Software comparison
Best Live Chat Software for Small Business Websites
This category has split into two tiers: AI-first platforms that charge per resolved conversation on top of a seat price (Intercom), and simpler tools with predictable flat pricing (Tidio, Crisp, Tawk.to). For a small site, predictable pricing usually wins - an unpredictable per-resolution bill is a real risk if chat volume spikes.
Independent research · Verify current pricing with each provider
Pricing reality
Intercom specifically prices its AI agent per resolution on top of seat costs, which makes the total bill hard to predict in advance. Free-tier limits on the others shift periodically - confirm current terms directly.
At a glance
Which one fits?
Best for: Most small e-commerce and SaaS businesses starting out
Free: Genuinely usable free tier, not a crippled trial.
Best for: Teams that want a real free tier and hate per-seat pricing as they grow
Free: Free tier includes one website and two agent seats - genuine usability, not a 14-day trial.
Best for: Mid-market teams with real support volume who want the strongest AI deflection
Free: No free tier.
Best for: Bootstrapped businesses on a zero budget
Free: Core chat features are genuinely unlimited and free - a rarity in this category.
Detailed review
What to know before you choose.
Tidio
Best for Most small e-commerce and SaaS businesses starting out
Free plan and limits
Genuinely usable free tier, not a crippled trial.
The Trade-off
The most commonly recommended starting point in this category for good reason - real free-tier functionality, an AI agent (Lyro) with a resolution guarantee, and pricing that stays affordable at small-business volume. Advanced automation depth doesn't match Intercom's, which is the right trade for most small sites.
Crisp
Best for Teams that want a real free tier and hate per-seat pricing as they grow
Free plan and limits
Free tier includes one website and two agent seats - genuine usability, not a 14-day trial.
The Trade-off
Flat workspace pricing (not per-seat) is a real structural advantage as a support team grows - adding agents doesn't multiply the bill the way seat-based tools do. AI features are lighter than Intercom's or Tidio's Lyro as of this writing.
Intercom
Best for Mid-market teams with real support volume who want the strongest AI deflection
Free plan and limits
No free tier.
The Trade-off
The most capable AI agent in this category, genuinely resolving a meaningful share of conversations without a human - worth it if support volume is already eating real staff time. The per-resolution AI charge on top of seat pricing makes the total bill unpredictable, and it's genuinely more than most small sites need to spend.
Tawk.to
Best for Bootstrapped businesses on a zero budget
Free plan and limits
Core chat features are genuinely unlimited and free - a rarity in this category.
The Trade-off
Hard to beat for a business that simply can't spend anything on this yet - full live chat with no seat or conversation caps on the free core. Design polish and AI features trail the paid-first competitors here; you get functional, not flashy.
StackPick verdict
The bottom line.
Starting out, want the safest default? Tidio. Growing a support team and don't want per-seat pricing to punish you for it? Crisp. Real support volume already costing staff time, and the budget allows it? Intercom, but watch the per-resolution AI charge closely. Genuinely can't spend anything yet? Tawk.to gets you live chat for free, full stop.
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