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HubSpot Live Chat vs Plain

HubSpot Live Chat logo

HubSpot Live Chat

Live Chat

Live chat integrated with HubSpot CRM platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Plain logo

Plain

Customer Support

AI support infrastructure built for B2B teams

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot Live Chat no specific pricing published on the live chat product page; pricing requires navigation to separate Marketing Hub pricing page; Plain foundation plan limited to 2,000 credits per month may be restrictive for high-volume teams
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot Live Chat covers Live chat messaging, Plain covers Multi-channel consolidation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot Live Chat and Plain actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot Live Chat and Plain differ
AttributeHubSpot Live ChatPlain
Starting priceFree$35/month
Pricing modelfreemiumTiered pricing per seat with credit system
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, AndroidWeb, API
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded2006Unknown

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 HubSpot Live Chat

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM integration
  • Visitor identification
  • Chatbot builder
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Gmail
  • Outlook

Only in Plain

  • Multi-channel consolidation
  • AI agents
  • Workflow automation
  • Sidekick assistant
  • Insights engine
  • Linear and Jira integration
  • Help Center and Knowledge Base
  • API-first extensibility

What people use each for

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

HubSpot Live Chat

  • Customer engagementnot Plain
  • Lead generationnot Plain
  • Customer supportnot Plain
  • Sales automationnot Plain

Plain

  • Consolidating support from multiple channels into one inboxnot HubSpot Live Chat
  • Automating support workflows with AI agentsnot HubSpot Live Chat
  • Extracting insights and trends from customer conversationsnot HubSpot Live Chat
  • Building custom support solutions with API accessnot HubSpot Live Chat
  • Implementing AI-assisted customer support at scalenot HubSpot Live Chat

Where each one falls short

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

HubSpot Live Chat

  • No specific pricing published on the live chat product page; pricing requires navigation to separate Marketing Hub pricing page
  • Live chat pricing bundled with broader Marketing Hub plans rather than offered as standalone product pricing
  • Free tier features not detailed on product page, requiring contact or additional navigation for feature clarity

Plain

  • Foundation plan limited to 2,000 credits per month may be restrictive for high-volume teams
  • Pricing increases significantly from Foundation to Horizon ($35 to $299 per month)
  • No published pricing for Frontier (custom) plan
  • Additional seat costs ($99 per seat) add up for larger teams
  • Credit-based system requires monitoring usage to avoid overages

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot Live Chat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live chat
    • CRM
    • Basic features
  • Starter$50/month
    • Marketing automation
    • Enhanced features
  • Professional$320/month
    • Advanced workflows
    • Custom reporting

Plain

$35/month
  • Foundation$35/month
    • 2,000 credits per month
    • Slack and email channels
    • Ari AI agent
  • Horizon$299/month
    • 15,000 credits per month
    • All Foundation features
    • Microsoft Teams integration
  • Frontier$null/custom
    • Custom credit allowance
    • All Horizon features
    • Discord channels

Which should you pick?

Choose HubSpot Live Chat if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want crm integration.
HubSpot Live Chat review

Choose Plain if

  • You need multi-channel consolidation.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want ai agents.
Plain review

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot Live Chat or Plain better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot Live Chat starts at Free and Plain at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot Live Chat or Plain?
HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HubSpot Live Chat and $35/month for Plain.
Does HubSpot Live Chat or Plain run on more platforms?
HubSpot Live Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Plain runs on Web, API.
Can I use HubSpot Live Chat for free?
Yes. HubSpot Live Chat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plain starts at $35/month.
What is HubSpot Live Chat best used for?
HubSpot Live Chat is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation. Of those, customer engagement and lead generation are not what Plain is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot Live Chat do that Plain cannot?
HubSpot Live Chat covers Live chat messaging, CRM integration, Visitor identification, Chatbot builder. Plain covers Multi-channel consolidation, AI agents, Workflow automation, Sidekick assistant.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HubSpot Live Chat: What does HubSpot live chat cost?

HubSpot live chat is available free with core functionality and no credit card required. Premium features are available through Marketing Hub Starter, Professional, and Enterprise plans starting at $7/month annually, with details available on the main pricing page.

Source
Plain: What is included in the Foundation plan?

The Foundation plan ($35/month per seat) includes 2,000 credits per month, support for Slack and email, Ari AI agent, Linear and Jira integrations, and Help Center access. Up to 5 seats are included.

Source
HubSpot Live Chat: Is there a free version of HubSpot live chat?

Yes, HubSpot live chat and chatbot builder are available free with core functionality including CRM integration and mobile app access, requiring no credit card to start.

Source
Plain: Can I use Plain with Microsoft Teams?

Yes, Microsoft Teams integration is available on the Horizon plan ($299/month) and higher.

Source
HubSpot Live Chat: What premium features are included in paid HubSpot live chat plans?

Paid tiers include advanced automation and scaling features through Marketing Hub Starter, Professional, and Enterprise editions with varying levels of functionality and support.

Source
Plain: Is there a free trial for Plain?

Yes, Plain offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also get 50% discount through their startup program.

Source
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