I tested 7 top LiveAgent alternatives in 2025—here’s what I found

LiveAgent has definitely earned its reputation as a reliable, all-in-one helpdesk. It packs ticketing, live chat, and even a call center into a single platform, which is great for a lot of businesses. But as customer support gets smarter, many teams are starting to feel a bit stuck. The demand for better AI automation, a smoother user experience, and more flexibility is pushing people to look for some solid LiveAgent alternatives.

If that sounds familiar, you're in the right spot. I’ve spent some real time with the most popular alternatives out there to see how they actually compare. This guide is my straightforward, honest take on what works and what doesn't, to help you find a tool that does more than just replace LiveAgent, it actually improves your whole support setup.

What are LiveAgent alternatives?

Simply put, LiveAgent alternatives are other customer service tools that take a different angle on managing support. Some are direct competitors that offer a similar all-in-one package. But honestly, the most interesting ones are the modern tools that specialize.

We’re talking about platforms built around AI-first automation, tools designed to plug seamlessly into your existing stack, or solutions focused on specific channels, like proactive chat. They all solve the same problem, helping you deliver great support, but often with more smarts and less hassle.

Why look for LiveAgent alternatives?

LiveAgent has a ton of features, but being a "jack-of-all-trades" can sometimes be its biggest weakness. Teams usually start shopping around when they hit one of these common roadblocks:

• It can be a pain to set up and use. With so many features crammed in, the platform can feel clunky and overwhelming. This often means a steep learning curve and a lot of training time for new agents.

• The AI and automation feel a bit basic. LiveAgent has an AI chatbot, but it doesn't have the deep, workflow-integrated smarts of more modern platforms. It can't learn from all your different knowledge sources or handle complex jobs like automatically sorting tickets or drafting smart replies.

• You’re locked into one system. Being forced into a single, all-in-one model can be limiting. Maybe you’re perfectly happy with your current helpdesk and don’t need a built-in call center, you just want to add some powerful AI without a massive migration project.

• The pricing can be tricky. Some plans put limits on important features or integrations (like how many WhatsApp accounts you can connect), pushing you toward expensive upgrades just to get what you need.

How I chose the best LiveAgent alternatives

To keep this comparison fair and useful, I judged each platform on the same set of criteria that most support teams actually care about. This isn't just a feature checklist, it’s a look at how these tools perform in the real world.

• AI & automation: How well does the tool actually use AI to answer tickets, help out agents, and automate tedious tasks?

• Ease of use: Can you get it up and running yourself in a few minutes, or are you stuck waiting for demos and sales calls?

• Integrations: How nicely does it play with the tools you already rely on, like your helpdesk, knowledge bases, and team chat apps?

• Core features: Does it handle the basics of ticketing, live chat, and knowledge management well?

• Pricing: Is the cost clear and predictable? Do you get enough value for your money?

A quick comparison of the top LiveAgent alternatives

Here’s a bird's-eye view of how my top 7 picks compare.

Tool	Best For	Key Features	Starting Price	G2 Rating
eesel AI	Teams that want to automate support without replacing their helpdesk	AI Agent, Copilot, Simulation Mode, Unified Knowledge	$299/month	N/A
Zendesk	Large enterprises needing a powerful, scalable, all-in-one solution	Advanced Ticketing, Analytics, App Marketplace	$55/agent/month	4.4 / 5
Freshdesk	SMBs looking for a user-friendly and feature-rich helpdesk	Intuitive UI, Freddy AI, Omnichannel Support	$0 (up to 10 agents)	4.5 / 5
Intercom	Proactive customer engagement via live chat and bots	In-App Messaging, Fin AI Chatbot, Product Tours	$29/seat/mo + usage fees	4.5 / 5
Help Scout	Teams that prioritize a simple, human-centric support experience	Shared Inbox, Docs Knowledge Base, No Ticket Numbers	$22/user/month	4.4 / 5
Zoho Desk	Businesses already invested in the Zoho ecosystem	Deep Zoho Integration, Zia AI, Affordable Plans	$0 (up to 3 agents)	4.5 / 5
Hiver	Teams who want to manage all support from their Gmail inbox	Google Workspace Integration, Email-centric Workflow	$19/user/month	4.6 / 5

The 7 best LiveAgent alternatives for your support team in 2025

1. eesel AI

eesel AI is different. It’s not another helpdesk you have to migrate to. Instead, it’s a smart AI layer that plugs right into the tools you’re already using, like Zendesk, Freshdesk, or Slack. The idea is to automate your frontline support, help agents draft replies, and sort tickets without making you switch platforms.

