Alternatives / LiveChat
Looking for an open source LiveChat alternative? We compared 6 open source live chat, helpdesk, and customer support platforms by license, self-hosting, channels, AI features, and pricing. They range from omnichannel inboxes to ticketing systems and React-based support widgets.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Chatwoot | Omnichannel live chat and support inbox | MIT + enterprise directory |
| Zammad | Full helpdesk and ticketing | AGPL-3.0 |
| FreeScout | Shared email inboxes | AGPL-3.0 |
| Frappe Helpdesk | Affordable ticketing with SLAs | AGPL-3.0 |
| Chaskiq | Customer messaging with chatbots (source available) | AGPL-3.0 + Commons Clause |
| Cossistant | AI-native support in React apps | AGPL-3.0 (non-commercial) |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with LiveChat's core: a chat widget on your site, a shared agent inbox, and customer conversations across channels. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and self-hosting in its repository. LiveChat is a hosted chat product, so the list mixes live chat platforms with broader helpdesks, and we flag licenses that restrict commercial use. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Chatwoot, Chaskiq, and Cossistant provide live chat widgets and customer messaging. Zammad, FreeScout, and Frappe Helpdesk are ticketing and helpdesk systems centered on email and portals, with chat as a secondary channel. Pick based on whether your support happens in real time on your site or through tickets.
Chatwoot is the closest and most popular: a customizable chat widget, an omnichannel inbox across live chat, email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram, a knowledge base, AI assistance, and a developer API. Cossistant targets SaaS products with React components, and Chaskiq adds chatbots and campaigns.
Chatwoot is MIT outside its enterprise directory, which is under a separate license. Zammad, FreeScout, and Frappe Helpdesk are AGPL-3.0. Chaskiq is AGPL-3.0-or-later with the Commons Clause, which prohibits selling the software, and Cossistant is AGPL-3.0 for non-commercial use, with a commercial license required for commercial use. Both are therefore not standard open source for business use.
All six can be self-hosted, and several also offer hosted plans. Chatwoot, Zammad, and FreeScout are the easiest to run for small teams and can serve unlimited agents without per-agent fees.
Chatwoot, Zammad, FreeScout, Frappe Helpdesk, and Cossistant were updated within days or weeks of this update. Chaskiq's last commit was in June 2026, so its development is slower.
LiveChat is a proprietary service priced per agent, with limits on features such as chatbots, reporting, and history by plan, and customer conversations stored on its servers. Open-source alternatives let you self-host support data, avoid per-agent pricing, customize widgets, and connect AI and other channels such as email and WhatsApp, at the cost of running the service and handling deliverability yourself.
| Alternative | Type | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatwoot | Live chat and omnichannel inbox | MIT + enterprise directory | Yes | Support teams |
| Zammad | Helpdesk | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | Scalable ticketing |
| FreeScout | Shared inbox | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | Email support on a budget |
| Frappe Helpdesk | Ticketing | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | SLA tracking |
| Chaskiq | Customer messaging | AGPL-3.0 + Commons Clause | Yes | Chatbots and campaigns |
| Cossistant | AI-native support | AGPL-3.0 (non-commercial) | Yes | React and Next.js apps |
Want the closest open-source LiveChat replacement
Chatwoot offers a live chat widget, an omnichannel inbox, a knowledge base, AI assistance, and an API, self-hosted or in its cloud.
Need a full helpdesk with ticketing
Zammad offers multichannel ticket management, SLAs, a knowledge base, analytics, and SSO.
Want shared email inboxes without per-agent fees
FreeScout provides shared inboxes, automation, and extensions with unlimited users on your own server.
Want SLA tracking and a ticket portal
Frappe Helpdesk offers ticketing, SLA management, workflows, a knowledge base, and canned responses.
Want AI-native support inside a React app
Cossistant provides React components, real-time conversations, and AI routing, but commercial use needs a license.
Want chatbots and customer messaging
Chaskiq adds chatbots, campaigns, and analytics, but its Commons Clause license prohibits selling the software.