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Software · head to head

Olark vs Salesforce Service Cloud

Olark logo

Olark

Software

Make your business human

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce Service Cloud logo

Salesforce Service Cloud

Software

Customer service software that powers loyalty

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Olark 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; Salesforce Service Cloud the vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Olark covers Live chat, Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Olark and Salesforce Service Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Olark and Salesforce Service Cloud differ
AttributeOlarkSalesforce Service Cloud
Starting priceFree$25/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20091999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Olark

  • Live chat
  • Chat transcripts
  • Visitor insights
  • Customization
  • Offline messaging
  • Shortcuts
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Case management
  • Omnichannel routing
  • AI-powered bots
  • Field service
  • Self-service
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce CRM
  • MuleSoft

Both cover

  • Slack
  • 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 Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Running an AI agent on website conversations with human handoffnot Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Enterprise customer servicenot Olark
  • Field servicenot Olark
  • Self-service portalsnot Olark
  • AI-powered supportnot 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

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • The vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Olark

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 20 chats/month
    • 1 agent
    • Basic customization
  • Standard$29/month
    • Unlimited chats
    • Chat transcripts
    • Integrations
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Co-browsing
    • Chatbot
    • Priority support

Salesforce Service Cloud

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Case management
    • Knowledge base
    • Web & email support
  • Professional$80/month
    • CTI
    • Omni-channel routing
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Web API
    • Einstein AI
    • Workflow automation
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • 24/7 support
    • Configuration services
    • Premier success

Which should you pick?

Choose Olark if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want chat transcripts.
Olark review

Choose Salesforce Service Cloud if

  • You need case management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want omnichannel routing.
Salesforce Service Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Olark or Salesforce Service Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Olark starts at Free and Salesforce Service Cloud at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Olark or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Olark has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Olark and $25/month for Salesforce Service Cloud.
Does Olark or Salesforce Service Cloud run on more platforms?
Olark runs on Web. Salesforce Service Cloud runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Olark for free?
Yes. Olark has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce Service Cloud starts at $25/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 Salesforce Service Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Olark do that Salesforce Service Cloud cannot?
Olark covers Live chat, Chat transcripts, Visitor insights, Customization. Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management, Omnichannel routing, AI-powered bots, Field service. Both handle Slack, Web support.
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Related pages

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