Handling a large number of live chats while ensuring timely responses and maintaining quality customer service requires careful coordination. As a customer service manager, you can enhance your team’s productivity and connectivity with mobile live chat apps, allowing them to serve customers even on the go.
The live chat software can help you adopt a customer-centric approach, aiding teams to reach targeted and global audiences anytime, anywhere. To help you pick the right live chat app, we looked at 2M+ unique user reviews to see what real users had to say and highlighted the top seven mobile live chat apps based on sentiment analysis of reviews, arranged in order of percentage of positive reviews. Read more.
1. WhatsApp
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
WhatsApp is an instant messaging platform that is free to download for Android and iOS users. Small-and-midsize-businesses (SMBs) often use this live chat app to connect with prospects and customers. WhatsApp’s mobile app offers a chat lock feature, allowing users to enhance privacy by locking specific chats. The locked chats are kept separate from other chats in a locked chats folder. You can unlock the locked chats by swiping down the messages section and using your device’s authentication features, such as phone passcode, fingerprint, or Face ID.
Customer support: Phone, online help center, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Free to download
Who should consider WhatsApp app?
Recently established SMBs who don’t need complex, pricey solutions with advanced live chat features can consider WhatsApp to connect with their customers. The WhatsApp Business mobile app offers features like quick replies, labels, and away messages, allowing businesses to set response time expectations and promptly respond to customer messages.
Example of a review excerpt from users who have used WhatsApp's mobile app:
“I always get inspired for using WhatsApp. In all ways, it has helped me and my business a lot in so many ways when dealing with customers, friends and family. As an everyday experience with WhatsApp, WhatsApp is heading in the right direction. Have used this software for long time and can't find a reason to quit using WhatsApp. Always open the app and spend almost the whole day interacting with customers and friends and making sure orders go through; though it’s time-consuming, it’s worth it.”
Read all WhatsApp reviews here.
2. LiveChat
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
LiveChat is an online communication system that connects customers with support representatives. The software has a mobile app for iPhone, Android, and iPad, enabling businesses to respond to customer queries anytime and anywhere immediately. LiveChat’s mobile chat app can work in the background, which means that customer service agents can close their last chats and return to their daily activities while the application invites customers and notifies them about incoming chats. Moreover, it allows supervisors to join their agents’ conversations to oversee how they are doing.
Customer support: Chat, online help center, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Available with the paid plan, starting at $20 per user, per month
Who should consider LiveChat mobile app?
Customer service agents looking to help each other during customer interactions can find LiveChat’s mobile app beneficial. Its transfer and supervise feature allows agents to transfer chats to another expert agent, facilitating team collaboration and expert supervision during ongoing calls. Agents' real-time supervision on each call or chat can allow experienced employees to train new hires amid customer interactions. The supervisor can also send suggestions to agents in their chat box, which isn’t visible to customers.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used LiveChat's mobile app:
“It's the best app discovered for doing business. I love it because it can address all the customer needs at once no matter the place they are at; the communication is instant. The app offers real-time chat, which is a great alternative to messaging or emails that take long to be delivered or fail to reach the recipient. I have not encountered any difficulties with this app maybe later on if I shift to a payment plan. Currently, I am still on free trial, but the app is amazing.”
Read all LiveChat reviews here.
/ Pro tip
Assess security features while considering mobile live chat apps for your communication needs. Your mobile app should include security features, such as end-to-end encryption, authentication, permissions, and user reporting, to ensure that it aligns with your privacy and security requirements.
3. Zoho Desk
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
Zoho Desk is a help desk solution with a mobile app that offers customer support agents the flexibility to address and close customer tickets on the move. Zoho Desk’s mobile app offers visitor notifications to handle increased support volume. Whenever a customer initiates a live chat, the app notifies customer service agents of incoming requests, allowing them to set the waiting time for mobile app visitors. Unattended chats are automatically moved to the missed chats section after the waiting time is over.
Customer support: Phone, email, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Available with the paid plan, starting at $14 per user, per month
Who should consider Zoho Desk mobile app?
Customer support teams looking to create a structured framework for managing and recording customer interactions and inquiries can consider Zoho Desk’s mobile app. The app allows users to convert live chats into tickets, set priorities, and assign customer support agents for prompt query redressal. All chat details, including the customer information and conversation history, are stored as a part of the ticket record.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used Zoho Desk's mobile app:
“The best app in the market to provide immediate ticket resolution in a timely manner. Even the customer executive members are very polite, and also the app is well-designed. 100% customer satisfaction with their complaints. Easy to organize, time tracking, generating tickets based on timely manner. Clear information without confusion. Nothing least to say, well organized app. I appreciate it.”
