What is Live Support
Live Support is a web-based live chat and SMS messaging platform that helps businesses talk to website visitors and customers in real time. It provides a lightweight JavaScript widget for website installation, dedicated agent and manager dashboards, proactive chat campaigns, SMS add-ons, canned responses, and transcript history for tracking customer interactions.
Compared with competitors, Live Support targets organizations that want an affordable, chat-first solution with optional SMS. Compared with Intercom, which bundles product messaging, help center, and advanced automation, Live Support is more focused on synchronous conversations and basic automation at lower entry price points. Versus Zendesk, which emphasizes ticketing and omnichannel support, Live Support concentrates on real-time engagement and SMS as a lightweight complement to web chat.
All of this makes Live Support a practical choice for small to mid-size teams that need fast installation, real-time sales engagement, and SMS support without investing in a larger support suite. It is particularly useful for ecommerce sites seeking to reduce cart abandonment through proactive conversations and for support teams that want simple routing, canned responses, and transcript history.
How Live Support Works
Installation begins by copying a single line of JavaScript into your website HTML, which activates the chat widget immediately in supported browsers. Administrators use the manager dashboard to invite agents, configure departments for skill-based routing, adjust branding and colors, and set up proactive campaigns that target visitors based on pages and behavior.
Agents log into a separate dashboard or use the SMS app to chat with visitors on desktop or mobile. Workflows typically include receiving proactive invites, using canned responses to speed replies, transferring chats between agents or managers when escalation is needed, and saving transcripts for follow-up or training. The platform also supports basic analytics and live traffic stats to monitor engagement and measure campaign impact.
What does Live Support do?
Live Support centers on synchronous customer conversations, mixing web chat and optional SMS so customers can continue a session on the go. Core capabilities include a quick install chat widget, manager and agent dashboards, proactive chat campaigns, skill-based routing, canned responses, and exportable transcript history.
The platform includes several powerful capabilities:
One-minute installation
The chat widget is activated by adding a single JavaScript snippet to your site, allowing teams to start engaging visitors within minutes rather than hours. This short setup window helps businesses run quick pilots and start collecting conversations without a lengthy implementation.
Manager dashboard and routing
Managers can create departments for skill-based routing, invite agents, and configure queue-based routing to ensure chats go to the right person. The dashboard also supports proactive campaign setup and basic team management functions that help route sales queries and support issues efficiently.
Agent dashboard and SMS app
Agents respond to web chats from a browser-based console and can continue conversations via an SMS app when customers prefer text messaging. This multi-channel capability supports continuity when customers leave the site and improves conversion opportunities for sales-driven interactions.
Proactive chat campaigns
Proactive campaigns let teams reach out to visitors based on behavior, time on page, or URL patterns, which helps reduce cart abandonment and increase conversions. You can customize messages and target specific pages or segments to start timely conversations that drive action.
Canned responses and coaching tools
Shared and per-agent canned responses speed reply times and keep messaging consistent across the team. Manager coaching features allow supervisors to monitor chats, provide guidance, and improve agent performance through review and direct feedback.
Analytics and transcript history
Integrated live traffic stats and transcript history let teams review past conversations, identify common issues, and measure the impact of proactive campaigns. Transcript retention varies by plan, enabling longer-term record keeping on higher tiers for compliance and training.
Branding, customization, and training
The platform supports custom colors, fonts, and widget placement to match site branding, with enhanced customization and training options on advanced plans. Higher tiers include hands-on training sessions and screenshare-based onboarding to accelerate agent readiness.
With these capabilities, Live Support simplifies real-time customer engagement while adding SMS as a persistent channel for follow-up, making it a practical tool for teams focused on immediate conversions and faster issue resolution.
Live Support pricing
Live Support uses a subscription pricing model with per-agent monthly rates and optional SMS add-on packages. Plans range from entry-level chat-only tiers to business-oriented packages with phone support, advanced customization, and extended transcript retention.
Monthly Billing:
Chat Only – basic – $19 per agent per month (basic branding customizations, canned responses per agent, 3 proactive campaigns, email-only support, 1 week transcript history)
Basic – $29 per agent per month (includes SMS addon option, email-only support, basic branding customizations, 3 proactive campaigns, 1 week transcript history)
Chat Only – Professional – $39 per agent per month (enhanced branding customizations, 10 proactive campaigns, shared canned responses, 3 months transcript history)
Professional – $59 per agent per month (SMS addon available, enhanced branding, one phone training session, shared canned responses, 3 months transcript history)
Business – $99 per agent per month (full branding, email and phone support, unlimited proactive campaigns, three screenshare training sessions, permanent transcript history)
SMS Add-ons and overages:
SMS addon package (500): $24.99 (appears on some plans)
SMS addon package (500) on Business: $19.99
Some chat-only plans list SMS as n/a while paid plans offer SMS packages as optional paid add-ons; overage fees may apply when included SMS are exhausted. For specific SMS pricing tiers and current availability, view the Live Support homepage or contact sales through their contact and billing channels.
Enterprise and annual options
Annual billing and enterprise-level contracts, including volume discounts, dedicated onboarding, and extended SLAs, are available by request and typically require direct discussion with sales. Check the Live Support homepage for enterprise contact options and to request custom pricing details.
What is Live Support Used For?
Live Support is mainly used to convert website visitors into customers and to provide immediate assistance during online transactions. Teams commonly use proactive chat campaigns to reduce cart abandonment and to answer real-time purchase questions that would otherwise drop in conversion rate.
