10 Best WordPress Help Chat Options for Web Developers (2019)

Did you know that “today, more than 30% of customers expect live chat on your website,” according to SuperOffice? For customers that visit your website on a mobile device, this number is as high as 62%!

That shouldn’t be too surprising to you as a WordPress developer. As you work with more clients, the question of whether or not to put help chat on a website is likely one you hear often.

But what about for your own WordPress help chat needs? It’s like Raelene Morey wrote for the Code in WP blog:

“It’s not uncommon to feel confused and even frustrated with WordPress. Everyone needs help at some point in time, even experienced WordPress veterans!”

Are you part of the 62% that want help via live chat or do you prefer other support methods like FAQs and contact forms?

Considering the severity of your issue or the time-sensitive nature of your question, WordPress live chat might be something you need every now and again (even if it’s not all the time). But there’s just one problem with that: WordPress.org does not provide live chat support.

 

WordPress.com has priority live chat it offers to premium plan members. But that’s the extent of WordPress help chat. In the following roundup, I’m going to share 10 resources you can turn to for fast and reliable WordPress live chat assistance.

 

10 Best WordPress Help Chat Options for Web Developers 🔟

VisualModo provides us with a brief but interesting history of live chat:

“Live chat has been around since the late 1980’s, when Quantum Link created On-Line Messages (OLM) for the Commodore 64, paving the way for instant messaging. Q-Link later became known as AOL—a company name you’re probably better acquainted with.”

It’s amazing how far we’ve come in terms of chatting with others online in real time. We converse with friends, family, and acquaintances through social media “live” chat feeds. We collaborate with coworkers through chat platforms like Slack and Google Hangouts. And businesses provide end users and prospects with live communication channels right on their websites!

That said, just because a live chat module exists on a website, that doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily get the answers you went there for. Colin Newcomer explained:

“Just remember, you get what you pay for. While the WordPress community is generally happy to dish out help and support for free, some of that help does require a bit of technical savvy. That is, people who are helping you for free might not be willing to go the extra mile to walk you through everything in perfect detail…”

Suggestion:

When we talk about WordPress support, we’re not just looking at WordPress experts who can answer questions in real time -- that’s going to be hard to come by. Instead, you want to take a look at the granular bits of your workflow and identify resources through which you can reach someone via live chat.

🔎 Insert quip 'good help is hard to find'? Good help chat options for #WordPress developers may be difficult to find! Don't give up, they are out there.  #helpchat Click To Tweet

First:

If you have an active membership or plan for any business tools you use, look to see if WordPress help chat is offered as part of the service. Note it down and keep the link on hand in case you run into issues related to the tool or the workflow that goes through it.

Next:

If you’re using free tools that are mostly unsupported, it’s high time you invested in some reliable software to power your business. Not only will they help you work more efficiently, but you’ll have the added bonus of getting WordPress help the moment you need it.

Below is a list of leading providers of WordPress-related services and products. If real-time WordPress help chat is important to you, these are the companies to turn to:

1. Kinsta

Kinsta is a managed WordPress hosting company, so it’s no surprise it offers quick responses to prospects and customers in need. The standard contact form promises a 24-hour response time to visitors who take the time to fill it out.

Current Kinsta users, however, can log into their account and get instant access to its premium WordPress live chat service.

Why Contact Them?

For managed WordPress hosting issues related to caching, security, storage, bandwidth, migrations, and so on, Kinsta is a fantastic resource to contact.

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2. Liquid Web

Liquid Web is another managed WordPress hosting provider. You might know them better as the company behind iThemes Security, the service and plugin that powers WP Buffs’ security offering.

The screenshot above shows the WordPress live chat located on the website. The link directs visitors to a form where prospects can ask for assistance with sales and customers can ask for technical support:

The conversation then takes place in a dedicated chat browser:

Why Contact Them?

Liquid Web accepts questions related to sales or support. You could use their live chat to inquire on behalf of a customer. You could use it to inquire about becoming a reseller of Liquid Web hosting. And you can also use it for technical support or to talk about their Managed WooCommerce hosting solution.

Plus, Chris Lema has been on our very own WPMRR podcast:

And we've definitely had fun hanging out, too!

3. SiteGround

SiteGround is a web hosting company that specializes in shared, cloud, and managed WordPress hosting solutions. Similar to the aforementioned hosts, SiteGround offers a mix of live chat options to visitors.

If your client is using WordPress hosting from SiteGround, you can log into their account and speak with one of the technical support personnel via help chat to get your issues resolved. Depending on which plan they’re under, you might be able to use priority support to cut to the front of the line for help.

If your client is pondering a move to SiteGround and you have sales-related questions about WordPress hosting plans, you can use the live chat located on the website.

Enter the contact details SiteGround asks for and you’ll be taken to a dedicated chat window to ask your question.

