-customer price shown at the time of writing), Advanced at $85, and Expert at $132. Fin AI Agent is available on every plan from $0.99 per outcome, charged at most once per conversation. There's a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
How much do chatbots cost?
It depends on the model. Some live chat plans include a set number of AI resolutions; others charge per resolution, outcome, or session. Published examples in October, 2026: Intercom Fin from $0.99 per outcome, Zendesk automated resolutions at $1.50 (committed) or $2.00 (pay-as-you-go), LiveChat packs of 50 AI resolutions for $49.50, and Freshchat's Freddy AI Agent at $49 per 100 sessions.
Is live chat priced per agent?
Usually, yes: most tools charge per agent (seat) per month. Exceptions include Crisp (per workspace with bundled seats), Tidio (by billable conversations), and tawk.to (free, with paid add-ons).
Is there free live chat software?
Yes. tawk.to is free for life, and HubSpot, Freshchat (up to 10 agents), Tidio, Crisp, and Zoho SalesIQ (3 operators) have free plans with limits.
What's the difference between a resolution and an outcome?
Vendors define them differently. LiveChat counts a resolution when "the AI directly solved a customer question." Intercom counts a Fin outcome when the customer confirms their issue is resolved, doesn't ask for more help after Fin responds, or Fin completes a workflow, and charges at most once per conversation. Always check the definition before comparing prices.
Is annual billing cheaper?
Usually. LiveChat says annual billing saves about 24% on Essential and about 20% on Growth, and Zendesk advertises 20% off annual. Intercom's pricing page offers a billed annually or billed monthly toggle; check it before comparing.