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The best free live chat software in 2026
Free live chat plans look alike on a feature grid and differ after a few weeks of real use. Below are the tools from our comparisons that have a free plan, with only what each vendor publishes on its own pricing page and the date we checked it: what a team of three pays, how long history is kept, what removing the branding costs and how AI is billed.
Updated · By the TalkingDot team
Disclosure: TalkingDot is our product. It is listed first; every other fact is taken from the vendor's own site, and anything a vendor does not publish is marked as such.
Free live chat plans compared
| Tool | Free plan | 3 agents / month | Free-plan history | Remove branding | AI pricing | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TalkingDot | Every feature, 300 conversations / mo | $0 on Free (300 conversations/mo) · $19/mo on Starter (unlimited) | 3 months | $29/mo (Pro) | Your own AI key — no per-answer fees | 2026-10-06 |
| tawk.to | Yes, unlimited seats | $0 | Full history | $29/mo per property | Free 100 credits; $29–$399/mo | 2026-10-04 |
| Crisp | Yes, 2 seats | $45 (Mini, 4 seats) | Limited (exact unverified) | Plus, $295/mo | Credits incl. from Mini ($5–$75) | 2026-10-04 |
| Tidio | Yes, 50 conversations / mo | $0 (50 conv) / paid $29 / $24.17 | Not stated | Growth add-on $16.67/mo; Plus | Lyro from $39/mo (50 conv) | 2026-10-04 |
| Freshchat | Yes, up to 10 agents | $0 / paid $69 / $57 | Not stated | All paid plans (from $19/agent) | 500 sessions incl., then $49/100 sessions | 2026-10-04 |
| HubSpot Service Hub | Yes, up to 2 users | $60 list (promo from $21) | Not stated | Starter+ ($20/seat list) | $0.50 per resolution (Pro+) | 2026-10-04 |
| Chatwoot | Yes, 2 agents (cloud) or self-host | $57 (Startups) or $0 self-hosted | 30 days | Self-host: $19/agent; cloud unverified | 300–800 credits incl.; $20/1,000 | 2026-10-04 |
| JivoChat | Yes, up to 5 agents | $0 (if 5-agent free) / paid ~$120 / $84 | 2 months | Professional+ ($42/agent annual) | AI Agent $69/agent/mo (annual) | 2026-10-04 |
| Smartsupp | Yes, 1 operator, 25 conversations | ~$36 (EUR 30) / $25 (Plus) | 14 days | Ultimate only (from $280/mo) | Mira from $16/mo | 2026-10-04 |
| Zoho SalesIQ | Yes, 3 operators | $0 / paid $30 / $21 | Not stated | Unverified | Zia/BYO AI included (no per-use price) | 2026-10-04 |
| Userlike (Lime Connect) | Yes, 1 seat, 200 conversations | EUR 105 / EUR 87 | Not stated | Enterprise only | AI Agent from EUR 99/mo | 2026-10-04 |
| Chaport | Yes, 2 operators | EUR 39 / EUR 29 (Pro, 4 ops) | 60 days | Unverified | Not listed | 2026-10-04 |
Prices in USD from each vendor's own pricing page (EUR where a vendor only lists EUR); two prices are monthly / annual billing. “Not stated” or “unverified” means the vendor does not publish it. Spotted something out of date? Tell us through the contact page. Contact us.
How do you choose a free live chat tool?
- Seats. Count everyone who will reply — two seats are plenty for one person and painful for four.
- Conversation caps. Some free plans cap conversations or chat sessions a month; check what happens when you hit the cap.
- History. Old conversations are where repeat questions and product ideas live. Check how long they stay searchable.
- Branding. Most free widgets show the vendor's name. Check whether removing it is a paid add-on.
- AI. AI answers are often billed per resolution or with credits on top of the plan.
- API and data. A REST API, webhooks and exports keep your data yours if you switch later.
Which free plan fits which team?
A solo founder who answers every chat can live with two seats and a monthly cap. A team of three or four on a small budget is better served by a plan with unlimited seats. If customers ask the same questions all day, a free plan that includes a help center and chatbots saves more time than one with more seats. Each tool's comparison page lists when it is the better choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is there completely free live chat software?
Yes. TalkingDot, tawk.to, Crisp, Tidio, Freshchat, HubSpot Service Hub, Chatwoot, JivoChat, Smartsupp, Zoho SalesIQ, Userlike (Lime Connect) and Chaport have a free plan with no time limit. They differ in seats, monthly conversation limits, history and branding — the table above shows each one.
Which free live chat lets unlimited agents answer?
TalkingDot and tawk.to let unlimited teammates answer on the free plan. The others limit seats or operators on their free plans, as listed in the table.
What is the catch with free live chat plans?
Usually one of four things: a limit on seats or conversations a month, a short conversation history, the vendor's branding in the chat, or AI that costs extra. Check all four before you install.
Is TalkingDot really free?
Free plan with every feature, unlimited teammates and 300 conversations a month (3 months of history). Starter is $19 a month for 3 workspaces: unlimited conversations, unlimited teammates and light branding. Pro is $29 a month for 10 workspaces: unlimited conversations and teammates, unlimited history and no branding.
Try a free plan with every feature
No trial, no credit card and no per-seat pricing.
Free plan foreverNo credit cardUnlimited teammates