Chatway Live Chat vs Simple Chat Button (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Live Chat Plugins top 10: Chatway Live Chat at #4 and Simple Chat Button at #9. Chatway Live Chat leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Chatway Live Chat
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons
AI chatbot agent & human live chat for customer support, FAQ, chat buttons including WhatsApp with Chatway live chat. iOS & Android apps available 💬
Simple Chat Button
WhatsApp Chat Button - Display the beautiful WhatsApp Sticky Button on the WordPress frontend.
Who leads on what
Chatway Live Chat leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Chatway Live Chat ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Live Chat Plugins.
Simple Chat Button has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Chatway Live Chat has 754, Simple Chat Button has 15. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Chatway Live Chat has more reviews behind its score: 754 against 15.
Chatway Live Chat was updated more recently, on September 1, 2026; Simple Chat Button on August 21, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Chatway Live Chat
Pick Chatway Live Chat if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Chat Button
Pick Simple Chat Button if you want the plugin more sites already run.
Chatway Live Chat vs Simple Chat Button side by side
| Chatway Live Chat | Simple Chat Button | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat Plugins ranking | #4 | #9 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 754 | 15 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 354,080 | 223,699 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 7, 2023 | Sep 4, 2021 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Chatway Live Chat ratings
Simple Chat Button ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Chatway Live Chat nor Simple Chat Button can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Live Chat Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Chatway Live Chat vs Simple Chat Button: common questions
Is Chatway Live Chat better than Simple Chat Button?
Chatway Live Chat leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Chatway Live Chat ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which has more users, Chatway Live Chat or Simple Chat Button?
Chatway Live Chat ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Chatway Live Chat or Simple Chat Button?
Simple Chat Button has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Chatway Live Chat and Simple Chat Button free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Chatway Live Chat may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Chat Button may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Chatway Live Chat and Simple Chat Button
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.