LiveChat livechat.comFree alternatives to LiveChat
LiveChat costs $25/mo on the Starter plan, or $300 a year. Here are 7 free and open-source options, what each one does, and what you give up compared with paying.
01At a glance
| Alternative | Type | Where it runs | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatwoot | Open source | You host it | Web, iPhone, Android, Your server |
| Live Helper Chat | Open source | You host it | Web, Your server |
| tawk.to | Free | Hosted for you | Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android |
| Zammad | Open source | You host it | Web, Your server |
| LibreDesk | Open source | You host it | Web, Your server |
| Odoo Helpdesk One App Free | Free | Hosted for you | Web |
| HubSpot Free Help Desk | Free | Hosted for you | Web, iPhone, Android |
02Each alternative, in detail
A proper support inbox with chat, email and a help center; free software, billable server chores.
Versus paying: You trade LiveChat's managed uptime, upgrades and deliverability for operating a multi-service server yourself.
Setup: Docker Compose on a Linux VM, followed by environment, database, reverse-proxy and TLS configuration
Watch for: Provisioning a Linux server and correctly wiring DNS/TLS, SMTP, PostgreSQL/Redis and storage
35,534 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)
chatwoot.com →A battle-tested live-chat desk with routing, transcripts and canned replies; the interface has seen some things.
Versus paying: Its agent interface, reporting and integration catalog are markedly less polished than LiveChat's.
Setup: Upload the release archive to a PHP web server and run the browser installer, or deploy its Docker image
Watch for: A PHP 8.2+/MySQL web host, a pre-created database and correct filesystem permissions
2,236 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)
livehelperchat.com →Live chat, tickets and a knowledge base for zero dollars; the little badge is how the arithmetic survives.
Versus paying: The free widget keeps tawk.to branding, and its routing and reporting are shallower than LiveChat's.
Setup: Hosted signup, then paste the generated JavaScript widget or install a CMS plugin
Watch for: Access to edit the website or install its CMS plugin
tawk.to →A serious ticket desk with email, chat, SLAs and a knowledge base; setup is the first ticket.
Versus paying: Zammad is a heavyweight ticket suite, so website chat is less focused and much harder to operate than LiveChat.
Setup: Deploy the Docker Compose/Portainer stack or install supported Linux packages
Watch for: A comparatively large server and familiarity with Docker/Portainer, PostgreSQL and Elasticsearch
5,800 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)
zammad.org →A modern email-and-live-chat desk in one compact stack, because apparently that was allowed.
Versus paying: LibreDesk is much newer and less battle-tested, with a far smaller integration and support ecosystem than LiveChat.
Setup: Run Docker Compose with an edited config file, or launch the release binary against PostgreSQL
Watch for: Docker plus a correct config, encryption key, PostgreSQL/Redis and mail/channel credentials
2,682 GitHub stars (checked Aug 7, 2026)
libredesk.io →A real hosted ticket desk for unlimited users, as long as Helpdesk is your one free Odoo app.
Versus paying: The one-app-free plan is not a clean live-chat replacement, and adding unrelated Odoo apps can end the free arrangement.
Setup: Hosted Odoo Online signup with Helpdesk selected as the single free app
odoo.com →A hosted shared inbox, live chat, and ticket queue for two users; the knowledge base lives upstairs.
Versus paying: The free plan is capped at two users and lacks LiveChat's mature routing, staffing and chat-reporting depth.
Setup: Hosted signup, then connect a team inbox/email and add the website tracking or chat-widget code
Watch for: Connecting and verifying the shared email inbox and website domain
hubspot.com →03What you give up by leaving LiveChat
- global chat delivery, mobile apps, staffing tools, integrations, and support
- omnichannel integrations
- large-scale deliverability
- AI resolution tuning
- enterprise routing and compliance
People still pay for LiveChat because support software survives because missing or misrouting one customer message is expensive and every channel behaves differently. The recurring cost buys message delivery, webhooks, threading, identity, permissions, attachments, notifications, spam, search, uptime, and retention, not just the visible interface.
04Questions
Is there a free alternative to LiveChat?
Yes. This page compares 7: Chatwoot, Live Helper Chat, tawk.to, Zammad, LibreDesk, Odoo Helpdesk One App Free and HubSpot Free Help Desk. 4 of them are open source, so you can run them yourself.
How much does LiveChat cost?
$25/mo on the Starter plan (monthly per user), which is $300 a year. Prices checked Aug 12, 2026.
What do you give up with a free alternative to LiveChat?
Most often: global chat delivery, mobile apps, staffing tools, integrations, and support, omnichannel integrations, large-scale deliverability and AI resolution tuning. Each alternative on this page lists its own gap under “Versus paying.”
Can AI build me my own version of LiveChat?
Half-bot. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For LiveChat, provide reliable website chat with routing, transcripts, and canned replies. The hard boundary is global chat delivery, mobile apps, staffing tools, integrations, and support, plus channel integrations and support operations.
Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.
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