Overview

LiveAgent is a multichannel customer-support platform for teams that want ticketing, self-service and conversation management in one operation. It suits businesses consolidating several support channels, especially those that need phone, social messaging or service-level controls. Its breadth is appealing, but pricing is per agent and the more advanced capabilities require higher tiers.

Key features

Shared inbox and service tools

Email, live chat, phone, social media, WhatsApp and Viber come together in a unified inbox, with a knowledge base and customer portal for self-service. Ticket automation, SLA management and API access round out the core help-desk toolkit. More than 200 integrations offer ways to connect the platform to other services.

The AI chatbot offers round-the-clock support in more than 100 languages, and built-in AI can automate up to 75% of conversations. These features may help teams with repeatable questions, though the stated automation rate is an upper-bound claim, not a result every team should expect. LiveAgent also advertises 24/7 customer service. Its claims of up to 20% higher team productivity, 28% more first-contact resolutions and 30% less support workload are similarly best treated as potential outcomes, not promises.

Pricing

There is a 30-day free trial, but no permanent free plan. Plans can be billed annually or monthly, are priced per agent, and can be upgraded, downgraded or canceled anytime without contracts or setup fees. Annual prices are calculated by agent count, so team size directly affects the bill.

Small business: $15.00 USD per month per agent billed annually, or $19.00 USD per month billed monthly. It includes ticketing, live chat, knowledge base, customer portal, contact forms and automation rules. This is the entry point for teams that need the central support workflow; it omits the call-center and SLA features assigned to the next tier.
Medium business: $29.00 USD per month per agent billed annually, or $35.00 USD per month billed monthly. Call center and IVR, time rules, reports, proactive chat invitations, agent ratings and SLAs make this a better fit for teams managing phone support and formal service commitments.
Large business: $49.00 USD per month per agent billed annually, or $59.00 USD per month billed monthly. It adds time tracking, an audit log, and Facebook, Instagram, X and WhatsApp support, suiting teams that need those channels and oversight tools.
Enterprise: $69.00 USD per month per agent billed annually, or $85.00 USD per month billed monthly. The tier adds a full-scale solution, extra support and exclusive services; it is aimed at organizations that want that higher-touch package, though those inclusions are described broadly.

Monthly billing costs more at every tier, while annual billing lowers the per-agent rate but still scales with headcount. The trial gives teams a chance to assess the fit before paying.

Platforms

LiveAgent's listed platform is API. That supports integration work, but does not establish native desktop or mobile apps.

Who it's for

LiveAgent is a strong fit for customer-service teams bringing multiple channels into one workflow, particularly those needing phone support, social messaging, self-service or SLA management. It is less compelling for small teams seeking a permanent free option or for buyers who want a low per-agent cost as they scale.

Pros and cons

Pro: The unified inbox spans email, chat, phone and social channels, reducing the need to handle each in a separate support workflow.
Pro: Ticket automation, knowledge base, customer portal and SLA management cover both agent-side routing and customer self-service.
Pro: More than 200 integrations and API access give teams options to connect their support stack.
Con: There is no permanent free plan, and monthly per-agent pricing rises from $19.00 USD to $85.00 USD across the tiers.
Con: Important capabilities such as call center and IVR, social channels and audit logging require higher-priced plans.
Con: The platform listing identifies API access but no native apps for specific operating systems.

Alternatives

Freshdesk is worth considering if a free starting point matters: its free program covers 1–2 agents for six months, while its Growth plan is $19.00 USD per month billed annually.

Trakdesk offers a free plan and an annual Starter plan at $9.99 USD per month, with email-to-ticket, time tracking and satisfaction surveys; it may suit teams prioritizing a lower-cost entry point.

BoardQ is a freemium option with a free Basic plan for up to two leaderboards, real-time updates and export tools, rather than a described multichannel help desk.

Unity Contact Center is a paid alternative for buyers considering a web- or Windows-based contact center.

EvaluAgent is a paid option centered on automated quality scoring, coaching workflows and performance dashboards.

Genesys Workforce Engagement Management may suit teams seeking workforce-engagement tools across a broad range of platforms; its WEM add-on is priced at 28.00 GBP per year per named user when billed annually.

OneContact Gamification is a paid, web-based alternative.

Aspect League is another paid, web-based alternative.

Browse customer service gamification software, customer self-service software, social media customer service software or help desk software if you want to compare options by category.

Verdict

Choose LiveAgent if your team needs one support operation across multiple channels, with ticketing, self-service and room to add phone, social and SLA capabilities. Its main draw is that breadth in one platform; its main reason to look elsewhere is the per-agent cost, particularly for larger teams, alongside the lack of a permanent free plan.

	Desk Manager	LiveAgent
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	$15/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api	api
Shared inbox	Yes	Yes
SLA management	Yes	Yes
Help center	Yes	Yes
Ticket automation	Yes	Yes
Customer portal	Yes	Yes
API access	Yes	Yes
Free plan	—	Yes
Paid from	—	$15/user/mo

Desk Manager vs LiveAgent

Desk Manager

LiveAgent