What’s especially nice is you get to see who you’re talking to, how many people they’ve helped, and what their customer service rating is.

Why Contact Them?

You can use SiteGround help chat for sales- and support-related questions. For sales, keep in mind that this pertains to both your own sales questions (like if you want to get into reseller hosting or become an affiliate) as well as for clients interested in managed hosting. For support, it depends on what kinds of issues you’re experiencing with the client’s site.

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4. Incapsula

Incapsula is a CDN and web security solutions provider.  CDNs are a great way to add more speed and fine-tune the performance of an already fast-loading WordPress website.

As you can imagine, this kind of speedy solution would come in handy on a number of your clients’ WordPress websites -- especially if their target users are located around the world.

Right from the very start, the Incapsula website provides visitors with a convenient experience, popping open the WordPress live chat and encouraging them to ask a question. This is great if you’re trying to sort out the details of the premium CDN and security solutions available.

For those of you with clients already using one of Incapsula’s services, you can contact their support representatives through a separate help channel.

You also have the option of picking up the phone if you prefer.

Why Contact Them?

To get questions about a CDN or upgraded security solution for your WordPress site, you can reach out to Incapsula from any page on the website. If your clients have already purchased one of their products and you’re having a problem with it, use the support chat instead.

5. GoDaddy Pro

For web developers pursuing WordPress maintenance and multi-site management, you’ve likely run into GoDaddy Pro along the way. In fact, it was one of the multi-site management tools I recommended for WordPress developers last year.

If you end up using GoDaddy Pro to automate and optimize your WordPress maintenance services, then you should acquaint yourself with its live chat feature.

At the top of the website, you’ll find a dropdown for 24/7 contact options:

Note that, while GoDaddy pros are available 24/7 to help you out, the live chat is only open Monday through Friday at set times.

You can engage with WordPress-related help chat there or you can click on the Help button and open it from that page.

Once you’re inside the live chat, you’ll be given a quick set of options to choose from. This helps narrow down the selection of representatives to talk to and also expedites the process of getting support through live chat.

Support options cover a wide array of website-related matters: hosting, SSL certificates, domains, the website itself, etc. Although there’s nothing explicitly for GoDaddy Pro users here, support can help you with any issues you run into with the software.

Just keep in mind that there can be quite a wait:

Since GoDaddy Pro only offers ticketed support through the dashboard, this is your best bet for getting help related to the maintenance of WordPress sites.

Why Contact Them?

WordPress maintenance professionals should use this live chat to get quicker responses to issues with the Pro dashboard, with tasks related to managing sites, or about services they’ve purchased for clients through it.

6. WP Buffs

One of the first things you probably noticed when visiting the WP Buffs website is the HubSpot-powered help chat in the corner. The help chat is included in the HubSpot CRM. HubSpot's prompt support and plethora of resources made them an easy choice for handling our CRM needs.

Now, the help chat on our site stands out for a number of reasons.

For starters, there is a near instantaneous pop-up animation when you enter the website. This is just WP Buffs’ friendly way of saying, “Hey, we’re here to help!”

Also, the chat pop-up delivers a relevant message to visitors of the website, letting them know they’re in the right place if they’re looking for WordPress help.

One other thing that makes this WordPress help chat engaging is the addition of team members’ photos, so you can see one of the people with whom you might end up talking to.

When visitors interact with the live chat, it opens a non-obtrusive window:

This way, you can peruse the website as you wait just a minute or two for someone to step into the conversation.

It should be noted that this live chat window is for visitors on the website. Customers with WP Buffs WordPress Care Plans also receive 24/7 email and live chat support.

Why Contact Them?

🆘 When you need a Buff, they are there. Period. They are there via email, support ticket or live chat. They've got your #WordPress back any way you reach out. Bam! Click To Tweet You might also want to use live chat to learn how to better master your maintenance services. For instance, our very own Caylin mastered the WP Buffs lingo by hopping on the live chat. Pretty nifty, eh?

7. WPMU DEV

WPMU DEV is the maker of WP Smush, an image optimization plugin WP Buffs uses to speed up customers’ websites. But that’s not where WPMU DEV’s contribution to the WordPress community ends.

WPMU DEV is the creator of a comprehensive set of WordPress plugins that cover functionality related to security, speed, lead generation, Multisite management, and more. Unlike some developers who sell their premium WordPress plugins one-by-one in a marketplace like Code Canyon, WPMU DEV sells membership packages to customers through its website.

These packages not only include access to every single one of its plugins, but members receive 24/7 support from WPMU DEV.

Unlike some of the other WordPress live chat options you’ll encounter, WPMU DEV provides support for everything WordPress. As is explained here:

“Whether you’ve got a simple CSS issue with your website or you’re trying to set up a plugin at 3 o’clock in the morning and it keeps throwing up errors, our support team is standing by on live chat, the forums and email.”

