10 Best HubSpot Chat Alternatives to Boost Your Engagement in 2024

HubSpot Chat has been a go-to solution for businesses when it comes to customer engagement. 

However, it is not the only option out there and might not be the best fit for your business needs. In fact, many HubSpot Chat alternatives offer more features, better pricing, and greater flexibility. 

With years of experience in the customer support industry, I have curated a list of the 10 best HubSpot Chat alternatives in 2024 to help you choose the one that suits your goals and budget.

Let’s get started.

Top 10 HubSpot Chat Alternatives for 2024

This list is backed by my personal experience with these tools. Additionally, I’ve incorporated recommendations from experts in the field and trusted review sites.

1. ProProfs Chat

Best for Customer Support Chat with AI Chatbots

As a business owner, I know how important it is to provide excellent customer service. I use ProProfs Chat, a powerful tool that lets me chat with my website visitors in real time and provide personalized support. 

With ProProfs Chat, I can easily monitor the behavior and activity of my visitors and initiate conversations with them based on their needs and preferences. I can also use pre-defined messages and canned responses to save time and improve efficiency. 

One of the best features of ProProfs Chat is the AI chatbot integration. I can create smart chatbots that handle common queries and requests and transfer the chat to a human agent when needed. This way, I can provide 24/7 support to my customers and increase their satisfaction and loyalty. 

ProProfs Chat has helped me boost sales, reduce costs, and grow my business. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their customer service and online presence.

What you’ll like:

• Co-browsing and screen sharing to assist customers with complex issues.
• Reports and analytics to measure chat performance and optimize conversions.
• Automated greetings and announcements for proactive customer engagement.
• Pre-chat forms and post-chat surveys to collect customer information and feedback.

What you may not like:

• Frequent AI chatbot updates can overwhelm new users.
• The free plan is limited to a single operator.

Pricing: Forever-free for a single operator. Team plan starts at $19.99/operator/month.

2. Tawk.to

Best for Visitor Monitoring

I used Tawk.to to communicate with my website visitors and provide them with instant support. Setting up and customizing the chat widget according to my brand and preferences was very easy. I could also create a free knowledge base to share helpful articles and FAQs with customers.

One of the best features of Tawk. was visitor monitoring. I could see in real-time which pages my visitors were on, what they were searching for, and how often they visited my website. This gave me valuable insights into their behavior and needs. I could also initiate chats with them based on their actions and triggers.

I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a free and powerful live chat and customer communication platform.

What you’ll like:

• Multilingual support to communicate with customers around the globe.
• Mobile apps to stay connected with your customers anytime, anywhere.
• Video and voice chat to add a personal touch to your customer interactions.
• Automated triggers and canned responses to initiate and speed up conversations.

What you may not like:

• A slight delay in receiving chats.
• Some users have reported receiving a lot of spam messages.

Pricing: Free forever. 

Also Read: How to Use Live Chat Software for Lead Generation

3. Tidio

Best for Managing Customer Database

I used Tidio during the initial phase of my professional career. It helped me communicate with my customers through live chat, chatbots, email marketing, and ticketing. One of the features that I liked the most was the customer database. 

It allowed me to keep track of all my customer data in one place and use tags and contact properties to personalize my service. I could also see what pages my customers were browsing and offer them custom advice or discounts. 

Tidio also had a powerful AI support agent called Lyro, which could solve most customer problems without human intervention. It was straightforward to install and customize Tidio on my website, and I noticed an increase in customer loyalty and sales after using it.

What you’ll like:

• Visitor list and contact profiles to segment and target your audience.
• Live typing preview to see what your customers are typing before they send it.
• Rich media and emojis to enhance your chat experience and express your emotions.
• Email and Messenger integration to manage all your communication channels in one place.

What you may not like:

• Some users complained about the slow loading times of the chat widget.
• Analytics are not very advanced compared to other alternatives to HubSpot Chat.

