#1
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat
Top Pick4.5
(2234 reviews)Live chat integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud
Salesforce Service Cloud Chat scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription2234 reviews
2026 Picks20 tools compared
Best Live Chat & Chatbots Software for Startups in 2026
Startups need flexible, scalable tools that grow with the team. Affordable pricing, quick onboarding, and strong integrations matter more than an exhaustive feature list. We ranked 20 live chat & chatbots tools by user rating, pricing, and feature fit to help you choose.
#2
Rasa
4.5
(2134 reviews)Open-source framework for building conversational AI
Rasa scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Open Source2134 reviews
#3
Ada
4.5
(1823 reviews)Conversational AI platform powered by machine learning
Ada scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1823 reviews
#4
Verloop.io
4.4
(876 reviews)Conversational AI platform for customer support automation
Verloop.io scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription876 reviews
#5
IBM Watson Assistant
4.4
(1678 reviews)IBM's enterprise AI platform for conversational experiences
IBM Watson Assistant scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1678 reviews
#6
Botpress
4.4
(1876 reviews)Open-source chatbot platform and framework
Botpress scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Open Source1876 reviews
#7
Kore.ai
4.4
(1456 reviews)Enterprise conversational AI platform
Kore.ai scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1456 reviews
#8
Yellow.ai
4.4
(1234 reviews)Enterprise AI platform for customer experience
Yellow.ai scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1234 reviews
#9
Conversica
4.4
(987 reviews)AI-powered conversational platform for sales and customer service
Conversica scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription987 reviews
#10
LivePerson
4.4
(2234 reviews)Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform
LivePerson scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription2234 reviews
#11
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations
4.3
(1923 reviews)Omnichannel messaging and customer engagement platform
Zendesk Sunshine Conversations scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1923 reviews
#12
Microsoft Bot Framework
4.3
(1934 reviews)Microsoft's framework for building intelligent bots
Microsoft Bot Framework scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Freemium1934 reviews
#13
Google Dialogflow
4.3
(2567 reviews)Google's conversational AI platform
Google Dialogflow scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Pay-as-you-go2567 reviews
#14
Haptik
4.3
(1567 reviews)Conversational AI platform for customer engagement and support
Haptik scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1567 reviews
#15
Capacity
4.3
(1245 reviews)AI-powered customer service automation platform
Capacity scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1245 reviews
#16
Bold360
4.3
(1456 reviews)AI-powered customer engagement and service platform
Bold360 scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1456 reviews
#17
Zendesk Answer Bot
4.2
(1445 reviews)AI-powered chatbot for automated customer support
Zendesk Answer Bot scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription1445 reviews
#18
SailPoint IdentityIQ
4.2
(845 reviews)Identity governance and customer engagement platform
SailPoint IdentityIQ scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription845 reviews
#19
Amazon Lex
4.2
(1845 reviews)AWS conversational AI service
Amazon Lex scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Pay-as-you-go1845 reviews
#20
Oracle Digital Assistant
4.1
(987 reviews)Enterprise conversational AI powered by Oracle Cloud
Oracle Digital Assistant scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
Subscription987 reviews
How We Ranked These Tools
User Ratings
Tools are sorted by average user rating collected from verified reviews on Softwr. Higher-rated software appears first.
Audience Relevance
We evaluate pricing models, onboarding complexity, and feature depth to determine how well each tool fits startups.
Feature Breadth
We consider the number and quality of features, integrations, and platform availability to assess overall value.
Pricing
Transparent pricing, free tiers, and value-for-money are factored in — especially important for budget-conscious startups.
Editorial Review
The Softwr editorial team verifies listings and periodically re-evaluates rankings to keep recommendations current.
Community Trust
Review volume and recency are weighted so popular, actively-reviewed tools rank higher than abandoned ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free Live Chat & Chatbots software for startups?
While there are no completely free live chat & chatbots tools listed right now, many of the 20 options on Softwr offer free trials or freemium tiers suitable for startups. Check individual product pages for current availability.
How to choose live chat & chatbots software as a startup?
Start by identifying which features matter most for your workflow as a startup. Compare ratings and reviews from similar users on Softwr, paying attention to ease of use, customer support quality, and integration options. Narrow your list to 2-3 finalists and take advantage of free trials before committing. Budget, team size, and long-term scalability should also influence your decision.
Explore all Live Chat & Chatbots software or browse more “Best X for Y” lists.