Live chat for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger
Every customer conversation in one inbox. Your AI agent answers first and hands the chat to your team when a person is needed, with the full history and a short summary.
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- Official Meta Partner
- 7M+ clients since 2015
Customer chats get lost between apps and people
Messages come in on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger at all hours. Without one shared inbox, replies are slow and some chats never get one.
- Chats in too many appsYour team jumps between WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger to find messages.
- Slow replies after hoursCustomers write at night and on weekends, then wait until morning.
- Bots with no way outA customer who needs a person keeps getting the same automated answer.
- No clear ownerNobody knows who replies, so some chats get two answers and some get none.
What is live chat?
Live chat lets your team talk with customers in real time, in the messaging apps they already use. In Chatfuel, chats from WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, and your website land in one shared inbox.
Your AI agent answers first. When a customer needs a person, the chat switches to your team with the full history. When your team is done, the chat goes back to the AI.
How live chat works in Chatfuel
- ConnectConnect WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, and your website.
- Set handoff rulesTell the AI when to switch to human, like refunds or complaints.
- Reply as a teamTake over any chat from the web inbox or the mobile app.
- Hand back to AIThe chat returns to the AI when you’re done or after a set time.
What your team gets in live chat
Lucas SilvaWhatsAppDo you deliver on Saturdays?now
Sofia ReyesInstagram commentPrice please 😍1m
Alex KimMessengerCan I change my order?3m
Mia WongTikTokWhere can I buy this?5m
Emily CarterWebsiteDo you have gift cards?8m
Live chat use cases
- Close sales in chatPass hot leads from the AI to a sales rep at the right moment.
- Refunds and complaintsSend sensitive cases straight to a person, not to a bot.
- Booking approvalsThe AI collects the details, your team confirms the slot.
- After-hours coverYour team replies by day, the AI covers nights and weekends.
- Comments to chatsAnswer post and ad comments from the same inbox.
Separate apps vs Chatfuel live chat
Native apps work for one channel and one phone. Chatfuel puts every channel, your AI agent, and your team in one place.
| Factor | Separate apps | Chatfuel live chat |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | One app per channel | WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, and website in one inbox |
| First reply | When someone is free | AI replies in seconds, 24/7 |
| Handoff to a person | Customer explains it all again | Full history and an AI summary |
| Chat owner | Unclear | Assigned to a teammate or the team |
| Team access | Shared phones and logins | Unlimited teammates, no seat fees |
| Replies on the go | A different app for each channel | One Chatfuel app for iOS and Android |
Learn more about live chat
- Set up handoff rules
Choose when the AI switches a chat to your team or a teammate.
Read more - Take over from the AI
How the AI pauses when a teammate joins and how to hand back.
Read more - WhatsApp CRM
Every chat becomes a lead card your team moves to a closed deal.
Read more - Intercom alternatives
Live chat and support platforms compared side by side.
Read more - Chatfuel mobile app
Reply to customers and take over from AI Agent on your phone.
Read more
Live chat FAQ
Live chat is a shared inbox where your team replies to customers on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, and your website. The Chatfuel AI agent answers first, and your team takes over when a person is needed.
WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, and the Chatfuel website widget. Comments on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok posts and ads land in the same inbox as direct messages.
You set “Switch to human” rules, for example “the customer asks for a real person” or “refund request”. When a rule fires, the AI tells the customer, assigns the chat to your team or a specific teammate, and adds a short summary of the conversation.
Yes. As soon as a teammate takes the chat or sends a message, the AI stops replying in that conversation. Replies sent from the WhatsApp, Instagram, or Messenger apps pause it too.
Assign the chat to AI Agent or remove yourself as the assignee. You can also set a chat timeout, so a chat returns to the AI after a period with no replies from your team.
Yes. The Chatfuel app for iOS and Android shows new chats in real time with push notifications, so you can take over from the AI and reply on the go. On desktop, browser notifications alert you to new chats.
WhatsApp and Messenger allow replies within 24 hours of the customer’s last message, and Instagram gives your team 7 days. To restart a WhatsApp chat after 24 hours, send an approved message template right from the chat.
Live chat is included in every Chatfuel plan, with unlimited teammates and no seat fees. You can try the full product with a 7-day trial.
One inbox for your team and AI
Answer every customer in real time, on every channel.