CB
ChatBeacon - Since 2005
vs
LC
LiveChat - Since 2002
ChatBeacon vs LiveChat:
More features. Less nickel-and-diming.
LiveChat is a solid, mature product — but it's just live chat. No native AI chatbot, no co-browse, no visual shopping, no on-premise option. ChatBeacon gives you the full stack — AI + human + visual support — in one platform.
At a Glance
Two veterans. Very different feature sets.
ChatBeacon
AI chatbot + live chat + visual support — all-in-one
Founded
2005 — Tulsa, OK 🇺🇸
AI Engine
Azure OpenAI + GPT — built in
Pricing
Per seat — unlimited chats & AI
Deployment
Cloud, dedicated, or on-premise
Co-Browse
Native — built in
Visual Shopping
PictureData™ — exclusive
Best For
Banking, healthcare, education, e-commerce
LiveChat
Focused live chat tool with separate add-on products
Founded
2002 — Wrocław, Poland 🇵🇱
AI Engine
None native — separate ChatBot product
Pricing
Per agent + separate product costs
Deployment
Cloud only
Co-Browse
Not available
Visual Shopping
Not available
Best For
Basic live chat for e-commerce
Feature-by-Feature
One platform vs a stack of add-ons.
Feature
ChatBeacon
Tidio
LiveChat
AI chatbot
Built in — ChatBeacon+OpenAI Agentkit
Complicated quotas
Separate product (ChatBot — extra cost)
Pricing model
Per seat — unlimited everything
Limited by plan
Per agent + paid add-on products
AI resolution fee
$0 — included
Lyro only
Requires separate ChatBot subscription
Co-Browse / Screen Share
Native — built in
Third party
Not available
Video chat
Built in
✗
Not available
Visual product shopping
PictureData™ — Shopify & WooCommerce
Yes (overages)
Not available
On-premise deployment
Cloud, dedicated, or on-premise
✗
Cloud only
Help desk / ticketing
Via integrations
✗
Separate product (HelpDesk — extra cost)
Knowledge base
AI learns from your content
✗
Separate product (KnowledgeBase — extra cost)
Languages
45+ with real-time agent translation
✗
Limited widget translations
SSO / Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID
✗
Enterprise tier only
Screen recording
Included
✗
Not available
Message sneak peek
Included
✗
Included
Hidden costs
None
✗
ChatBot, HelpDesk, KnowledgeBase — all separate
In market since
2005
DIY
2002
Why Teams Switch
Four reasons teams move from LiveChat to ChatBeacon.
AI is built in — not a separate purchase
LiveChat's AI chatbot is a completely separate product you buy on top. ChatBeacon includes AI chatbot, AI-suggested replies, and AI training from your content — all in one plan, one price.
.png)
Visual support tools LiveChat doesn't have
LiveChat has no co-browse, no screen share, no video chat. ChatBeacon lets agents see customer screens, guide their cursor, and do face-to-face video — all native.
On-premise for regulated industries
LiveChat is cloud-only. ChatBeacon offers full on-premise deployment with your own MS SQL database — critical for banking, healthcare, and government orgs.
PictureData — visual shopping no one else has
ChatBeacon's PictureData connects to your Shopify/WooCommerce store and shows real products inside the chat. Customers ask for what they want, AI shows matching inventory visually. LiveChat can't do this.
Quick Answers
ChatBeacon vs LiveChat — your questions, answered.
Does LiveChat include an AI chatbot?
No — LiveChat's AI chatbot is a completely separate product called "ChatBot" that you buy on top of your LiveChat subscription. ChatBeacon includes AI chatbot, AI-suggested replies for agents, and AI training from your content all in one plan at one price.
How many separate products does LiveChat sell?
LiveChat sells four separate products: LiveChat (live chat), ChatBot (AI automation), HelpDesk (ticketing), and KnowledgeBase (self-service). Each has its own subscription and billing. ChatBeacon bundles AI chatbot, live agent chat, co-browse, video, screen recording, and knowledge base into a single platform.
Is ChatBeacon more expensive than LiveChat?
On paper, LiveChat starts at $20/agent/month. But that's just live chat. Add ChatBot ($52/mo), HelpDesk ($29/mo), and KnowledgeBase ($39/mo) and you're at $140+/month for what ChatBeacon gives you in a single $39–$69/agent plan.
Can ChatBeacon do everything LiveChat does?
Yes, and more. ChatBeacon matches LiveChat on live chat features — canned responses, visitor monitoring, chat routing, queue management, sneak peek typing — and adds AI chatbot, co-browse, video chat, screen recording, visual product shopping (PictureData), and on-premise deployment that LiveChat doesn't offer.
Does ChatBeacon support co-browsing?
Yes — native co-browse, screen share, interactive screen control, session recording and playback. All built in, no plugins, no extra cost. LiveChat doesn't offer any of these capabilities.
Can I deploy ChatBeacon on my own servers?
Yes. ChatBeacon offers fully managed cloud, dedicated cloud, and on-premise installation with your own MS SQL database. LiveChat is cloud-only with no self-hosted option.
The bottom line
LiveChat does live chat well — it's reliable and straightforward. But it's just chat. Every other capability — AI, help desk, knowledge base — is a separate product and a separate bill. ChatBeacon gives you AI chatbot, live chat, co-browse, video, visual shopping, and on-premise deployment in a single platform at a single price. One login. One bill. Everything.
AI-powered live chat and chatbot platform. Built in the USA. Trusted since 2005. Cloud or on-premise deployment.
Made in the USA
© 2026 SmartMax Software, Inc. All rights reserved. SmartMax does not own any of the third-party trademarks, all represented brands own their respective copyrights and trademarks, and their use does not imply any endorsement or affiliation.
