Here are the top live-chat tools for customer support (strong picks across small business → enterprise), with one-line summary, best-for, key features and a starting-price pointer.

1. Intercom — modern, AI-first inbox + bots; great for product-led companies and in-app support. Best for: SaaS/product teams that need messaging, bots, and a shared inbox. Key features: Fin AI agent, automated bots, in-app messenger, ticketing, routing, analytics. Pricing: starts around $29/seat/month (varies by plan/usage). (intercom.com)

2. Zendesk (Messaging / Sunshine) — enterprise-grade omnichannel support and knowledge base. Best for: larger support teams needing multichannel routing, analytics and integrations. Key features: live chat/messaging, ticketing, AI agents, workflows, many integrations. Pricing: suite plans start in the mid‑$20s–$50s per agent (varies by bundle). (zendesk.com)

3. LiveChat — focused real‑time chat widget with broad integrations and ecommerce features. Best for: teams that want a polished chat widget, proactive messages, and top-tier integrations (Shopify, Salesforce, etc.). Key features: customizable widget, canned responses, proactive invites, ChatBot/AI assistance, analytics. Pricing: tiered per-agent plans (Starter → Enterprise). (techradar.com)

4. Drift — conversational marketing + live chat built for revenue teams. Best for: B2B sales teams that want chat to drive meetings and pipeline. Key features: playbooks, custom bots, meeting scheduling, account intel, routing and deep sales integrations. Pricing: enterprise-focused (often custom; higher starting tiers). (g2.com)

5. HubSpot Conversations (Live Chat) — free CRM-based chat with native CRM integration. Best for: teams that want free/basic live chat tightly integrated with CRM, marketing and tickets. Key features: free chat widget, shared inbox, chatbots, visitor-to-contact capture; scales with HubSpot paid hubs. Pricing: free plan available; advanced features in HubSpot paid tiers. (hubspot.com)

6. Freshchat / Freshdesk (Freshworks) — chat inside a full helpdesk platform with AI (Freddy). Best for: teams that want chat inside a helpdesk/omnichannel stack. Key features: live chat, bots, WhatsApp/FB integrations, routing, Freddy AI. Pricing: Free → Growth/Pro/Enterprise per agent tiers. (freshworks.com)

7. Tidio — easy-to-use chat + GPT-style chatbots for small ecommerce and SMBs. Best for: small stores and SMBs who want low‑cost bots + live chat. Key features: chatbot flows, human handoff, Shopify/WooCommerce plugins, tiered billable-conversations pricing. Pricing: free tier + modest paid plans by conversation volume. (tidio.com)

8. LiveAgent — full helpdesk with strong visitor tracking and omnichannel chat (good value). Best for: teams wanting ticketing + chat + call center features in one affordable package. Key features: unified inbox, visitor monitoring, proactive chat, AI assistants, phone/IVR options. Pricing: competitively tiered per agent (plans from low $/agent). (liveagent.com)

9. Zoho SalesIQ — visitor intelligence + chat inside Zoho ecosystem (good for Zoho users). Best for: teams using Zoho CRM/Zoho One that need visitor insights and chatbots. Key features: visitor tracking, chatbots, translations, Zia AI suggestions, integrations with Zoho apps. Pricing: free tier → paid per-operator plans. (zoho.com)

10. Olark — simple, affordable chat for small teams with useful reporting and integrations. Best for: small businesses that want an easy setup and straightforward pricing. Key features: customizable widget, targeted chat, reporting, CRM/ecommerce integrations. Pricing: simple per-seat plans (e.g., ~$29/agent/mo for standard tier). (olark.com)

Quick buying checklist (use this to pick one)

• Goals: prioritize sales (Drift/Intercom) vs. support ticketing (Zendesk/Freshdesk) vs. CRM integration (HubSpot/Zoho).
• Bot & AI needs: if you need strong auto-responses or GPT-style assistants, look at Intercom, Freshchat, Tidio, or LiveAgent.
• Scale & channels: for omnichannel (WhatsApp, social), choose Zendesk, Freshdesk, or Zoho SalesIQ.
• Budget & simplicity: for low cost/easy setup choose Tidio, Olark, or HubSpot free chat.
• Integrations & data: ensure it connects to your CRM, ecommerce and analytics stack.
• Try before you buy: test response routing, mobile apps, and how handoff between bot → human works.

If you want, I can: (a) produce a 1‑page feature vs. price comparison of any 3 you pick, or (b) recommend the single best option for your use case (e.g., small ecommerce store, SaaS support team, or enterprise contact center).