Softwr

Telecommunications · head to head

Bandwidth vs LiveAgent

Bandwidth logo

Bandwidth

Telecommunications

Voice, messaging and emergency calling APIs run on the company's own US carrier network

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
LiveAgent logo

LiveAgent

Customer Support

All-in-one help desk software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiveAgent has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bandwidth commercial terms are negotiated contracts rather than a published rate, so a small team cannot start without going through a sales process.; LiveAgent social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
  • They diverge on capability: Bandwidth covers Owned US carrier network, LiveAgent covers Ticketing system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bandwidth and LiveAgent actually diverge.

Attributes where Bandwidth and LiveAgent differ
AttributeBandwidthLiveAgent
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, RubyWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTelecommunicationsCustomer Support
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bandwidth

  • Owned US carrier network
  • Programmable voice
  • Messaging APIs
  • Emergency calling
  • Global numbering

Only in LiveAgent

  • Ticketing system
  • Live chat
  • Call center
  • Social media
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer portal
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bandwidth

  • Unified communications and contact centre providers needing wholesale voice termination under their own brandnot LiveAgent
  • Enterprises with high call volumes where a wholesale margin on every minute is materialnot LiveAgent
  • VoIP deployments with US emergency calling obligations requiring E911 and dynamic locationnot LiveAgent
  • Platforms needing local numbers across many countries from a single suppliernot LiveAgent

LiveAgent

  • Multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messagesnot Bandwidth
  • Ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teamsnot Bandwidth

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bandwidth

  • Commercial terms are negotiated contracts rather than a published rate, so a small team cannot start without going through a sales process.
  • US A2P messaging still requires 10DLC brand and campaign registration, and those fees plus per-segment carrier surcharges are charged on top of the negotiated message rate.
  • The self-serve developer experience is weaker than the aggregators it competes with, so teams prototyping quickly start elsewhere and migrate later, if ever.
  • Its owned-network advantage is a United States advantage; international coverage arrived through the Voxbone acquisition and does not rest on the same model.
  • Committed volume pricing means an organisation whose traffic falls short of forecast pays for capacity it did not use.

LiveAgent

  • Social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
  • The entry plan is limited to 3 email accounts, 2 live chat buttons and 3 contact forms
  • WhatsApp numbers are rationed by plan, at 5 on Large Business and 20 on Enterprise
  • The advertised prices require annual billing, and monthly billing raises the entry plan from $10 to $13 per agent
  • Every published price is a discounted rate against a higher regular price

Pricing, plan by plan

Bandwidth

On request
  • Bandwidth$undefined/year
    • Committed volume contracts quoted per customer
    • Per-minute and per-message rates negotiated by destination
    • US 10DLC registration and carrier surcharges billed in addition

LiveAgent

Free
  • Small Business$10/month
    • Ticketing
    • Live chat
    • Knowledge base
  • Medium Business$19/month
    • Everything in Small
    • Call center
    • IVR
  • Large Business$33/month
    • Everything in Medium
    • Social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
  • Enterprise$46/month
    • Everything in Large
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Bandwidth if

  • You need owned us carrier network.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, Ruby.
  • You also want programmable voice.
Bandwidth review

Choose LiveAgent if

  • You need ticketing system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want live chat.
LiveAgent review

Questions people ask

Is Bandwidth or LiveAgent better?
Neither clearly leads. Bandwidth starts at On request and LiveAgent at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bandwidth or LiveAgent?
LiveAgent has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Bandwidth and Free for LiveAgent.
Does Bandwidth or LiveAgent run on more platforms?
Bandwidth runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, Ruby. LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use LiveAgent for free?
Yes. LiveAgent has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bandwidth starts at On request.
What is Bandwidth best used for?
Bandwidth is most often used for unified communications and contact centre providers needing wholesale voice termination under their own brand, enterprises with high call volumes where a wholesale margin on every minute is material, voip deployments with us emergency calling obligations requiring e911 and dynamic location, platforms needing local numbers across many countries from a single supplier. Of those, unified communications and contact centre providers needing wholesale voice termination under their own brand and enterprises with high call volumes where a wholesale margin on every minute is material are not what LiveAgent is typically brought in for.
What can Bandwidth do that LiveAgent cannot?
Bandwidth covers Owned US carrier network, Programmable voice, Messaging APIs, Emergency calling. LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Live chat, Call center, Social media.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bandwidth: Is Bandwidth a carrier or a reseller?

It is a licensed carrier operating its own US network. That removes the wholesale margin an aggregator pays its upstream and gives direct control over routing and regulatory functions such as E911.

LiveAgent: How much does LiveAgent cost?

LiveAgent charges per agent on annual billing: Small Business at $10/agent/month, Medium at $19/agent/month, Large at $33/agent/month, and Enterprise at $46/agent/month (regular rates are $15, $29, $49, and $69 respectively). Monthly billing costs 30% more.

Source
Bandwidth: Do 10DLC fees apply on top of Bandwidth's rates?

Yes. US A2P messaging requires brand and campaign registration with The Campaign Registry, and the registration fees plus per-message carrier surcharges are billed in addition to whatever per-message rate you negotiated.

LiveAgent: Does LiveAgent offer a free trial?

Yes, LiveAgent provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, offering full access to all features including AI agents.

Source
Bandwidth: Did Bandwidth acquire Voxbone?

Yes, in 2020, for 519.4 million dollars. Voxbone supplied international phone numbering and became the basis of Bandwidth's coverage outside the United States.

LiveAgent: Are AI agents included in all LiveAgent plans?

Yes, all LiveAgent plans include free AI agents with features like chatbots, answer assistants, human handover, and autoresponders.

Source
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