Why it's on the list: What I liked about eesel AI is that it focuses on solving the main problem, which is usually too many tickets and repetitive work, without the headache of a "rip and replace" project. It pulls knowledge from all your scattered sources, think past tickets, Confluence pages, Google Docs, and Notion, to give accurate answers right away.

An infographic showing how eesel AI connects to various knowledge sources to provide comprehensive answers, a great feature for those looking for LiveAgent alternatives.

Pros:

• You can go live in minutes. It’s completely self-serve. You just connect your helpdesk and knowledge bases with a click and you’re good to go in under 5 minutes. No sales call needed.

• You can test it safely. Its simulation mode is really cool. It lets you test the AI on thousands of your old tickets so you can see how well it performs and what your ROI will be before you turn it on for customers.

• You’re in complete control. You get to decide exactly which tickets the AI handles and what it’s allowed to do, whether that’s escalating to a human or looking up order info using an API.

• Clear pricing. The plans are based on usage, so you don’t get hit with unpredictable fees for every ticket the AI resolves.

Cons:

• It's not a standalone helpdesk. It's designed for teams who want to add a powerful AI brain to their existing setup, not replace it entirely.

A screenshot of eesel AI's transparent pricing page, which is a key consideration for those evaluating LiveAgent alternatives.

Pricing:

eesel AI offers a 7-day free trial. Paid plans are based on monthly AI interactions.

• Team Plan: $299/month ($239/month if billed annually) for up to 1,000 interactions.

• Business Plan: $799/month ($639/month if billed annually) for up to 3,000 interactions and includes the full AI Agent and training on past tickets.

• Custom Plan: Custom pricing for more advanced needs and unlimited interactions.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk is the 800-pound gorilla in the customer service world. It’s a beast of a platform that can handle just about anything a big enterprise can throw at it. With a heavy-duty ticketing system, deep analytics, and a marketplace with over 1,000 apps, you can customize Zendesk to do almost anything.

Pros:

• Super scalable and reliable for large companies.

• Excellent reporting and analytics tools.

• A huge ecosystem of integrations.

Cons:

• It gets expensive, fast. The costs can really add up, especially for larger teams.

• The setup is famously complicated and usually needs dedicated admins and a lot of training.

• It really pulls you into its ecosystem, which makes it hard to switch away later.

Pricing:

Zendesk’s pricing is split into different plans, all priced per agent, per month (and billed annually).

• Suite Team: $55. This gets you omnichannel support, basic AI, and a help center.

• Suite Professional: $115. Adds advanced AI, custom analytics, and SLA management.

• Suite Enterprise: $169. For large-scale needs with custom roles and advanced security.

3. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a popular choice because it’s just so easy to get the hang of. It offers a full suite of features for omnichannel support, including ticketing, live chat, and social media, making it a great all-around pick for small and medium-sized businesses.

Pros:

• The interface is clean and modern, and much easier to learn than Zendesk.

• It has strong automation features for routing and managing tickets.

• There's a really generous free plan for up to 10 agents.

Cons:

• It has an AI named Freddy, but it can sometimes feel bolted on rather than being a core part of the workflow.

• Integrations with tools outside of the Freshworks family aren't always as deep.

Pricing:

Freshdesk has a free plan for up to 10 agents. Paid plans, billed annually, include:

• Growth: $15/agent/month. Adds automation and a customer portal.

• Pro: $49/agent/month. Adds custom reporting and advanced ticketing.

• Enterprise: $79/agent/month. Adds an audit log and skill-based assignment.

• AI Add-ons: The Freddy AI Copilot costs an extra $29/agent/month on the Pro and Enterprise plans.

4. Intercom

Intercom is all about proactive, conversational support. It's the leader for businesses that want to engage customers with in-app messaging and sophisticated chatbots. Its AI bot, Fin, is one of the most advanced out there for handling real-time conversations.

Pros:

• Best in class for live chat and engaging customers before they have a problem.

• Its AI chatbot is great for solving issues and qualifying leads on the spot.

• Fantastic for onboarding new users inside your product.

Cons:

• The pricing can get very expensive and hard to predict, since it's based on both seats and AI resolutions.

• Its ticketing system isn't as robust as what you’d get from a dedicated helpdesk like Zendesk.

Pricing:

Intercom’s pricing is a mix of per-seat fees and usage charges for its AI. All prices are billed annually.

• Essential: $29/seat/month. Includes the shared inbox and help center.

• Advanced: $85/seat/month. Adds automation workflows.

• Expert: $132/seat/month. Adds multi-brand support and SSO.

• Fin AI Agent: On top of the plan fees, you're charged $0.99 for every resolution the AI handles.

