WebChat vs LiveChat: reply in Teams or operate a dedicated Agent App?

Defining difference

A Teams integration is not necessarily a Teams agent workspace

WebChat describes website enquiries arriving as threads in the responsible Microsoft Teams channel. Agents respond there and the reply returns to the visitor. A configuration backend still exists, but daily handling is designed to avoid another agent inbox. This can suit organisations whose ownership, cover and notification habits already live in Teams.

LiveChat documents two core components: the visitor widget and the LiveChat Agent App. Chats appear in the app, where agents answer, manage work and use monitoring and reports. A separate SKlabs Marketplace app can send selected chat, agent-activity and performance notifications to Teams channels. Its reviewed description establishes notifications, not customer replies from a Teams thread. Microsoft sign-in or a Teams alert must not be presented as the same return path as WebChat.

Sources: 3, 4, 6, 7

Symmetric evidence

Apply the same criteria to two valid operating models

Sources: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

Pricing retrieved 10 August 2026

Per channel cannot be compared directly with per user

With annual billing, LiveChat listed Starter at USD 19, Team at USD 49 and Business at USD 79 per person per month. Monthly billing showed USD 25, 59 and 89. Its FAQ says every created user account is charged even when the user is not logged in. The Teams notification app was a further USD 5 per month per licence. Starter has one user and 60-day history; higher plans expand history, reports and operating tools. Enterprise, tax, messaging apps and adjacent products need separate confirmation.

WebChat describes per-channel billing and unlimited responders per channel, but this research has no verified numeric amount. It is therefore not proven cheaper or more expensive. Model 12 and 36 months using real people, channels, apps, AI, message charges, implementation, training and the internal cost of another inbox. LiveChat's 14-day no-card trial helps test behaviour, but it is not a substitute for a current quote.

Sources: 5, 6, 7, 2, 4

Procurement proof

Require four pieces of evidence before selection

1. 01

   Record the reply path

   Open, own, answer, transfer and handle the same website enquiry on mobile; record Teams notification and genuine thread reply as separate outcomes.

2. 02

   Calculate full cost

   Include all created users or channels, Teams app, chatbot, messaging, implementation, training and administration over the same term.

3. 03

   Approve data handling

   Review DPA, selected region, subprocessors, transfers, retention, export and deletion for each enabled function; EU storage does not mean EU-only processing.

4. 04

   Prove operations

   Test ownership, shift change, concurrent responses, escalation, reporting and outage fallback with real agents and written acceptance criteria.

Sources: 8, 9, 10, 6