Pricing: Starts at $0 (with limited features). Paid plan starts at $29/month.

4. Formilla

Best for Automated Messaging

Formilla is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that allows you to communicate with your customers in real time, increase conversions, and provide excellent customer service.

One of the features I liked the most was the smart messaging option, which lets you send automated messages to your visitors based on their behavior, location, device, and more. You can also customize the messages to match your brand and tone. This way, you can engage your visitors proactively and offer them personalized assistance.

Formilla has other features like chatbots, email marketing, analytics, and integrations with popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify, and Mailchimp. You can also access your chats from any device, including your mobile phone, using the Formilla app.

Formilla is a reliable and affordable live chat software that I recommend to anyone wanting to grow their online business and improve their customer satisfaction.

What you’ll like:

• Popups to capture leads and increase sales with targeted offers and CTAs.
• A/B testing to optimize your chat campaigns and measure their effectiveness.
• File sharing to exchange documents, images, and other files with your customers.
• Chatbots to handle common questions and requests when you are offline or busy.

What you may not like:

• Customization options are limited.
• Slower responses from the customer support team.

Pricing: A free plan is available (without chatbot support). Paid plan starts at $13.99/month.

5. Gorgias

Best for Shopify

As an online store owner, I used to work hard to manage customer service across multiple channels and platforms. It was time-consuming, inefficient, and frustrating. That’s why I decided to try Gorgias, the AI-fueled customer service solution for Shopify stores. 

Gorgias helped me streamline ticket management, automate common requests, and provide personalized service to every customer. I connected my store and channels in one click and set up automation that handled returns, tracking info, discount codes, subscriptions, and more. I also had access to customer profiles that showed me their order history, loyalty status, reviews, and other insights. 

One of the best features of Gorgias was the ability to offer instant resolutions, not just instant answers. With Gorgias, I could resolve issues without leaving the app or opening Shopify. This saved me much time and hassle and increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

What you’ll like:

• Collision detection and agent status to avoid duplicate responses.
• Rules and macros to automate chat responses based on predefined conditions.
• Sentiment analysis to detect customer emotions and prioritize urgent conversations.
• Social media integration to manage messages from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

What you may not like:

• Limited options to customize the chat widget.
• Limited integration options as compared to other HubSpot Chat alternatives.

Pricing: Starts at $10/50 tickets/month.

Also Read: 17 Best Shopify Live Chat Apps in 2024 (Compared)

6. Zendesk

Best for Proactive Messaging

I used Zendesk Chat for a few months to provide live chat support to my customers. I found it a reliable and easy-to-use tool that helped me deliver better service and increase customer satisfaction. 

What I liked the most about Zendesk was the proactive messaging. It allowed me to reach out to customers browsing my website or app and offer them help or guidance. This way, I could engage them before they left or faced any issues. 

Another feature that I appreciated was the chat history. It gave me access to all the previous conversations I had with each customer, so I could easily follow up or refer to any information they shared. It also helped me understand their needs and preferences better.

Zendesk Chat also had robust analytics and reports that helped me measure and improve my performance. I could see how many chats I handled, how long they lasted, and how satisfied the customers were. I could also compare my results with other agents or teams and identify areas for improvement.

What you’ll like:

• Answer bot to provide instant and relevant responses to common questions using AI.
• Roles and permissions to assign different access levels to your chat agents and managers.
• Omnichannel support to deliver consistent customer service across chat, phone, and email.
• Outbound messaging and proactive chat to reach out to customers before they abandon their carts.

What you may not like:

• A steep learning curve for new users.
• Higher pricing as compared to other alternatives to HubSpot Chat.

Pricing: Starts at $55/agent/month.

Also Read: Zendesk Alternatives: 10 Best Customer Support Software in 2023

7. Enagagebay

Best for Marketing Automation

Engagebay was recommended to me by an industry peer. I used this tool to provide instant support, answer queries, and increase conversions. 