Further:

“We don’t just support WPMU DEV products – our friendly support team is ready to help you with any WordPress-related problem.”

This is one of those cases where membership really does have its privileges.

Why Contact Them?

You’re a WPMU DEV customer and you want help with issues related to your WordPress websites. It doesn’t matter which website or what the problem is. If it’s WordPress-related, their support pros can help -- they can even step into your WordPress installation while you’re chatting with them and help you resolve the issue on the spot.

8. Elegant Themes

Elegant Themes is another WordPress development company that’s gotten into the live chat game. As founder Nick Roach explained:

“What customers expect from us has changed. And the way that support is given has evolved.”

Starting in early 2018, Elegant Themes launched its sales and technical support live chat module on its website.

The widget displays the start of a personal greeting along with the name of the support person you’ll be speaking to.

Once the chat window is open, you’ll see who’s online and available to answer your Divi-related questions. What’s especially nice about this WordPress help chat is that it saves your previous conversations, too:

So, let’s say you had a problem on a client’s website a few months back. You know Elegant Themes helped you sort out the issue but can’t remember the exact steps, by clicking the back arrow in the chat window, you can access a record of your previous chats.

Why Contact Them?

If you’re on the fence about purchasing the Divi page builder and theme, or you’re considering one of Elegant Themes’ premium plugins, you could use the live chat for that. However, you’re more likely to turn to this WordPress help chat once you’re a paying customer and need assistance with your theme.

9. WP Elevation

WP Elevation is a company that provides business training and support to WordPress consultants. As you can imagine, a feature like WordPress help chat is an important one in this company’s business model.

When you first enter the WP Elevation website, you’ll probably notice that the live chat widget is on the opposite side of where you’d expect it to be:

It also includes a notification ticker which helps draw attention to it.

When you click the chat widget open, here is what you’ll find:

Like others on this list, there’s a kind greeting, a look into the people running the live chat, as well as an indication of when the service is available. In this case, it looks as though the Australia-based team is available to answer questions in their local timezone.

WP Elevation is also quite active in a number of private Facebook groups for its members.

Although the chat may not always take place “live”, response times tend to be incredibly fast from the WP Elevation team as well as general members of the program. As we’ve already seen, Facebook groups can be a great resource when it comes to getting help with WordPress.

We had the chance to sit down with Troy of WP Elevation on the WPMRR WordPress podcast and talk about how standard operating procedures are key to scaling a business quickly and efficiently, how journaling is keeping him focused on high-level goals, and why good sales shouldn’t come off as sales-y. Tune in! 

Why Contact Them?

You may want to reach out if you’re considering joining the WP Elevation program to get assistance running your WordPress business. You can also use it to reach out with questions related to your current membership with WP Elevation.

The Facebook groups are where you can ask questions related to running a WordPress business.

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10. Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management, help desk, and now chat software businesses use to power their operations -- including WP Buffs.

As you’re well aware, finding business management software isn’t always the easiest task. What works for one company doesn’t necessarily work for others, so it’s important to have the opportunity to ask questions about it -- especially if it’s going to cost you money to use and require an investment of time to get everyone onboard.

This is why I’m a fan of Teamwork’s live chat:

Especially for WordPress developers and agencies who don’t have a lot of time waste, it’s great to have a quick resource to get answers to all your questions. You know what your WordPress workflows are, so this will help you identify whether or not the software is a good fit.

The help chat is an easy one to use too. Simply click the widget open and enter your details:

A Teamwork support representative will be with you shortly.

Why Contact Them?

If you’re in the market for a new project management software, Teamwork is one that’s worked well for WordPress companies like WP Buffs. Live chat is just one way to learn more about it and help you determine whether or not it’s a good fit for your workflow. Also, if you run into issues with the software once you use it, you can reach out for technical support here.

11. (Bonus!) You

Will Morris wrote:

“If you don’t have a system in place to deal with questions and concerns efficiently, you’ll have a hard time retaining customers.”

If you’re hoping to become the trusted resource for all things WordPress for your clients, offering a live chat solution through your website or support portal would go a long way with them.

As we close this discussion today, I wanted to suggest that we add you to this list -- even if it’s just in the eyes of your customers and prospects. With live chat plugins and other help chat software like Teamwork Chat and Slack available, you can easily provide WordPress help and answer sales questions in real time, further enhancing your offering.

Which WordPress Help Chat Option Will You Choose? 🤔

After evaluating your help chat options, it's time to make a decision. Which will you choose? Most find a combination of tools and resources to be the best way to go. And if you're overwhelmed, remember you can find WordPress help chat right here on our very own website (just check the bottom right-hand corner if you're on your desktop computer). And we offer WordPress support and maintenance services for those with more in-depth needs.

Want to give your feedback or join the conversation? Add your comments 🐦 on Twitter.