Tawk.to: Free live chat to optimize your customer service

What is Tawk.to?

Tawk.to is a free chatbot software with features oriented towards customer support.

Tawk.to was founded in 2010 by Robert D'Assisi and Shankar Karupp and is currently headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. Today, free chatbot software has over 3,600,000 users worldwide, making it one of the most used chatbot applications in the world.

While there are plenty of competitors offering free chatbot plans, none offer as comprehensive a list of functions as tawk.to. It should be noted, however, that tawk.to is only chatbot and ticketing software, not a complete customer improvement software with email campaigns and chatbots.

Features

This review provides an overview of the main features of tawk.to, as well as their notable pros and cons.

1. Intuitive chatbot

The tawk.to chatbot is designed to facilitate real-time communication between businesses and site visitors.

Although the interface may seem less refined than more expensive options, it is still functional and efficient.

• User interface: Allows the simultaneous management of several chats.
• Whisper function: Internal communication between agents without the visitor knowing it.

The user interface could benefit from modernization to improve the user experience and compete with more sophisticated solutions.

2. Automated messages

Triggered messages from tawk.to allow personalized messages to be automatically sent to visitors, improving engagement.

• Personalization: Sending based on visitor behavior.
• Predefined answers: Save time with quick answers to frequently asked questions.

Personalizing triggered messages could be more intuitive, allowing for better segmentation and targeting of visitors.

3. Real-time tracking

The data entry overview and satisfaction evaluations provide real-time monitoring of the visitor experience.

• Overview of the entry: Anticipation of responses for faster service.
• Assessments: Direct feedback to measure customer satisfaction.

While the input preview is useful, it could be perceived as intrusive by some visitors who value their privacy.

4. Support and Screen Sharing

Screen sharing and email transcriptions extend tawk.to's support capabilities.

• Visual assistance: Guide visitors by viewing their screen.
• Transcripts: Follow-up of conversations for future reference.

Screen sharing is a powerful feature, but it requires a smooth implementation to avoid confusion or technical issues on the visitor's side.

5. Mobility and Accessibility

With the mobile app and multi-lingual support, tawk.to ensures complete accessibility.

• Mobile app: Management of customer interactions at any time.
• Multiple languages: Customer service in 27 different languages.

The mobile application is practical, but it should offer all the features of the desktop version for optimal management on the go.

6. Customizing the Chat Widget

The chat widget is the direct interface with visitors, offering customization options to align with the brand identity.

• Customization: Visual adjustment to integrate with the site design.
• Visitor information: Data collection for a better understanding of the customer.

The customization of the widget is limited and could offer more options for further integration with the corporate visual identity.

7. Analysis and reports

Integrated reports provide critical insights into customer engagement and agent performance.

• Key metrics: Tracking chat volume, response time, and user satisfaction.
• Data visualization: List and chart options for in-depth analysis.

Reports lack the ability to provide real-time analytics, which is crucial for dynamic and responsive operations.

8. Virtual Agents and Assistants

tawk.to offers the possibility of hiring chat agents and virtual assistants for optimized customer service management.

• Chat agents: 24/7 availability with dedicated agents.
• Virtual assistants: Personalized technical and administrative support.

While the option of hiring agents is innovative, it requires extensive training to ensure accurate brand representation.

9. Dedicated chat pages

For businesses without a website, tawk.to offers hosted chat pages to maintain contact with customers.

• Customizable URL: Creation of a chat page with brand identity.
• Social integration: Added photos and social media links.

Dedicated chat pages are a good idea, but they might not offer the same level of customization or integration as a company-specific website.

10. Integrated Knowledge Base

A comprehensive knowledge base to enable customers to find answers without direct support.

• Search made easy: Quick access to articles via a search bar.
• Chat widget integration: Direct interaction available on the knowledge base page.

La knowledgebase is an asset, but it needs to be updated regularly to remain relevant and useful to users.

11. Full ticketing system

tawk.to's integrated ticketing system allows efficient management of customer requests offline.

• Ticket Management: Assigning, updating the status, and prioritizing tickets.
• Flexible communication: Answer possible via tawk.to or email.

The ticketing system, while effective, could benefit from a more modern interface and greater integration with other customer relationship management tools.

Customer support

Tawk.to customer support is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We found that agents were available to speak immediately after sending a chat and resolved any questions about the software.

• ‍Customer support channels: Chatbot, email, social media‍
• Customer support availability: 24x7x365 (cat)‍
• Other support resources: Blog, Videos, Help Center, Developer Platform‍
• Request status page: No

Pricing

For the chatbot, tawk.to's price is free and will remain free forever. There are a few additional features that tawk.to sells for a monthly fee.

Tawk.to is also currently working on features that will be chargeable in the future, such as real-time translations and online payments.

• Engage live agents : Starting at $1 per hour
• Hire virtual assistants : Starting at $7 per hour
• Remove tawk.to Branding : $12 per month
• Video, voice, and screen sharing : $29 per month

Alternatives to Tawk.to

A great alternative to tawk.to is Smith.ai, another chatbot tool that also offers agents for rent. In terms of price, there are no real comparisons to be made; however, among the tools that are solely dedicated to the chatbot, tawk.to has the best value. Other competitors who offer chatbot tools are:

• Crisp
• Freshchat
• LiveChat
• Olark
• Smith.ai
• Tidio
• Zendesk Chat

Final Verdict

Tawk.to is a completely free chatbot solution that has over 3 million customers worldwide. The software provides all the key chatbot features needed to support and engage customers. While the best offering is the chatbot, it is a comprehensive customer support platform that businesses can use for various types of support.

Tawk.to offers the most robust free plan among chatbot software. It also offers unique services like chat agents and virtual assistants for rent. This solution is ideal for any business looking for a free but reliable chatbot solution. However, if you need email campaign features, chatbots, or advanced integrations, we recommend opting for more comprehensive customer engagement solutions like Tidio or LiveChat.Rates