Live Chat by Formilla vs 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging (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 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging at #1. 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 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.
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging
Chat with your website visitors in real-time for free! Engage with your customers and increase sales.
Who leads on what
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Live Chat by Formilla is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 116 reviews, against 4.6 from 821 reviews.
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging has more reviews behind its score: 821 against 116.
Live Chat by Formilla was updated more recently, on August 17, 2026; 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging on June 29, 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 the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging
Pick 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Live Chat by Formilla vs 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging side by side
| Live Chat by Formilla | 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat Plugins ranking | #10 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 116 | 821 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 195,429 | 4,086,466 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Jun 29, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 1, 2013 | Jan 6, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.0 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.4 |
| 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
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 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 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 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 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging: common questions
Is Live Chat by Formilla better than 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging?
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which has more users, Live Chat by Formilla or 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging?
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Live Chat Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Live Chat by Formilla or 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging?
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Live Chat by Formilla and 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Live Chat by Formilla may also sell a paid version or add-ons. 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Live Chat by Formilla and 3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.