LiveChat has been around since 2002. That longevity proves something: they do live chat well. Reliable, proven, straightforward.
But 2025 is not 2002. AI has changed expectations. WhatsApp has changed channels. "Just live chat" may not be enough anymore.
What LiveChat Does Well
1. Reliable Live Chat 20+ years of refinement. The core chat experience works: fast, stable, well-designed. For pure live chat, LiveChat is proven.
2. Clean Agent Interface The agent dashboard is intuitive. Chats, visitor info, canned responses, transfers—everything a chat agent needs, organized sensibly.
3. Reasonable Pricing
- Starter: $20/agent/month
- Team: $41/agent/month
- Business: $59/agent/month
- Enterprise: Custom
For pure live chat, pricing is competitive.
4. E-commerce Integrations Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce—LiveChat integrates with major e-commerce platforms. Product cards in chat, order lookup, cart information.
5. ChatBot Add-On Their ChatBot product adds automation. While separate pricing, it integrates with LiveChat for basic bot flows.
Where LiveChat Falls Short
1. AI Is an Afterthought ChatBot exists as a separate product with separate pricing. It handles rule-based flows but is not AI that learns and improves.
2. No Native WhatsApp or Instagram LiveChat is website-focused. Messaging apps require integrations through their "Channels" feature—not native, not seamless.
3. Per-Agent Pricing Scales Poorly A 10-agent team on Team plan costs $410/month. Add ChatBot and costs increase further. Scaling gets expensive.
4. Limited Automation Depth Beyond basic canned responses and routing rules, automation is limited. Complex workflows require their ChatBot product.
5. Not Built for AI-First Support LiveChat is human-first with bot assist. In 2025, many teams want AI-first with human escalation. Different paradigm.
When Oxaide Is Better
1. AI Automation Is Priority
Oxaide's AI resolves 60% of inquiries autonomously. LiveChat's automation is basic rule-based chatbots.
2. WhatsApp or Instagram Are Key Channels
Oxaide includes native WhatsApp and Instagram. No additional integrations or costs.
3. You Want Flat Pricing
LiveChat: per-agent monthly, plus ChatBot add-on. Oxaide: flat monthly, unlimited agents, AI included.
4. After-Hours Support Matters
Oxaide AI works 24/7 without staff. LiveChat without agents means missed chats (or ChatBot with limited capability).
5. Lead Capture Beyond Chat
Oxaide captures leads through AI conversations, forms, appointments. LiveChat is primarily chat-focused.
When LiveChat Is Right
1. Human Chat Is Your Model If you want humans handling every conversation with minimal automation, LiveChat is designed for this.
2. E-commerce Focus LiveChat's e-commerce integrations are mature. Product cards, order info, cart details in chat—refined over years.
3. You Have Sufficient Staff If you have agents available during business hours and accept missed after-hours chats, LiveChat works.
4. Simple Requirements Website chat, canned responses, basic routing. If that is all you need, LiveChat is proven and reliable.
5. Budget Prioritizes Per-Agent Model Some teams prefer paying per agent—cost scales with headcount, predictable per-person.
Cost Comparison
300 monthly conversations, 3 agents:
LiveChat
Team Plan: $41/agent × 3 = $123/month
ChatBot: +$52/month (for basic automation)
Total: $175/month
Oxaide
Growth Plan: $249/month
Includes:
- AI automation (60% resolution)
- Unlimited agents
- WhatsApp + Instagram
- 10,000 message credits
LiveChat is cheaper for basic chat. Oxaide costs more but includes AI automation, messaging channels, and unlimited agents.
The Evolution Question
LiveChat represents 2010s chat: humans chatting with visitors, some canned responses, basic bots.
2025 expectations are different:
- AI handling routine inquiries
- Humans for complex cases
- WhatsApp and Instagram as primary channels
- 24/7 availability without 24/7 staffing
LiveChat can evolve toward this with add-ons. Oxaide was built for it from the start.
Migration Simplicity
LiveChat to Oxaide is straightforward:
Transfers:
- Chat history (export available)
- Canned responses (manual recreation)
- Team member accounts (invite to new platform)
Timeline: 1-3 days for most small teams.
LiveChat is not deeply integrated like enterprise platforms, so switching is relatively simple.
The Bottom Line
LiveChat is reliable software that does live chat well. For teams wanting human-first chat with minimal automation, it remains a solid choice.
But if you need:
- AI automation that actually resolves inquiries
- Native WhatsApp and Instagram
- 24/7 coverage without 24/7 staffing
- Flat pricing regardless of team size
Then alternatives built for 2025 expectations are worth considering.
The question is not "Is LiveChat good?" (it is) but "Is live chat alone enough for your needs?"
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