LiveAgent
LiveAgent is a comprehensive help desk software that combines email, live chat, ticketing, and call center capabilities into a single unified platform to streamline your customer support interactions.
osTicket
osTicket is an open-source support ticket system that routes inquiries created via email, web-forms, and phone calls into a simple, easy-to-use, multi-user web interface for your team.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | LiveAgent | osTicket |
|---|---|---|
| Website | liveagent.com | osticket.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 30 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2004 | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Bratislava, Slovakia | Alexandria, USA |
Overview
LiveAgent
LiveAgent helps you provide faster, more personalized customer support by centralizing every communication channel into one shared inbox. Instead of jumping between tabs, you can manage emails, live chats, phone calls, and social media messages from a single interface. This ensures no customer query falls through the cracks and allows your team to collaborate efficiently on complex tickets.
You can automate your workflow with predefined rules, set up a comprehensive knowledge base for self-service, and track agent performance with detailed analytics. Whether you are a small startup or a growing enterprise, the platform scales to meet your needs with various pricing tiers and over 200 integrations to connect your existing business tools.
osTicket
osTicket is a flexible help desk solution designed to streamline your customer support without the high costs of proprietary software. You can manage, organize, and archive all your support requests in one place, ensuring no customer inquiry falls through the cracks. The platform automatically converts requests from emails, web forms, and phone calls into easy-to-track tickets that your team can collaborate on instantly.
You can customize the software to fit your specific workflow using custom fields, help topics, and automated routing rules. Whether you choose the self-hosted open-source version for total control or the managed cloud-hosted version for convenience, it provides the essential tools to scale your customer service. It is particularly effective for small to mid-sized businesses and IT departments that need a reliable, no-frills system to handle high volumes of incoming support traffic.
Overview
LiveAgent Features
- Universal Inbox View and respond to emails, chats, calls, and social media mentions from one centralized dashboard for maximum efficiency.
- Real-Time Live Chat Connect with website visitors instantly using customizable chat widgets that show you what customers are typing in real-time.
- Cloud Call Center Make and receive phone calls directly through your browser with built-in VoIP, call routing, and unlimited call recording.
- Self-Service Portal Build a custom knowledge base and community forums so your customers can find answers 24/7 without contacting support.
- Automated Ticket Routing Ensure every inquiry reaches the right person automatically based on priority, department, or specific agent skill sets.
- Social Media Integration Monitor and respond to comments or messages from Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram without leaving your support desk.
osTicket Features
- Ticket Filtering. Define rules to automatically route incoming tickets to the right department or agent based on your specific criteria.
- Custom Fields. Create custom data fields for your web forms to collect the exact information you need from users upfront.
- Service Level Agreements. Set up SLA plans to track ticket deadlines and receive alerts when tickets are overdue to maintain high standards.
- Customer Portal. Provide your users with a dedicated web portal where they can view ticket status and history without contacting you.
- Canned Responses. Save time by creating pre-defined responses for frequently asked questions to ensure consistent and fast communication.
- Internal Notes. Collaborate with your team by adding private notes to tickets that remain hidden from the end user.
- Thread Action. Manage ticket conversations effectively by redirecting or transferring individual entries to different departments as needed.
- Task Management. Create internal to-do lists within tickets to break down complex support issues into manageable steps for your team.
Pricing Comparison
LiveAgent Pricing
- 7-day ticket history
- 1 incoming email account
- 1 chat button
- Basic reporting
- Customer portal & knowledge base
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited ticket history
- 10 departments
- 1 incoming email account
- 3 outgoing email accounts
- API + Integrations
osTicket Pricing
- Completely free forever
- Community-based support
- Full source code access
- Unlimited agents
- Unlimited tickets
- Requires your own server
- Everything in Self-Hosted, plus:
- Managed hosting and backups
- Daily software updates
- Email technical support
- Free migration assistance
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
Pros & Cons
LiveAgent
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to competitors
- Fastest live chat widget on the market
- Consolidates many communication channels into one view
- Highly customizable interface and automation rules
Cons
- User interface feels slightly dated to some
- Mobile app has fewer features than desktop
- Initial setup can be complex for beginners
osTicket
Pros
- Completely free self-hosted version with no hidden fees
- Highly customizable fields and forms for specific workflows
- Lightweight software that runs efficiently on basic servers
- Simple interface that is easy for agents to learn
- Reliable email-to-ticket conversion for automated request handling
Cons
- User interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS
- Self-hosted version requires technical knowledge to install
- Limited native integrations with third-party business apps
- Reporting tools are basic and lack advanced visualization