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Customer Support · head to head

LiveAgent vs Twilio

LiveAgent logo

LiveAgent

Customer Support

All-in-one help desk software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Twilio logo

Twilio

Telecommunications

Cloud communications platform for SMS, voice, and video

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Twilio pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • They diverge on capability: LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Twilio covers SMS messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LiveAgent and Twilio actually diverge.

Attributes where LiveAgent and Twilio differ
AttributeLiveAgentTwilio
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#
CategoryCustomer SupportTelecommunications
Founded20042008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 LiveAgent

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

Only in Twilio

  • SMS messaging
  • Voice calls
  • Video conferencing
  • Programmable communication
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Mobile support
  • API support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • Web 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 Twilio
  • Ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teamsnot Twilio

Twilio

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

Twilio

  • Pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • Phone number rentals are required for every number used, with carrier fees varying by region and billed separately
  • Dashboard is not optimized for mobile use and logs are difficult to access

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Twilio

Free
  • Pay-as-You-Go$undefined/mo
    • Usage-based pricing
    • No monthly minimum
    • SMS, voice, video, messaging

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.
LiveAgent review

Choose Twilio if

  • You need sms messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
  • You also want voice calls.
Twilio review

Questions people ask

Is LiveAgent or Twilio better?
Neither clearly leads. LiveAgent starts at Free and Twilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LiveAgent or Twilio?
LiveAgent starts at Free and Twilio at Free.
Does LiveAgent or Twilio run on more platforms?
LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android. Twilio runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
Can I use LiveAgent for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Twilio is typically brought in for.
What can LiveAgent do that Twilio cannot?
LiveAgent covers Ticketing system, Live chat, Call center, Social media. Twilio covers SMS messaging, Voice calls, Video conferencing, Programmable communication. Both handle Slack, Zapier, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Twilio: What is Twilio's pricing model?

Twilio uses pay-as-you-go usage-based pricing with no monthly minimums or contracts. SMS costs $0.0083 per US message, voice calls cost $0.014 per minute, phone numbers cost $1.15 per month.

Source
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
Twilio: Does Twilio offer a free tier?

Yes, Twilio offers a free trial indefinitely with no credit card required for limited usage, plus a 7-14 day free trial period on paid plans.

Source
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
Twilio: What communication channels does Twilio support?

Twilio supports SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, MMS for messaging; Voice API and SIP Trunking for voice; Email via Twilio SendGrid; Video API; and Chat via Conversations API.

Source
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