Live Chat by Formilla 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: Live Chat by Formilla at #10 and Simple Chat Button at #9. Simple Chat Button leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Live Chat by Formilla
Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin
Live chat software with real-time visitor monitoring and chatbots! Live chat with your visitors for free or use a chatbot to automate self-help.
Simple Chat Button
WhatsApp Chat Button - Display the beautiful WhatsApp Sticky Button on the WordPress frontend.
Who leads on what
Simple Chat Button leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Simple Chat Button ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
Simple Chat Button has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Live Chat by Formilla has 116, Simple Chat Button has 15. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Live Chat by Formilla has more reviews behind its score: 116 against 15.
Simple Chat Button was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; Live Chat by Formilla on August 17, 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.
Live Chat by Formilla
Pick Live Chat by Formilla if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Chat Button
Pick Simple Chat Button if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Live Chat by Formilla vs Simple Chat Button side by side
| Live Chat by Formilla | Simple Chat Button | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat Plugins ranking | #10 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 116 | 15 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 195,429 | 223,699 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 1, 2013 | 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.
Live Chat by Formilla 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 Live Chat by Formilla 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.
Live Chat by Formilla vs Simple Chat Button: common questions
Is Live Chat by Formilla better than Simple Chat Button?
Simple Chat Button leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Chat Button ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which has more users, Live Chat by Formilla or Simple Chat Button?
Simple Chat Button ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Live Chat by Formilla or Simple Chat Button?
Simple Chat Button has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Live Chat by Formilla and Simple Chat Button free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Live Chat by Formilla may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Chat Button may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Live Chat by Formilla 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.