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Live Chat · head to head

Olark vs Pure Chat

Olark logo

Olark

Live Chat

Make your business human

From
$29/month
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

  • Only Pure Chat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Olark the AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan; Pure Chat growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
  • They diverge on capability: Olark covers Live chat, 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 Olark and Pure Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Olark and Pure Chat differ
AttributeOlarkPure Chat
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android
Founded20092011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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 Olark

  • Live chat
  • Visitor insights
  • Customization
  • Offline messaging
  • Shortcuts
  • Slack
  • Zendesk
  • Mailchimp

Only in Pure Chat

  • Live chat widget
  • Visitor information
  • Department routing
  • Zapier
  • API
  • Mobile app support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Chat transcripts
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Olark

  • Live chat on a website with a small support teamnot Pure Chat
  • Running an AI agent on website conversations with human handoffnot Pure Chat

Pure Chat

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

Where each one falls short

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

Olark

  • The AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan
  • That flat price covers only one human seat, with each additional seat at $29 a month
  • Regional routing, SSO and custom SLAs require a custom enterprise plan with no published price

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

Olark

$29/month
  • Standard AI Website Agent$400/month
    • One human agent seat included
    • Unlimited AI conversations
    • Automatic FAQ and knowledge updates
  • Live Chat Only$29/month
    • Human operators only
    • No AI component
    • Upgradeable to AI later
  • Custom Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Regional routing
    • Advanced integrations
    • Custom workflows

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 Olark if

  • You need live chat.
  • You also want visitor insights.
Olark 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 Olark or Pure Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Olark starts at $29/month and Pure Chat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Olark or Pure Chat?
Pure Chat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Olark and Free for Pure Chat.
Does Olark or Pure Chat run on more platforms?
Olark runs on Web. Pure Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
Can I use Pure Chat for free?
Yes. Pure Chat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Olark starts at $29/month.
What is Olark best used for?
Olark is most often used for live chat on a website with a small support team, running an ai agent on website conversations with human handoff. Of those, live chat on a website with a small support team and running an ai agent on website conversations with human handoff are not what Pure Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Olark do that Pure Chat cannot?
Olark covers Live chat, Visitor insights, Customization, Offline messaging. Pure Chat covers Live chat widget, Visitor information, Department routing, Zapier. Both handle Chat transcripts, Salesforce, HubSpot, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Olark: How much does Olark's Standard AI plan cost?

Olark's Standard AI Website Agent plan costs $400 per month when billed annually ($4,800/year). This includes one human agent seat, unlimited AI conversations, automatic FAQ updates, lead capture, and white glove support with no token limits or overages.

Source
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
Olark: What is the cost for additional agent seats on Olark?

Additional human agent seats on Olark cost $29 per agent per month. This rate applies when upgrading from the Standard AI plan.

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
Olark: Does Olark charge based on token usage?

No, Olark explicitly states 'No token costs, ever.' The Standard AI plan charges per agent seat with no usage-based overages or token limits, avoiding unexpected cost spikes during peak traffic periods.

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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