I was impressed by how easy it was to set up and customize the chat widget to match my brand and website design. I could also create automated messages and chatbots to engage with visitors when offline or busy. 

One of the best features of Engagebay’s live chat is that it integrates seamlessly with their CRM and marketing automation platform. I could capture leads, track their behavior, and follow up with personalized campaigns. 

Engagebay helped me to improve my customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.

What you’ll like:

• Web analytics to understand your website traffic and visitor behavior.
• Email marketing and landing pages to create and launch effective campaigns.
• Appointment scheduling and calendar sync to book meetings with your prospects.
• Deals and pipelines to manage and close your sales opportunities and increase your revenue.

What you may not like:

• Occasional glitches with the chat window.
• Bugs and errors that can hamper your chat experience.

Pricing: A free plan is available (limited to 250 contacts). Paid plan starts at $12.74/user/month.

Read More: 10 Best Userlike Alternatives to Boost Your Conversions in 2024

8. GetResponse

Best for Contact Segmentation

GetResponse Is one of the best HubSpot Chat alternatives I have used.

It was super easy to set up and integrate it with my website. I could customize the chat window to match my brand and add a welcome message to greet my visitors.

What I liked the most about GetResponse was that it allowed me to segment and tag my contacts based on their chat interactions. This helped me to send them more relevant and personalized messages in the future. I could also track and analyze the performance of my chats using the built-in reports and analytics.

GetResponse proved to be a great tool to boost my engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction. It was available 24/7 and supported multiple languages. 

What you’ll like:

• Forms and surveys to collect and analyze customer data and feedback.
• Landing pages and webinars to generate leads and educate your audience.
• Email campaigns to create and send personalized and targeted emails to your customers.
• Facebook ads to engage and attract customers with real-time chat and social media advertising.

What you may not like:

• Complex interface that is hard to navigate.
• Outdated templates that are not very impactful to use.

Pricing: Starts at $15.6/month.

9. Zoho SalesIQ

Best for Visitor Scoring

Zoho SalesIQ is a customer engagement platform that helps you communicate with your website visitors and customers at every stage of their journey. It has live chat, analytics, and CRM integration, among other things.

One of the features that I liked the most was the visitor scoring. It allowed me to prioritize the most qualified leads and engage them proactively with triggers and chatbots. I increased my conversion rate and sales by using this feature.

Zoho SalesIQ also helped me to overcome the language barrier with its multilingual chat support. I could chat with customers from different countries and regions without any hassle. Zoho SalesIQ also had a mobile app that let me stay connected with my customers 24/7.

Zoho SalesIQ was easy to set up and use. It integrated well with my other Zoho apps and third-party tools.

What you’ll like:

• AI assistant to automate repetitive tasks and get smart insights and suggestions.
• Pipeline management to streamline your sales process and boost your productivity.
• Social media integration to connect and communicate with your customers on their preferred channels.
• Team collaboration and gamification to work together and motivate your sales team with goals and rewards.

What you may not like:

• Limited reporting features compared to other alternatives.
• Some users have complained about an unresponsive technical support team.

Pricing: A free plan is available (limited to 100 chat sessions/month). Paid plan starts at $4.22/month.

10. Freshworks

Best for In-Messenger FAQs

I used Freshworks’ live chat software, Freshchat, to engage with my customers on various channels. With Freschat, I could create different conversation topics, such as pricing, support, or feedback. This helped me route the chats to the right team members and provide faster responses.

One of the best features of Freshchat was the in-messenger FAQs. I could create and display relevant articles to help my customers find answers independently. They could also search for FAQs and rate them with a simple thumbs up or down. This reduced the number of repetitive queries and increased customer satisfaction.

Freshchat also gave me insights into my team’s performance and customer behavior. I could track response time, resolution rate, and CSAT score metrics. I could also see which channels and topics were most popular and where to improve. Freshchat helped me deliver proactive and personalized customer service at scale.

