LiveChat vs Zoho Desk
Compare LiveChat and Zoho Desk on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
LiveChat
Established live chat from Text — Starter $19, Team $49, Business $79, Enterprise $52 per person/mo annual.
Best for
- • Teams wanting mature live chat with Text ecosystem optionality
- • SMB–mid-market website support with per-agent clarity
- • Buyers who may add ChatBot or HelpDesk from the same vendor
Starting from $19.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
No universal winner. Choose based on which criteria matter most for your team.
Zoho Desk is better for
- ✓ Free plan
- ✓ Ticketing depth
- ✓ Knowledge base
- ✓ Omnichannel inbox
Tie
- • Live chat
- • AI features
- • Integrations
Choose LiveChat if: Teams wanting mature live chat with Text ecosystem optionality
Choose Zoho Desk if: Budget-conscious teams wanting helpdesk with $7 Express floor
Zoho Desk
Budget helpdesk in the Zoho suite — free 3 agents; Express $7, Standard $14, Professional $23, Enterprise $40 agent/mo annual.
Best for
- • Budget-conscious teams wanting helpdesk with $7 Express floor
- • Existing Zoho CRM/One customers
- • SMB teams needing free 3-agent entry
Starting from $0.00/user/mo
Free plan available
Comparison scorecard
Criterion-by-criterion results for LiveChat and Zoho Desk. Numeric bars appear only when both products have approved scores.
- Depends
Starting pricing
Published floor price and what that floor actually includes.
LiveChat researched starting price from $19/mo; Zoho Desk researched starting price from $0/mo; a free plan is researched. Better value depends on plan rungs and add-ons.
LiveChatDependsZoho DeskDepends - Zoho Desk
Free plan
Whether a usable free plan is published, and what it gates.
LiveChat does not research a free plan; Zoho Desk researches a free plan.
LiveChatWeakerZoho DeskStronger - Depends
Agent / licence minimum
Per-agent floors, conversation/ticket caps, and small-team billing traps.
Check agent minimum for LiveChat and Zoho Desk on current vendor packaging.
LiveChatDependsZoho DeskDepends - Zoho Desk
Ticketing depth
Queues, macros, assignment, and ticket workflow depth.
Stronger ticketing availability
LiveChatWeakerZoho DeskStronger - Tie
Live chat
Website/in-app messenger, routing, and canned replies.
LiveChat and Zoho Desk have the same researched availability on live chat (LiveChat: supported; Zoho Desk: supported); shared inbox (LiveChat: supported; Zoho Desk: supported).
LiveChatTieZoho DeskTie - Zoho Desk
Knowledge base
Help center, Docs, and customer self-service portals.
Stronger knowledge base availability
LiveChatWeakerZoho DeskStronger - Zoho Desk
Omnichannel inbox
Email, chat, social, and messaging in one agent workspace.
Stronger omnichannel inbox availability
LiveChat7/10Zoho Desk7/10 - Zoho Desk
SLA & routing
SLA policies, skills-based routing, and escalation rules.
Stronger sla routing availability
LiveChatWeakerZoho DeskStronger - Zoho Desk
Ecommerce helpdesk
Order, refund, and storefront context in the agent inbox.
Stronger ticketing availability
LiveChatWeakerZoho DeskStronger - Tie
AI features
Useful AI for the primary job — not marketing fluff.
LiveChat and Zoho Desk are close on ai features (7/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
LiveChat7/10Zoho Desk7/10 - Tie
Integrations
Important third-party integrations.
LiveChat and Zoho Desk are close on integrations (8/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
LiveChat8/10Zoho Desk8/10
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