If you're running a B2B sales team and need live chat, you’ve probably heard of Olark and LiveChat. Both have been around for years, both promise to "boost conversions," and both have strong opinions from fans and critics. But which one actually fits your sales team's needs in 2024?
Let’s skip the marketing fluff. Here’s how to dig in, compare Olark and LiveChat, and actually pick a tool that works for your team—not just your boss’s next presentation.
1. Nail Down What Your Sales Team Really Needs
Before you even peek at pricing tables or shiny features, get brutally honest about what you need. B2B sales teams are not support teams. Your priorities are different.
Ask yourself: - Are your reps juggling a few big deals, or handling lots of small leads? - Do you need deep CRM integration, or just basic lead capture? - How important are chatbots or automations, really? Or does human touch matter more? - Will you need to scale up (or down) fast? - Do your reps work from laptops, or are they glued to their phones?
Write this out. It’ll save you from getting distracted by fancy stuff you won’t use.
Pro tip: If your team’s already using Slack, Salesforce, or HubSpot, jot that down. Integrations matter more than you think.
2. Get the Lay of the Land: Olark vs LiveChat in 2024
Here’s a quick rundown of what each tool is (and isn’t):
- Olark: Simple, lightweight, and focused on live chat. It’s been around since 2009 and leans into being easy to use—no extra fluff. Good if you want your reps chatting with real people, not wrestling with dashboards.
- LiveChat: Much more feature-heavy. It comes with a bigger ecosystem (think chatbots, ticketing, integrations) and aims to be the “all-in-one” solution. Sometimes that’s great, sometimes it’s just… a lot.
Let’s break it down where it counts.
3. Compare the Essentials—What Actually Matters
a. Ease of Use
- Olark: Clean, no-nonsense interface. New reps can be up and running in half an hour. Not much to configure beyond basic workflows and canned responses.
- LiveChat: Slick, polished, but more complex. The dashboard can feel crowded, especially with extra features or plugins. Steeper learning curve, but more power once you’re over the hump.
Bottom line: If you want “set it and forget it,” Olark’s your friend. If you have an ops team or you love tinkering, LiveChat offers more.
b. Core Features for B2B Sales
- Olark:
- Real-time chat with lead capture forms.
- Simple automation (auto-messages, basic routing).
- Transcripts and basic analytics.
- Integrates directly with CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive—but check if you need a paid add-on or Zapier for your use.
- LiveChat:
- Live chat plus ticketing, chat routing, and detailed visitor tracking.
- Canned responses, file sharing, and sneak peeks at what visitors type.
- Deep integrations: native apps for Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and more.
- Chatbots (with paid add-ons), and access to the “LiveChat Marketplace” for extensions.
Reality check: - If you just need to chat with qualified leads and log data to your CRM, Olark gets the job done. - If you want to build chatbots, detailed dashboards, or handle support requests, LiveChat is more flexible.
c. Integrations
- Olark: Does the basics well—especially if you stick to mainstream CRMs. For anything fancy, you’re looking at Zapier or manual setup.
- LiveChat: More plug-and-play options right out of the box. Has a whole marketplace, but it can be overwhelming. Some integrations cost extra.
Got a weird tech stack? Double-check both vendors before you commit. “Integrates with Salesforce” can mean anything from “native” to “sorta works through Zapier.”
d. Mobile and Multi-Device Support
- Olark: Has a mobile web app (basically the browser version on your phone). No native app.
- LiveChat: Has full native apps for iOS and Android, plus desktop apps.
If your reps need to chat from their phones at trade shows or while traveling, LiveChat’s the clear winner.
e. Bots and Automation
- Olark: Minimal. You can trigger auto-messages or route chats by rules, but no real bots or AI.
- LiveChat: Bots, workflows, and even some AI-driven features—if you pay for the “ChatBot” add-on or go up the pricing tiers.
Don’t buy into AI hype unless you’ve got the bandwidth to set it up and tune it. For most B2B sales teams, bots are better for after-hours lead capture than replacing humans.
f. Reporting and Analytics
- Olark: Offers basic reports—chat volume, operator performance, visitor history. Enough for most small sales teams.
- LiveChat: More granular analytics, dashboards, and export options. If you’re tracking KPIs or need to show off to leadership, you’ll appreciate the detail.
Again, more isn’t always better. Don’t pay for analytics you’ll never look at.
g. Pricing (As of Early 2024)
- Olark: Starts around $29/user/month (billed monthly). No free plan, but a 2-week trial. Most features included, but advanced integrations or features like co-browsing cost extra.
- LiveChat: Starts at $24/user/month (billed annually; monthly is more). Pricing jumps fast with extra features—bot add-ons, advanced integrations, and reporting come at higher tiers.
Watch for: Minimum seat requirements, extra fees for integrations, or “hidden” costs for features you actually need.
4. Test Drive—Don’t Rely on Demos
Both Olark and LiveChat offer free trials. Don’t skip this. Here’s how to get useful results:
- Set up a real test: Add the chat to your actual site, not a sandbox.
- Have sales reps use it: Not just admins. Get feedback from the folks who’ll live in the tool.
- Try your daily workflow: Qualify a lead, pass info to your CRM, follow up, review transcripts.
- Contact support: See how responsive and helpful each vendor really is.
Pro tip: Time how long it takes from “install” to “first real chat.” If it’s more than an hour, expect pushback from your team.
5. Know the Limitations (No Tool Is Perfect)
Olark: - No real mobile app—okay for desk-based teams, but not road warriors. - Light on automation and bots. - Reporting is basic—fine for small teams, not for KPI-obsessed orgs.
LiveChat: - Can feel bloated if you just want simple chat. - Some features cost extra or require third-party add-ons. - Dashboard takes time to learn—expect some grumbling from non-technical reps.
6. Ignore the Hype—Focus on What Moves the Needle
Don’t buy because of “AI” or “omnichannel” unless you have a clear use case. Fancy features are great for software demos, but they often collect dust.
What actually matters for B2B sales: - Can your reps talk to prospects quickly, without friction? - Can you capture and route real leads to your CRM? - Will your team actually use it?
Everything else is noise.
7. Make the Call and Plan to Iterate
Pick the tool that fits your workflow today—not your fantasy of tomorrow. Both Olark and LiveChat are solid, established, and unlikely to disappear next week.
Start simple. Roll it out to a small team, gather real feedback, and don’t be afraid to switch if it just isn’t working out.
Remember: The “best” live chat is the one your reps actually use. Don’t overthink it. Get started, learn as you go, and you’ll be in a better spot than 90% of B2B teams still stuck researching.
That’s it. Keep it simple, focus on your real needs, and don’t let feature lists distract you from what actually helps your sales team close deals.