Read all Zoho Desk reviews here.
4. Slack
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
Slack is an instant messaging platform offering live customer chat options. You can configure the live chat service within Slack’s mobile app to send conversations and notifications into channels. The Slack channels are dedicated workspaces used to organize conversations, exchange information, and provide your team with a shared work view. This enables your customer service team to join in and respond to notifications. They can answer questions and forward prospective leads to the sales team to complete deals. You can also use Slack’s mobile app to find relevant conversations across direct messages, channels, and workspaces.
Customer support: Emails, chat, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Included with the desktop version’s free plan.
Who should consider Slack mobile app?
Businesses with a high volume of discussions across many topics and looking to categorize relevant details can consider Slack for their communication needs. Slack channels, also available in the mobile app, allow teams to organize discussions based on topics, projects, or departments, making it easy to find and follow up on conversations. You can integrate Slack with various tools, such as LiveAgent and LiveChat by Social Intents, to enhance its live chat functionality.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used Slack’s mobile app:
“I really love Slack! It is great for working remotely and keeping up with coworkers. Easy to use, the possibility of creating different channels with designated people. Mobile app is great. Easy to use, the possibility of creating different channels with designated people. Mobile app is useful. There is really nothing I don't like about this app. It is great for working remotely and keeping up with coworkers.”
/ Pro tip
Select a live chat software that offers file and image-sharing capabilities, allowing you to exchange files, images, and other multimedia files directly within the chat interface. This file-sharing capability enhances the communication experience, making it more versatile and effective.
5. Bitrix24
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
Bitrix24 is a collaboration system with tools for improved communication and business management. The software offers live chat functionality for better customer assistance. Bitrix24’s mobile app, which is free for an unlimited number of users, can be used to connect with customers using open channels. These channels collect inquiries from different communication channels, including Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram, enabling employees to answer queries from within the app. All these messages, including communications and chat sessions, are logged and saved inside Bitrix24 CRM, providing users access to an unlimited client base.
Customer support: Emails, live chat, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Included with the desktop version’s free plan.
Who should consider Bitrix24 mobile app?
Growing businesses who are looking for advanced CRM features in a mobile live chat app to get a holistic view of customer data and track potential leads through live chat interactions can consider Bitrix24. Additional CRM features, such as lead management and contact management in Bitrix24’s mobile app, can help businesses enhance customer relationship management, team collaboration, and productivity, especially in remote working scenarios.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used Bitrix24's mobile app:
“Overall, my experience with the software is amazing, I would recommend it to any working professional. Bitrix24 integrates with professional systems and can track everything from work team opinions and trade to financial processes and transactions. This tool allows secure and complete online communication, even remotely, thereby increasing workflow. Managing CRM, projects, and processes is easy with the Bitrix24 platform. Featuring a mobile solution compatible with Android, iPhone, or iPad smartphones or tablets, it offers a very dynamic user interface for communication and sharing content. There’s nothing not to like about the software, it has made my work life so much better. So I cannot complain.”
Read all Bitrix24 reviews here.
6. Freshdesk
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
Freshdesk is an online customer service software that enables businesses to engage and support customers through live chat. The software features a mobile app that allows users to view real-time conversations between the chatbot and the customer, use filters, such as status, priority, tags, and assignee filters, to deep dive into conversations, and view activity logs. The software also offers a chat history feature that enables customer service agents to record all chat interactions with customers. Every chat session, including the messages exchanged, timestamps, and shared files, is stored in a central place for easy retrieval.
Customer support: Emails, online community, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Included with the desktop version’s free plan
Who should consider Freshdesk mobile app?
Customer service agents looking to accelerate customer growth and retention can consider this app. Freshdesk’s mobile app has several helpdesk features, such as team inbox, canned responses, filtered ticket views, and time tracking, to improve your team’s responsiveness and efficiency to customer support. Additionally, it offers features such as chat history and pre-chat forms for live chat interactions.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used Freshdesk's mobile app:
“Overall I like the app. It’s easy to use, and the customers can access their ticket status/history and leave a review. I like that you can real live chat and track client engagement. This is great to have for businesses and the customers. I just started using the app. I have not had any problems.”