5. Help Scout

Help Scout is for teams that want to offer support that feels personal and human. It intentionally avoids corporate jargon like "tickets" and calls them "conversations." Its shared inbox is clean and easy to use, and its Docs knowledge base is one of the best around.

Pros:

• The user interface is simple, intuitive, and not cluttered with stuff you don't need.

• The tool for building a knowledge base is excellent.

• The whole platform is focused on a personal touch, which customers tend to love.

Cons:

• It doesn't have the advanced AI or workflow automation you find in other tools.

• The reporting features are more basic compared to the enterprise-level platforms.

Pricing:

Help Scout has a free plan for up to 5 users. Paid plans, billed annually, are:

• Standard: $22/user/month. Gives you multiple inboxes and knowledge bases.

• Plus: $40/user/month. Adds advanced workflows and more integrations.

• Pro: $65/user/month. Adds HIPAA compliance and SSO.

• AI Answers Add-on: The chatbot costs an extra $0.75 per resolution.

6. Zoho Desk

If your business is already using other Zoho products, then Zoho Desk is a no-brainer. It integrates deeply with Zoho CRM and their other apps, giving you a complete picture of the customer. It's also known for being affordable and having a pretty helpful AI assistant called Zia.

Pros:

• Flawless integration with the rest of the Zoho ecosystem.

• Very competitive pricing, including a solid free plan.

• The Zia AI offers useful things like sentiment analysis.

Cons:

• The user interface can feel a bit dated compared to its competitors.

• It can feel overly complicated if you’re not already bought into the Zoho world.

Pricing:

Zoho Desk offers a free plan for up to 3 agents. Paid plans, billed annually, include:

• Standard: $14/user/month. Adds social media channels and a knowledge base.

• Professional: $23/user/month. Adds phone support and multi-department features.

• Enterprise: $40/user/month. Includes the Zia AI assistant, live chat, and multi-brand help centers.

7. Hiver

Hiver has a really unique angle: manage customer support without ever leaving your Gmail inbox. It's built specifically for Google Workspace and turns Gmail into a powerful helpdesk with features for assigning emails, avoiding duplicate replies, and running basic reports.

Pros:

• There's no new software to learn since it works right inside Gmail.

• It’s perfect for teams that get most of their support requests through email.

• Super simple to set up for anyone who uses Google Workspace.

Cons:

• It only works for Google Workspace users.

• It doesn't have the advanced features or omnichannel support of a standalone helpdesk.

Pricing:

Hiver has a free plan with unlimited users but limited features. Paid plans, billed annually, are:

• Growth: $19/user/month. Adds automations and SLAs.

• Pro: $39/user/month. Includes CSAT surveys and chatbots.

• Elite: $59/user/month. Adds skill-based routing and custom roles.

• Hiver AI Add-on: Available for an extra $20/user/month, it adds features like AI Summarizer.

Tips for choosing the right LiveAgent alternatives

Switching platforms is a big deal. Ask yourself these questions to help guide your choice.

• What’s your biggest problem right now? Is it a messy inbox (Help Scout, Hiver), a need to engage with customers more proactively (Intercom), or just a mountain of repetitive questions? If it's the last one, an AI-first tool is probably your best bet.

• What's the real cost of AI? Don't just look at the monthly price. A tool like eesel AI has clear pricing and a simulation mode that lets you accurately predict your cost savings before you sign up. Try to avoid tools with unpredictable per-resolution fees that end up costing you more as you get more efficient.

• How much time do you have for setup? Do you have weeks to spend on implementation and training? Or do you need something that just works? The difference between setting up Zendesk and a self-serve tool is huge.

• Do you really need to start from scratch? Before you go through a painful migration, think about whether an AI layer is all you actually need. Solutions like eesel AI can boost your current helpdesk with top-tier automation without messing up your team's existing workflow.

This video provides an overview of some of the best live chat software available, which is a key feature for many of the LiveAgent alternatives discussed.

Ready to upgrade your support with LiveAgent alternatives?

Moving on from LiveAgent isn’t just about finding a replacement, it's about picking a tool that’s ready for the future of customer service. The best LiveAgent alternatives offer smarter AI, a better user experience, and the freedom to work with the tools you already use and like.

While traditional helpdesks still have their uses, the biggest improvement you can make is by using AI that truly works for your team. eesel AI offers powerful, flexible, and easy-to-set-up AI automation without forcing you to ditch your current helpdesk. It learns from your team's existing knowledge to provide accurate answers, saving everyone time and making your customers happier.

Ready to see what a modern, AI-powered support system can do for you?

Go live with AI in minutes. Connect your knowledge sources and start your free eesel AI trial today.