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Software · head to head

LiveAgent vs SupportBee

LiveAgent logo

LiveAgent

Software

All-in-one help desk software

From
Free
Rated
-
SupportBee logo

SupportBee

Software

Simple email ticketing for small teams

From
$13/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only LiveAgent has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; SupportBee email-only ticketing, no live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features
  • They diverge on capability: LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, SupportBee covers Shared inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LiveAgent and SupportBee actually diverge.

Attributes where LiveAgent and SupportBee differ
AttributeLiveAgentSupportBee
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile Browser
Founded20042010

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

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 LiveAgent

  • Ticketing system
  • Live chat
  • Call center
  • Social media
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • GDPR

Only in SupportBee

  • Shared inbox
  • Email ticketing
  • Snippets
  • Reports
  • Trello
  • Asana
  • Pipedrive
  • Data encryption

Both cover

  • Knowledge base
  • Customer portal
  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • SSL
  • 2FA
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

LiveAgent

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

SupportBee

  • Email supportnot LiveAgent
  • Ticket managementnot LiveAgent
  • Team collaborationnot LiveAgent

Where each one falls short

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

SupportBee

  • Email-only ticketing, no live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features
  • Basic reporting and analytics, lacking advanced dashboards and customizable metrics
  • No SLA management capabilities
  • Limited workflow customization compared to enterprise platforms
  • No dedicated mobile app (web interface only)
  • Confusing navigation and UI issues reported by some users
  • Cannot select and snooze multiple emails at once
  • Occasional performance delays

Pricing, plan by plan

LiveAgent

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 7-day ticket history
    • 1 chat button
    • 1 email account
  • Small$9/month
    • Unlimited ticket history
    • 3 email accounts
    • Customer portal
  • Medium$29/month
    • Call center
    • 10 email accounts
    • Advanced reporting
  • Large$49/month
    • Everything unlimited
    • Senior account manager
    • White glove setup

SupportBee

$13/month
  • Startup$13/month
    • Unlimited tickets and inboxes
    • Team inbox with ticket assignment
    • Knowledge base integration (KBee)
  • Enterprise$17/month
    • All Startup features
    • Advanced integrations
    • Custom roles and permissions

Which should you pick?

Choose LiveAgent if

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

Choose SupportBee if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You work on Web, Mobile Browser.
  • You also want email ticketing.

Questions people ask

Is LiveAgent or SupportBee better?
Neither clearly leads. LiveAgent starts at Free and SupportBee at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LiveAgent or SupportBee?
LiveAgent has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LiveAgent and $13/month for SupportBee.
Does LiveAgent or SupportBee run on more platforms?
LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android. SupportBee runs on Web, Mobile Browser.
Can I use LiveAgent for free?
Yes. LiveAgent has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SupportBee starts at $13/month.
What is LiveAgent best used for?
LiveAgent is most often used for multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages, ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams. Of those, multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages and ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams are not what SupportBee is typically brought in for.
What can LiveAgent do that SupportBee cannot?
LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Live chat, Call center, Social media. SupportBee covers Shared inbox, Email ticketing, Snippets, Reports. Both handle Knowledge base, Customer portal, Slack, Zapier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SupportBee: How much does SupportBee cost?

SupportBee offers Startup plan at $13/user/month and Enterprise at $17/user/month, both with unlimited tickets and inboxes. No per-ticket charges. A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

Source
SupportBee: Does SupportBee offer live chat or phone support?

No. SupportBee focuses on email ticketing and does not include native live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features. It is designed for email-based customer support.

Source
SupportBee: What platforms can SupportBee run on?

SupportBee is a web-based platform accessible on desktop and mobile browsers. It does not offer a dedicated desktop or mobile app, but the web interface is responsive and works on phones. Integration with email clients is available.

Source
SupportBee: Does SupportBee integrate with Slack?

Yes. SupportBee integrates with Slack to send real-time notifications for new tickets, replies, assignments, and internal comments. Teams can configure which events trigger alerts and organize notifications into dedicated channels.

Source

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