Svyazio vs LiveChat: comparison
Key parameters for modern business communication
| Feature | Svyazio | LiveChat |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Forever: 1 agent, 50 chats/mo | ✗ No free plan (trial only) |
| Starter price | $19/agent/mo (Business) | $19/agent/mo (Starter) |
| Chat history | ✓ Unlimited on all plans | ⚠ 60 days on Starter |
| Telegram integration | ✓ Native (Pro plan) | ✗ Not available |
| Email integration | ✓ Full SMTP/IMAP (Business+) | ✓ Ticketing system |
| AI chatbot | ⚠ AI writing assistant (Pro) | ✓ ChatBot add-on (~$52/mo extra) |
| Reporting & analytics | ⚠ Pro plan only | ⚠ Team plan+ ($49/agent/mo) |
| Agent groups | ✓ Pro plan (Departments) | ⚠ Team plan+ ($49/agent/mo) |
| Remove branding | ✓ Pro plan (included) | ✓ All paid plans |
| E-commerce integrations | ✗ Not available | ✓ Shopify, BigCommerce native |
| Product cards in chat | ✗ Not available | ✓ Rich media messages |
| Omnichannel inbox | ✓ All channels in one thread | ✓ Multi-channel support |
| Desktop apps | ✓ Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | ✓ Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Shadow DOM widget | ✓ Doesn't affect site styles | ⚠ Standard embed |
| GDPR compliance | ✓ DPA, Privacy Policy | ✓ GDPR tools available |
What the interface looks like
Agent workspace, conversation history, multichannel feed
Why businesses choose Svyazio over LiveChat
Free plan forever
LiveChat has no free plan — only a trial. Svyazio's Starter plan is free forever: 1 agent, 50 conversations/month, no credit card needed. Perfect for micro-businesses and solopreneurs.
Unlimited chat history
LiveChat's cheapest plan stores only 60 days of chat history. Svyazio stores all conversations forever on every plan — including the free one.
Native Telegram
LiveChat doesn't support Telegram at all. Svyazio has native Telegram bot integration on Pro — all Telegram messages arrive in the same inbox as chat and email.
No add-on upsells
LiveChat's AI chatbot is a separate product (ChatBot) at ~$52/month extra. Svyazio's AI assistant is included in the Pro plan — no surprise invoices.
Real email integration
Connect your actual business email (SMTP/IMAP) — not just forwarding. Customers see your domain when you reply, building trust and professionalism.
GDPR & privacy
Formal DPA, AES-256 encrypted IMAP/SMTP credentials, TLS everywhere, dedicated EU servers for international clients.
LiveChat: an established player with premium pricing
LiveChat is one of the oldest live chat platforms on the market, founded in 2002. It's a proven, enterprise-grade tool with deep e-commerce integrations (Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce), a rich product card system for in-chat product recommendations, and advanced reporting with staffing predictions. LiveChat is particularly popular among e-commerce companies that need tight Shopify integration and need chat agents to recommend products directly in conversation.
However, LiveChat's pricing reflects its enterprise positioning: the cheapest plan costs $19/agent/month and only stores 60 days of chat history with no reporting. Most teams need the Team plan ($49/agent/month) for unlimited history and analytics, or the Business plan ($79/agent/month) for work scheduling. And the AI chatbot? That's a completely separate product — ChatBot — starting at ~$52/month. For a 3-person team on the Team plan with ChatBot, you're looking at ~$200/month.
Where LiveChat wins
- Deep e-commerce integrations — native Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce apps
- Product cards in chat — show products, prices, and images directly in conversations
- Advanced reporting — staffing predictions, agent performance benchmarks
- 20+ year track record — proven stability and enterprise trust
- Branding removal on all plans — even the cheapest $19/agent plan
Where Svyazio wins
- Free forever plan — LiveChat has no free tier
- Unlimited chat history — LiveChat Starter limits to 60 days
- Native Telegram — LiveChat doesn't support Telegram at all
- Full SMTP/IMAP email — not just a ticketing system
- AI included in plan — no separate $52/mo ChatBot subscription
- Shadow DOM widget — zero CSS conflicts with your website
Who should choose LiveChat?
- You run an e-commerce store on Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce
- You need product recommendations directly in chat
- You need advanced analytics with staffing predictions
- You value a 20+ year enterprise track record
Who should choose Svyazio?
- You want a free plan to start without commitment
- You need Telegram + email + chat in one inbox
- You don't want to pay extra for AI or chat history
- You prefer simple, transparent pricing
- You need GDPR compliance with EU servers