Every chat widget looks the same in the demo: a bubble in the corner, a friendly greeting. The differences show up later — in reply speed, lost conversations and the invoice. Here is the checklist we wish more buyers used.
We build a chat hub ourselves, so yes — we are biased. That is exactly why this list focuses on things you can verify in a trial, not on marketing claims.
5 min
the window before a visitor leaves
23%
of chats go unanswered without a shared inbox
12
points to check before you pay
The 12-point checklist
- First reply under a minute is achievable. Not "average response time" — ask how the tool helps you answer the first message fast: push notifications, auto-assignment, quick replies.
- All your channels land in one inbox. Site, Telegram, WhatsApp, email. If a channel needs a separate app, conversations will be lost there.
- You can reply from your phone. Your team does not live at a desk. Test the mobile experience first.
- The widget is fast on mobile. Half your visitors are on phones. Heavy scripts kill both conversion and SEO.
- Customer history survives staff changes. If conversations live in personal phones, an employee leaving takes your client base with them.
- Quick replies and templates exist. Typing "hello, how can I help" twenty times a day is not a job, it is a bug.
- There is a free tier or a real trial. You should test with real visitors, not a sandbox.
- Auto-replies cover off-hours. Night chats should get an honest answer and a contact form, not silence.
- You can see the numbers. First reply time, missed chats, ratings. No metrics — no management.
- Data export is one click. Your conversations are your data. Check how you get them out before you lock in.
- Pricing scales with value, not with traps. Watch for per-message fees and "contact us" pricing on basic features.
- Their own support answers fast. Test it: message their widget. If they reply in two hours, that is your future too.
The fastest test
Install the widget, then write to yourself from a phone as a customer. The time and quality of the reply you get — that is the whole product.
Pricing traps to avoid
- Per-operator pricing that explodes at three seats. Count your team in a year, not today.
- AI answers billed per message. Fine until a busy month doubles the invoice.
- Channels sold separately. Telegram this price, WhatsApp extra, email "on the enterprise plan".
- Annual lock-in before the trial ends. Pay monthly until the metrics prove themselves.
Red flags in the demo
- The demo inbox is empty — real tools have demo conversations.
- They cannot show the mobile experience right now.
- "Export? We will email you a CSV within a week."
- The chat bubble on their own site is offline during business hours.
We chose by the checklist, not by the brand. Two weeks of trial with real visitors told us more than three sales calls.
Try before you buy
- 1Shortlist three widgetsOne known brand, one cheap one, one that fits your stack — for example, Chatva if your customers live in messengers.
- 2Install each for a weekReal visitors, real chats. Do not tune much — the defaults reveal the philosophy.
- 3Measure the same three numbersFirst reply time, missed chats, conversations per day.
- 4Decide on numbers, not on demosThe widget that made your replies fastest wins.
Try the Chatva inboxLive demo with conversations — no signup
Questions about the checklist, or want us to look at your setup? Write to hello@chatva.app.