Deskpro and LiveAgent are both AI-enhanced help desks with free trials, but they prioritize different things. Deskpro stands out for flexible deployment…
Best for Deskpro: Organizations with compliance or data-residency requirements that need self-hosted, private-cloud, or sovereign data center deployment, and that value SOC II/ISO 27001/HIPAA certification plus AI workflow automation based on intent and sentiment.
Best for LiveAgent: Smaller teams or those without a minimum-agent requirement who want a built-in call center with IVR, broad social channel coverage (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram), and a clearly documented 30-day free trial with no credit card.
At a Glance
Deskpro
LiveAgent
Primary category
Help Desk
Help Desk
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription (per-agent)
Subscription (30-day free trial, no permanent free tier)
Starting price
$49/user/month
$15/agent/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Key Differences
Deployment flexibility
Deskpro: Deskpro supports cloud, private cloud, self-hosted, on-premise, and sovereign data center deployment.
LiveAgent: Not documented as offering self-hosted or on-premise deployment for LiveAgent.
Regulated industries or organizations with strict data-residency rules often require non-cloud deployment options.
Security certifications
Deskpro: Deskpro is documented as SOC II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA certified.
LiveAgent: Not documented for LiveAgent.
Formal certifications are often a procurement requirement for enterprise and healthcare buyers.
Call center and IVR
Deskpro: Not documented as a Deskpro feature.
LiveAgent: LiveAgent includes a built-in call center with IVR starting on the $29/agent/month Medium Business plan.
A native call center avoids needing a separate phone/IVR vendor integration.
Minimum agent/seat requirements
Deskpro: Deskpro's Team plan requires a minimum of 5 agents, and Enterprise requires 25, raising the cost floor.
LiveAgent: No minimum agent count is documented for LiveAgent.
Minimum seat counts directly affect affordability for very small support teams.
Trial transparency
Deskpro: Deskpro offers a free trial but its exact length isn't stated.
LiveAgent: LiveAgent documents a specific 30-day free trial with no credit card required.
A clearly stated trial length lets buyers plan an evaluation timeline with certainty.
Rare ability to run fully self-hosted/on-premise for organizations with strict data-residency or air-gap requirements.
Bootstrapped, profitable operating history for over two decades signals long-term stability.
Combines ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base in one product without needing separate add-on purchases.
Recent Series A funding is being used to accelerate AI features and enterprise capabilities.
Cons
Cloud pricing per agent is on the higher end compared to some competitors' entry-level plans.
Self-hosted deployment requires a 10-agent minimum, raising the cost floor for very small teams.
Newer to significant AI feature investment compared to some cloud-native competitors.
Publicly listed pricing may not reflect final enterprise contract terms, which require sales discussion.
LiveAgent
Pros
Broad feature set bundling ticketing, chat, call center and social in one price
API access and integrations included on every plan with no extra fees
30-day free trial with no credit card required
Long operating history since 2004 reflects mature, well-tested platform
Positioned as a lower-cost alternative to Zendesk and Freshdesk
Cons
No permanent free plan, only a time-limited trial
Per-agent pricing can scale up quickly for larger support teams
Advanced features like SSO and audit logs require higher-priced tiers
Frequently confused with the unrelated company LiveChat due to similar naming
Interface can feel feature-dense compared to simpler chat-only tools
Use Cases
Choose Deskpro: Organizations with compliance or data-residency requirements that need self-hosted, private-cloud, or sovereign data center deployment, and that value SOC II/ISO 27001/HIPAA certification plus AI workflow automation based on intent and sentiment.
Choose LiveAgent: Smaller teams or those without a minimum-agent requirement who want a built-in call center with IVR, broad social channel coverage (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram), and a clearly documented 30-day free trial with no credit card.
Need both: A support organization split between an enterprise on-premise requirement for one business unit and a smaller, cloud-only team elsewhere might end up licensing both, though the facts don't document either tool supporting the other's core differentiator.
Deskpro
Enterprise on-premise helpdesk — Enterprises and government agencies with strict data-residency requirements deploy Deskpro on their own infrastructure rather than a multi-tenant cloud service.
Multi-channel customer support — Support teams consolidate email, chat, phone, and social inquiries into a single Deskpro ticket queue to streamline agent workflows.
Self-service deflection — Companies use Deskpro's knowledge base and community forum to let customers resolve common issues without opening a ticket.
LiveAgent
All-in-one SMB support desk — Small and mid-size businesses use LiveAgent to combine email, chat and phone support in one affordable ticketing system instead of paying for multiple point tools.
Multi-channel social support — E-commerce and consumer brands use LiveAgent to manage Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram support alongside traditional email tickets.
Call center plus digital support — Support teams needing phone-based service use LiveAgent's built-in call center and IVR alongside chat and ticketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Deskpro be self-hosted?
Yes, deployment options include cloud, private cloud, self-hosted, on-premise, and sovereign data centers. LiveAgent's deployment options are not documented as including self-hosting.
Which has a longer or clearer free trial?
LiveAgent documents a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Deskpro offers a free trial but its exact length is not stated on the site.
Does either include a call center?
LiveAgent includes a built-in call center with IVR starting on its Medium Business plan ($29/agent/month). This is not documented as a Deskpro feature.
Is there a minimum number of agents required?
Deskpro requires a minimum of 5 agents on its Team plan and 25 on Enterprise. No minimum agent count is documented for LiveAgent.
Which is more compliance-certified?
Deskpro is documented as SOC II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA certified. No equivalent certifications are documented for LiveAgent.
How many languages does each AI chatbot support?
LiveAgent's AI chatbot supports 100+ languages. Deskpro's chatbot documentation doesn't specify a language count.