Read all Freshdesk reviews here.
/ Pro tip
Look for mobile live chat apps that offer push notifications to inform users about new messages in real time, even when they are not using the app. This will help them stay alert and respond promptly to incoming messages.
7. LiveAgent
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Device compatibility
LiveAgent is a help desk tool with a mobile app to enable real-time communication between support representatives and customers from multiple platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and other online forums. LiveAgent’s app features a universal inbox that simplifies multitasking for support agents. While waiting for a website chat response, they can focus on answering tickets from other channels directly from their centralized inbox. Moreover, it also has a dashboard that rings to notify agents if a customer is waiting to chat.
Customer support: Chat, online contact form, and knowledge base.
Mobile starting price: Available with the paid plan, starting at $9 per user, per month
Who should consider LiveAgent mobile app?
Businesses having a global audience and looking to offer multilingual support to their customers can consider the LiveAgent app. The mobile app supports 43 languages, including English, Arabic, Greek, Persian, and Spanish, allowing agents to communicate with customers in their preferred language. Users can add new languages through translation contributions.
Example of a review excerpt from a user who has used LiveAgent’s mobile app:
“I love using it. It's very easy and effective. I really like the efficiency of this app. I use it quite regularly because it is so much easier to chat with someone online than call and wait for an agent to pick up. I find it a little frustrating that sometimes it takes a while to connect with an agent. Also, sometimes the conversation can be interrupted only to start all over again.”
Read all LiveAgent reviews here.
Mobile features of interestMobile features of interest were identified from vendor websites. Our research team selected the features considering what we know users expect or find important in a mobile experience.
Here are some common features that you can expect in mobile live chat apps.
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Chat history | Allows users to view and access past conversations with customers. The chat history feature in the mobile live chat app makes it easier to retrieve previous information, helps in quality control, and enables support agents to provide more efficient customer support. |
Visitor notifications | Alert support agents when a visitor initiates a chat session, ensuring timely responses and prompt customer support experience. |
Canned responses | Ensure quick responses to messages and common questions using pre-defined messages. This is particularly useful for addressing frequently asked questions. |
File sharing | Exchange various types of files, including documents and images, within the chat conversation. Agents can use this feature to share files with recipients and provide context or resolve issues during ongoing conversations. |
Proactive chat invitations | Enable customer support representatives to initiate a chat session with prospects or customers browsing the business’s website. |
Data security | Safeguard user information using features such as end-to-end encryption, secure data transmission, user authentication, and role-based user permissions. |
What are the benefits of mobile live chat app over desktop version?
Mobile apps have become increasingly popular because they offer several advantages over the desktop version. Here is why you should consider a mobile app for your live chat needs.
Benefits | Description |
|---|---|
Increased accessibility | As compared to their desktop counterparts, mobile live chat apps allow support agents to assist customers from anywhere, enabling prompt responses even when they are not at their desks. |
Instant push notifications | Mobile live chat software provides instant push notifications to immediately alert support agents of new chat requests, reducing the likelihood of missing important conversations. It facilitates real-time interactions, enabling agents to respond quickly to customer inquiries. |
Offline access | Some mobile live chat apps also allow agents to continue responding to chats, even without a stable internet connection. Chat messages get synced once the connection is re-established. |
Greater flexibility | As compared to the desktop version of the software, mobile live chat tool allows agents to switch between chats, other support tasks, and personal activities from anywhere. |
Frequently asked questions when selecting mobile live chat apps
Here are some common questions you can ask your vendors while looking for the best live chat software for mobile.
Does the app offer omnichannel support?
While evaluating potential mobile live chat software, make sure to check with the vendor that the app offers omnichannel support for managing communications from various communication channels, such as websites, social media, and email, in a unified manner. Your mobile app should enable your customers and support agents to converse across all these platforms.
Does the mobile app offer chat overview or history?
The best live chat software for mobile offers users a holistic view of all website visitors, including online visitors, chatting visitors, and visitors in queue. Some apps also offer a chat history feature, allowing users to refer to previous conversations. Before shortlisting a particular mobile app, check with the vendor if the app has any of these features to recall interactions.
What are the limitations of the mobile live chat apps?
While beneficial, the mobile live chat software may have some common limitations, such as restricted functionality, limited customization, platform compatibility, and integration issues. It is necessary to inquire about all such limitations to ensure that your mobile app aligns with your requirements while providing you with the benefits of mobile communication.