# LiveChat vs HubSpot Free Help Desk (2026): Free Alternative to LiveChat

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/livechat-vs-hubspot-free-help-desk
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare LiveChat ($25/mo) vs HubSpot Free Help Desk ($0/mo free alternative to LiveChat). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | LiveChat | HubSpot Free Help Desk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $25/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $300/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,500/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $3,000/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | proprietary, free |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Hosted |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | CRM records, tickets and conversation history in HubSpot's cloud; records export to spreadsheet files and conversations are available through its API |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ $0 forever |
| Code Repository | None | — |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | The free plan is capped at two users and lacks LiveChat's mature routing, staffing and chat-reporting depth. |

## About HubSpot Free Help Desk
A hosted shared inbox, live chat, and ticket queue for two users; the knowledge base lives upstairs.

- **Installation**: Hosted signup, then connect a team inbox/email and add the website tracking or chat-widget code
- **Setup Notes**: Connecting and verifying the shared email inbox and website domain
- **Data Storage**: CRM records, tickets and conversation history in HubSpot's cloud; records export to spreadsheet files and conversations are available through its API
- **Supported Platforms**: mobile, web, they host it
- **The Catch vs LiveChat**: The free plan is capped at two users and lacks LiveChat's mature routing, staffing and chat-reporting depth.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from LiveChat to HubSpot Free Help Desk eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$300/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$1,500/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$3,000/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is HubSpot Free Help Desk a good free alternative to LiveChat?
Yes. HubSpot Free Help Desk is a verified free replacement for LiveChat. A hosted shared inbox, live chat, and ticket queue for two users; the knowledge base lives upstairs.

### What is the catch when switching from LiveChat to HubSpot Free Help Desk?
The free plan is capped at two users and lacks LiveChat's mature routing, staffing and chat-reporting depth.

## Related

- [All LiveChat Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/livechat)
- [HubSpot Free Help Desk Full Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/hubspot-free-help-desk)
- [customer support Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/customer-support)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)