What you’ll like:

• Call center to provide voice-based customer service and sales.
• Freshchat SDK to offer self-help through bots on a  mobile app.
• Email marketing to create and run effective email campaigns and workflows.
• Customer success and retention software to onboard and retain your customers and reduce churn.

What you may not like:

• Some users faced issues with data migration and synchronization.
• Higher-tier products are expensive for small businesses and startups.

Pricing: A free plan is available (without user segmentation). Paid plan starts at $18/month.

Also Read: Live Chat for Customer Support: A Complete Beginner’s Guide [2023]

Our Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of products or tools chosen for this article follows an unbiased, systematic approach that ensures a fair, insightful, and well-rounded review. This method employs six key factors:

1. User Reviews / Ratings: Direct experiences from users, including ratings and feedback from reputable sites, provide a ground-level perspective. This feedback is critical in understanding overall satisfaction and potential problems.

2. Essential Features & Functionality: The value of a product is ascertained by its core features and overall functionality. Through an in-depth exploration of these aspects, the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the tools are carefully evaluated.

3. Ease of Use: The user-friendliness of a product or service is assessed, focusing on the design, interface, and navigation. This ensures a positive experience for users of all levels of expertise.

4. Customer Support: The quality of customer support is examined, taking into account its efficiency and how well it supports users in different phases – setting up, addressing concerns, and resolving operational issues.

5. Value for Money: Value for money is evaluated by comparing the quality, performance, and features. The goal is to help the reader understand whether they would be getting their money’s worth. 

6. Personal Experience/Expert’s Opinion or Favorites: This part of the evaluation criteria draws insightful observations from the personal experience of the writer and the opinions of industry experts. 

Find the Best HubSpot Chat Alternative for Your Business in 2024

Choosing the best HubSpot Chat alternative can help you overcome the deficiencies that this tool suffers and up turn your customer engagement. Here are my top 3 recommendations to make it easier for you.

Option A: ProProfs Chat

ProProfs Chat is my topmost recommendation for any business looking for comprehensive customer support software with the power of AI automation. This live chat software comes with an AI chatbot to help you deliver personalized and faster customer support.

Option B: Tidio 

Tidio is another customer support tool that can help you manage your customer database with ease. This live chat software helps you centralize all your customer information in one place. Plus, it also offers its chatbot, Lyro, to help you automate your customer support.

Option C: GetResponse

If you are looking to systematically segment your customers and target them based on their website behavior, GetResponse can be your too to-go. It also offers forms and surveys to collect customer feedback and optimize your support strategies.

Ultimately, the best HubSpot Chat alternative for your business depends upon your specific requirements. Go through the list and make an informed decision. If you want to try a free tool, ProProfs Chat can help you test all its premium features with its forever-free plan. 

Learn More About HubSpot Chat Alternatives!

Q: What is Hubspot Chat?

HubSpot Chat is a live chat software offered by HubSpot, designed to facilitate real-time communication between businesses and their website visitors. It enables businesses to engage with visitors, answer questions, and provide instant assistance.

Q: What features should you look for in Hubspot Chat Alternatives?

When considering HubSpot Chat alternatives, key features include customizable chat widgets, real-time visitor tracking, integration capabilities with other platforms, mobile compatibility, chatbots for automated responses, and comprehensive reporting and analytics.

Q: Are there any Hubspot Chat alternatives specifically designed for e-commerce?

Yes, there are HubSpot Chat alternatives like ProProfs Chat specifically tailored for eCommerce needs. These alternatives often offer product catalog integration, cart abandonment alerts, order tracking within the chat interface, and seamless integration with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.

Q: Which Hubspot Chat Alternative has the best pricing for small businesses?

For small businesses seeking cost-effective alternatives, ProProfs Chat stands out with its forever-free plan consisting of all its premium features. It offers essential features like live chat and AI chatbots, making it suitable for small businesses looking to enhance customer engagement without breaking the bank.