Livechat vs Papercups: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Livechat and Papercups side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Papercups leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Livechat
Customer service chat software
Best for you if:
- • You want good live chat tool
Papercups
Open-source customer messaging for web and mobile applications.
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Livechat | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $19/user/mo, billed monthly Essential plan | Free plan |
Category | Customer Support Live Chat | Customer Support Live Chat |
Rating | 4.0/5 Capterra 4.6 · G2 4.5 · SourceForge 2.3 2,049 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Starter tier is limited to 1 user | n/a |
Choose Livechat or Papercups?
Choose Livechat if
- You want good live chat tool
- You want many integrations
Choose Papercups if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want completely open-source and free to use
- You want self-hostable for data privacy and control
In-Depth Analysis
Livechat
Customer service chat software
LiveChat's pricing is on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially the Starter tier at $20/agent/month for just one user and limited history.
Watch out
Starter tier is limited to 1 user
Strengths
- Pro: Good live chat tool
- Pro: Many integrations
- Pro: Chatbot builder
- Pro: Good analytics
- Pro: Reliable
Weaknesses
- Con: Expensive
- Con: Per-seat pricing
- Con: Features spread across products
- Con: UI dated
- Con: Better modern alternatives
Key features
Papercups
Open-source customer messaging for web and mobile applications.
Strengths
- Pro: Completely open-source and free to use
- Pro: Self-hostable for data privacy and control
- Pro: Customizable to fit branding
- Pro: Developer-friendly with APIs and webhooks
- Pro: Active community support
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires technical expertise to self-host and maintain
- Con: May lack advanced features found in enterprise-level solutions
- Con: No official hosted version (requires self-hosting or third-party hosting)
Key features
Plans and prices: Livechat vs Papercups
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Livechat |
| livechat.com/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
| Papercups | No plan prices on file | papercups.io |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Livechat pricing and Papercups pricing.
Key Takeaways
Livechat
- Choose if you want customer service chat software
Papercups
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Papercups leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Livechat has a published user rating (4.0/5 from 2,049 reviews); Papercups has none we can show.
- Livechat starts at $19/user/mo, billed monthly; Papercups has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only Papercups has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Livechat and Papercups compare in 2026?
On the data below, Papercups leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Livechat has a published user rating (4.0/5 from 2,049 reviews); Papercups has none we can show. Livechat starts at $19/user/mo, billed monthly; Papercups has no public paid plan price on file. Only Papercups has a free plan.
What are Livechat and Papercups used for?
Livechat: Customer service chat software. Papercups: Open-source customer messaging for web and mobile applications.
What does Livechat cost vs Papercups?
Livechat's cheapest paid plan is Essential at $19/user/mo, billed monthly. Papercups has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Livechat and Papercups?
Livechat's main strength: good live chat tool. Papercups's main strength: completely open-source and free to use.