3CX Free Live Chat vs Joinchat
Updated 14 Oct 2026. 20 features compared side by side.
Free website live chat and click-to-call widget that connects WordPress to a 3CX phone system, with WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS in the same agent…
Lightweight WhatsApp button with calls to action, dynamic messages and WooCommerce support, plus paid funnels, agents, extra channels and an AI assistant.
Choose 3CX Free Live Chat if…
- You need live chat widget and canned responses
- You want the more complete feature set (72/100 vs 66/100)
Choose Joinchat if…
- You need WooCommerce integration and works without a SaaS account
- You prefer the more widely used option
3CX Free Live Chat includes 2 features that Joinchat lacks, including Live chat widget and Canned responses; Joinchat has 2 that 3CX Free Live Chat lacks, including WooCommerce integration and Works without a SaaS account. Both include 13 of the 20 features we track. 2 features are not yet verified for one or both plugins.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
3CX Free Live Chat JoinchatChat & channels6/65/6
Website chat bubble connected to agents in the 3CX web client and apps.
Opens WhatsApp rather than an on-site chat with your team.
Inbound WhatsApp messages handled in the same 3CX inbox; free edition includes it.
WhatsApp button for app, Web or Desktop with QR code on desktop.
Live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS/MMS in one agent interface.
OmniChannel adds Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, SMS, phone and more.
Agents reply from 3CX iOS, Android, Windows and web client apps.
Replies happen in WhatsApp's own mobile and desktop apps; no dedicated agent app.
Offline form appears automatically when agents are away; submissions arrive as chats.
WhatsApp messages wait in your inbox; Premium Plus saves funnel leads in WordPress.
Agents can send files to visitors, but website visitors cannot upload files.
Files can be exchanged in WhatsApp after the handoff; not in the widget.
Automation & AI4/54/5
Chat Funnels guide visitors through conversational forms before WhatsApp.
AI Agent can answer chat channels in V20 Update 10+; needs own OpenAI or xAI account.
Paid Joinchat AI plugin answers from your FAQs and site content; €39/month.
Custom greetings for different chat stages and business hours; no page or behaviour triggers confirmed.
CTA bubbles with page-specific content, triggers and scroll-based display.
Quick response templates for live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS replies.
No saved agent replies; only preset start messages for visitors.
Greetings follow business hours and the offline form takes over out of hours.
Support Agents have weekly schedules with several time slots per day.
Stores & teams3/54/5
No WooCommerce integration; the plugin only embeds the 3CX widget.
Product, SKU, price and discount variables in messages; no order or cart view.
Only click counts; no live list of visitors or pages viewed.
Several agents share and transfer queries; free edition covers up to 10 users.
Unlimited support agents with their own number, department and photo.
Chats route to queues or extensions with polling strategies; one agent takes ownership.
Agents shown per page, by schedule or in random order; random phone rotation.
Queue performance, agent statistics and abandoned chat reports, schedulable by email.
Free clicks counter plus GA4, GTM and Pixel events; AI adds conversation reports.
Platform & privacy2/43/4
Free 3CX edition for up to 10 users with hosting, no time limit or card needed.
Free plugin is fully usable with no limits on clicks or pages.
Requires a 3CX hosted or self-managed system; WordPress only shows the widget.
Free and Premium run inside WordPress; only the AI add-on uses an external service.
GDPR consent message, data kept on your 3CX instance and auto-delete after set months.
Mandatory opt-in option, no personal data collected and a cookieless mode.
Chats can be taken and marked dealt with, but there is no ticketing system.
No tickets or shared inbox.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
3CX Free Live Chat Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| 3CX Free | Free per year, Up to 10 users |
| 3CX Basic | €285 per year, 1 system (8 simultaneous calls) |
| 3CX Pro | €380 per year, 1 system (8 simultaneous calls) |
| 3CX AI | €715 per year, 1 system (8 simultaneous calls) |
Joinchat Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Premium | €96 per year, 1 site |
| Premium Plus | €180 per year, 1 site |
| Joinchat AI | €39 per month, 1 site |
Downloads trend
3CX Free Live Chat
12,214 downloads last week
Joinchat
47,568 downloads last week
Verdict
3CX Free Live Chat scores higher on our feature checklist (72/100 against 66/100) and includes live chat widget and canned responses that Joinchat does not. Joinchat still has the edge on WooCommerce integration and works without a SaaS account. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
3CX Free Live Chat: included. Joinchat: not included. Website chat bubble connected to agents in the 3CX web client and apps.
3CX Free Live Chat: not included. Joinchat: partial. Product, SKU, price and discount variables in messages; no order or cart view.
3CX Free Live Chat: included. Joinchat: not included. Quick response templates for live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS replies.
3CX Free Live Chat: not included. Joinchat: included. Free and Premium run inside WordPress; only the AI add-on uses an external service.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
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FAQ
Which is better, 3CX Free Live Chat or Joinchat?
3CX Free Live Chat scores higher on our feature checklist (72/100 against 66/100) and includes live chat widget and canned responses that Joinchat does not. Joinchat still has the edge on WooCommerce integration and works without a SaaS account. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Joinchat includes 16 of the 20 features we track, against 15 for 3CX Free Live Chat. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is 3CX Free Live Chat free?
3CX Free Live Chat has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at €285/yr.
Is Joinchat free?
Joinchat has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at €39/mo.
Feature data last changed 14 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to 3CX Free Live Chat or Joinchat. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.