HubSpot CRM vs LiveChat
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of HubSpot CRM and LiveChat. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
HubSpot CRM edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.5/5. However, LiveChat (4.1/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors. Read on for the full breakdown.
HubSpot CRM vs LiveChat at a Glance
HubSpot CRM
★ 4.5HubSpot offers a free CRM with powerful marketing, sales, and service tools. Popular with small to mid-sized businesses for its generous free tier and intuitive interface.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow
Read full review →LiveChat
★ 4.1LiveChat is a dedicated live chat platform that helps businesses communicate with website visitors in real time. Unlike broader helpdesk tools, LiveChat focuses exclusively on delivering the best possible chat experience with features like chat routing, canned responses, file sharing, and detailed analytics.
Starting from: £16/agent/month
Best for: Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors
Read full review →HubSpot CRM vs LiveChat Feature Comparison
Here is how HubSpot CRM and LiveChat compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | HubSpot CRM | LiveChat |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | Yes | No |
| Starting Price | £0/month | £16/agent/month |
| Best For | Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow | Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors |
| Our Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Basic |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
HubSpot CRM vs LiveChat Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
HubSpot CRM Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Contact management
- ✓Email tracking
- ✓Deal pipeline
- ✓Live chat
Starter
£18/month
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Ad management
- ✓Landing pages
Professional
£720/month
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓Automation
- ✓Custom reporting
- ✓Teams
Enterprise
£3,000/month
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓Advanced permissions
- ✓Predictive lead scoring
- ✓Custom objects
LiveChat Pricing
Starter
£16/agent/month
- ✓60-day chat history
- ✓Basic widget customisation
- ✓Ticketing system
- ✓Data security
Team
£29/agent/month
- ✓Unlimited history
- ✓Full customisation
- ✓Basic reporting
- ✓Agent groups
Business
£42/agent/month
- ✓Advanced reporting
- ✓Staffing prediction
- ✓Work scheduler
- ✓Apple Business Chat
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Dedicated account manager
- ✓Product training
- ✓Security assistance
- ✓HIPAA compliance
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both HubSpot CRM and LiveChat for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
HubSpot CRM Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Generous free tier with no time limit
- •Excellent user interface and onboarding
- •All-in-one platform (marketing, sales, service)
- •Huge integration marketplace (1,000+)
- •Strong community and learning resources
✗Cons
- •Gets expensive quickly at Professional tier
- •Free plan has HubSpot branding
- •Limited customisation on lower tiers
- •Annual contracts on paid plans
- •Per-seat pricing adds up for larger teams
LiveChat Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class live chat experience
- •Fast, reliable chat widget
- •Excellent analytics and reporting
- •200+ integrations
- •Good mobile app for agents
✗Cons
- •Focused on chat only (no full helpdesk)
- •Per-agent pricing adds up
- •Chatbot is a separate product (ChatBot)
- •No knowledge base included
- •Limited email support capabilities
Our Verdict: HubSpot CRM vs LiveChat
Both HubSpot CRM and LiveChat are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose HubSpot CRM if you need Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow. With a starting price of £0/month and a rating of 4.5/5, it offers generous free tier with no time limit.
Choose LiveChat if you need Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors. Starting at £16/agent/month with a 4.1/5 rating, it excels at best-in-class live chat experience.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between HubSpot CRM and LiveChat? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up HubSpot CRM or LiveChat for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.