Support teams use Live Support to handle common questions quickly, route complex issues to specialized agents, and preserve transcript history for follow-up. Businesses that sell online or rely on timely customer contact, such as ecommerce stores, booking services, and SMB support centers, benefit most from its mix of web chat and SMS continuity.
Pros and cons of Live Support
Pros
- Fast installation and onboarding: The single JavaScript snippet gets the chat widget running in about one minute, enabling quick pilots and fast time-to-first-chat. This is useful for teams that want to test live chat without complex setup.
- Combined web chat and SMS: Support for SMS continuation allows customers to keep a conversation going off-site, improving response reach and conversion potential for mobile users. This hybrid approach helps capture sales that start on the website but finish by text.
- Proactive campaigns and routing: Built-in proactive chat campaigns and skill-based routing let teams engage high-value visitors and route chats to the most appropriate agents. This improves conversion rates and reduces handling time for qualified leads.
- Tiered training and transcript retention: Higher tiers include hands-on training and extended transcript history, which supports compliance, coaching, and performance improvement over time.
Cons
- Limited public API detail: Public documentation is not prominent in marketing copy, which can make custom integrations harder to assess before purchase; teams with complex integration needs should confirm API access with sales.
- SMS costs and overages: SMS packages are add-ons and can carry overage fees, which increases variable costs for high-volume texting campaigns. Organizations that plan heavy SMS use must budget for addon and overage charges.
- Feature parity across tiers: Some advanced features such as full branding, extended transcripts, and phone support are reserved for higher-priced plans, requiring an upgrade for teams that need those capabilities.
Does Live Support Offer a Free Trial?
Live Support offers a 15-day free trial that allows teams to test the chat widget, agent and manager dashboards, proactive campaigns, and basic routing. The trial is intended to let you validate installation, measure engagement improvements, and evaluate SMS add-ons before committing to a paid plan.
Live Support API and Integrations
Live Support provides integration options to connect chat data with CRMs, helpdesk tools, and analytics platforms, and it supports deployment across web, iOS, and Android clients. The Live Support API documentation outlines endpoints for creating and managing chats, fetching transcripts, and integrating user metadata for routing.
If you need built-in connectors, Live Support commonly integrates with customer relationship management and third-party analytics platforms; for exact integration lists and connector setup, consult the Live Support docs or reach out to their support team for custom integration guidance.
10 Live Support alternatives
Paid alternatives to Live Support
Zendesk — A comprehensive support suite with ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base features suited for larger teams that need omnichannel support.
Intercom — Combines live chat, product messaging, and a help center with advanced automation and a strong focus on customer lifecycle messaging.
LiveChat — A chat-first platform with built-in reporting, ecommerce integrations, and a range of agent productivity tools for sales and support teams.
Freshdesk — Includes multichannel support with chat, email, and phone, paired with a ticketing system and automation for mid-size businesses.
Olark — Simple live chat focused on small businesses, known for straightforward pricing and basic integrations to CRMs.
Tidio — Offers chat, chatbots, and email automation in a combined interface aimed at small ecommerce teams.
Drift — Sales-focused conversational marketing platform with bots, routing rules, and deep CRM integration for B2B lead generation.
Open source alternatives to Live Support
Chatwoot — Open source customer engagement suite that supports live chat, social inbox, and integrations for teams that prefer self-hosting.
Rocket.Chat — Team chat platform that can be extended for customer support and live interactions when configured for web widgets.
Live Helper Chat — A dedicated open source live chat solution that includes proactive invitations, canned responses, and visitor tracking for self-hosted deployments.
Mibew Messenger — Lightweight open source live chat software that can be installed on your own servers and customized for basic support workflows.
Frequently asked questions about Live Support
What is Live Support used for?
Live Support is used for real-time customer engagement via web chat and SMS. Businesses use it to reduce cart abandonment, answer sales questions, and resolve support issues quickly with live agents.
Does Live Support include SMS messaging?
Yes, Live Support supports SMS as an add-on in several plans. SMS packages are available as paid addons and may include a set number of messages plus overage fees.
How much does Live Support cost per agent?
Live Support plans start at about $19 per agent per month for chat-only tiers. Higher tiers add branding, training, phone support, and extended transcript retention at higher monthly rates.
Can Live Support be customized to match my website branding?
Yes, Live Support supports custom colors, fonts, and widget placement. Enhanced branding options and full white-labeling are available on higher-tier plans.
Does Live Support offer API access for integrations?
Yes, Live Support offers API access for automation and integrations. The Live Support API documentation provides details for connecting chat data to CRMs and analytics tools.
Final verdict: Live Support
Live Support is a straightforward live chat platform that adds SMS continuity to help teams convert visitors and solve problems faster. It excels at quick deployment, proactive engagement, and giving small to mid-size teams the basics they need to start real-time conversations and measure impact without a complex implementation.
Compared with Intercom, Live Support is more narrowly focused and typically more affordable at the entry level, with $19 per agent per month for a chat-only tier versus Intercom’s broader, higher-cost bundles for messaging, automation, and product tours. If your primary need is immediate chat and SMS continuity with simple routing and canned responses, Live Support is a practical, cost-conscious choice. If you need extensive automation, product messaging, or a unified customer data platform, a full suite like Intercom or Zendesk may better fit those requirements.
