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Customer Support · head to head

Hiver vs Pure Chat

Hiver logo

Hiver

Customer Support

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pure Chat logo

Pure Chat

Live Chat

Simple and affordable live chat for any business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69; Pure Chat growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • They diverge on capability: Hiver covers Shared inbox, Pure Chat covers Live chat widget.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hiver and Pure Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Hiver and Pure Chat differ
AttributeHiverPure Chat
PlatformsWeb, Chrome-extensionWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2011).

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 Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Analytics
  • Gmail
  • Google Workspace

Only in Pure Chat

  • Live chat widget
  • Visitor information
  • Chat transcripts
  • Department routing
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier
  • API

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot Pure Chat
  • Customer support via Gmailnot Pure Chat
  • Team email collaborationnot Pure Chat

Pure Chat

  • Customer support chatnot Hiver
  • Website engagementnot Hiver
  • Lead capturenot Hiver
  • Sales chatnot Hiver

Where each one falls short

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

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

Pure Chat

  • Growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • Additional operators cost extra: $13-$15/month per operator depending on plan and billing
  • Growth plan has significantly lower limits than PRO

Pricing, plan by plan

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/month
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/month
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

Pure Chat

Free
  • Growth$49/month
    • 4 users/operators
    • 1 website
    • 100 SMS notifications
  • Growth Annual$39/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate
  • PRO$99/month
    • 10 users/operators
    • Unlimited websites
    • 1,000 SMS notifications
  • PRO Annual$79/month
    • Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
  • You also want email assignment.
Hiver review

Choose Pure Chat if

  • You need live chat widget.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want visitor information.
Pure Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Hiver or Pure Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Hiver starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hiver or Pure Chat?
Hiver starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free.
Does Hiver or Pure Chat run on more platforms?
Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension. Pure Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hiver best used for?
Hiver is most often used for shared inbox management, customer support via gmail, team email collaboration. Of those, shared inbox management and customer support via gmail are not what Pure Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Hiver do that Pure Chat cannot?
Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. Pure Chat covers Live chat widget, Visitor information, Chat transcripts, Department routing. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pure Chat: How much does PureChat cost?

PureChat's Growth plan costs $49/month (or $39/month annually) with 4 users and 1 website. The PRO plan is $99/month (or $79/month annually) with 10 users and unlimited websites.

Source
Pure Chat: Does PureChat offer a free trial?

Yes, PureChat offers a free 30-day trial of the PRO plan to prospective customers.

Source
Pure Chat: What is the difference between Growth and PRO plans?

Growth includes 4 users and 1 website with 100 SMS notifications per month. PRO includes 10 users, unlimited websites, and 1,000 SMS notifications. Additional operators can be added for $8-$15/month.

Source
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