GDPR compliant live chat depends on your setup as much as the tool. Few chat vendors state where data is hosted; most offer a data processing agreement, consent options or a GDPR page. Choose by the evidence you can point to, then add your own consent wording. This is not legal advice.
Choosing live chat for a site with European visitors comes down to one decision: what evidence do you need to be able to show? Some vendors say where your chat data is stored. Others give you a contract. Others give you settings on the widget. They aren't the same thing, and they don't do the same job.
This page sorts ten tools, in no particular order, by the kind of evidence each vendor offers on its own site. The groups come first, then the tools, then a table you can scan.
Grouped by the evidence each vendor offers
Vendors that state where your data lives
Userlike says its Lime Connect chat is a GDPR-compliant solution born and hosted in Germany. LiveAgent says you can choose to keep data in the EU (Frankfurt), the US or Singapore. These are the only two in this set that state a hosting region on the pages read.
Vendors that give you a DPA or sub-processor terms
Crisp says it processes contact data under Article 28 GDPR, within a data processing agreement in its terms. tawk.to has a GDPR page with compliance tools and a DPA with its sub-processors. Olark offers its DPA on request by email. Chatra's GDPR page describes a data processing addendum, though the page is marked as last updated in 2021. Smartsupp's help page says it has a processing agreement with all customers. None of these five states a hosting region on the pages read.
Vendors that offer consent controls or a GDPR statement
Provide Support's FAQ explains how to add a privacy consent to its pre-chat survey and offline form. Zoho SalesIQ has a dedicated page saying the tool is GDPR ready. Trengo's footer shows GDPR and European-owned labels, with no hosting location in the text read.
Ten live chat tools, in no particular order
Chatra
Best for: Small business websites wanting simple live chat, with a data processing addendum the vendor says lines up with GDPR, on a GDPR page last updated in 2021.
Crisp
Best for: Combining live chat, a shared inbox and chatbots, with the vendor saying contact data is processed under Article 28 GDPR.
LiveAgent
Best for: Support teams wanting a help desk and live chat together, with the vendor saying you choose whether data sits in Frankfurt, the US or Singapore.
Olark
Best for: Sales and support teams wanting live chat, with a GDPR page covering data tools and a DPA the vendor offers on request by email.
Provide Support
Best for: Website owners wanting pre-chat surveys and offline forms where they can add their own privacy consent and hide visitor data from transcripts (vendor claim).
Smartsupp
Best for: Websites wanting chat, chatbots and visitor recordings, with a help page explaining when visitor consent is needed and where data is stored (vendor claim).
tawk.to
Best for: Websites wanting a chat widget backed by a GDPR page listing compliance tools and a DPA covering its sub-processors (vendor claim).
Trengo
Best for: Teams bringing chat, WhatsApp and email into one shared inbox, from a vendor whose footer carries GDPR and European-owned labels.
Userlike
Best for: Businesses wanting website chat and messaging from a vendor that says its chat is born and hosted in Germany.
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Zoho SalesIQ
Best for: Existing users of the wider business suite who want live chat and visitor tracking, with a dedicated page calling the tool GDPR ready (vendor claim).
What each vendor offers, side by side
| Tool | What the vendor offers | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Chatra | DPA on its GDPR page | Small business website chat |
| Crisp | DPA in its terms | Chat, shared inbox and chatbots |
| LiveAgent | Hosting region you choose | Help desk teams adding live chat |
| Olark | DPA on request | Sales and support chat |
| Provide Support | Consent and privacy options | Pre-chat surveys and offline forms |
| Smartsupp | DPA with every customer | Chat, chatbots and visitor recordings |
| tawk.to | GDPR tools and sub-processor DPA | Website chat widget and messaging |
| Trengo | GDPR statement only | Chat, WhatsApp and email in one inbox |
| Userlike | Hosted in Germany, per the vendor | German-hosted website chat |
| Zoho SalesIQ | GDPR statement and privacy page | Chat plus visitor tracking in a suite |
A GDPR feature is something you use, not a promise
Most of these vendors publish GDPR features: a DPA, consent options or a dedicated page. Those are tools to help you comply, not a guarantee that your own chat is compliant. One vendor's FAQ makes the point plainly: it tells you to add the privacy consent to your chat window yourself. A hosting statement doesn't settle everything either, because the chat may still pass data to other services you connect, such as a CRM or an email tool.
Requirements also vary by country and by the kind of business you run. This is not legal advice, so confirm the DPA and the sub-processor list with any vendor before you switch the widget on.
Advice on choosing a chat tool you can defend
If a customer or a regulator asked where your chat data goes, what would you show them? If the answer has to include a location, start with the two vendors that state one and get it in writing for your account. If a signed DPA is enough for your business, any of the five in the second group gives you that to request. If you're choosing on features, a vendor with only a GDPR statement can still work, but ask for its DPA and hosting region before you commit.
For a wider view of chat and support tools, our guides to help desk software for small businesses and consent management platforms cover the tools that sit alongside your chat widget.
Setting up your own widget with GDPR in mind
- Add consent wording to the pre-chat form. Say what you'll do with the details people give you, and link to your privacy policy.
- Check what the widget loads before consent. Some chat widgets set cookies or track visits as soon as the page opens, so check how yours fits your cookie banner.
- Decide how long you keep transcripts. Set a retention period and delete old chats on a schedule.
- Hide what you don't need. If the tool lets you mask visitor data in transcripts, consider using it.
- Keep the signed DPA on file. Store it with your other data protection records.
Do you make live chat software built with GDPR in mind? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Is any live chat software GDPR compliant by default?
No tool can make your chat compliant on its own. Vendors offer DPAs, hosting statements and consent settings, but how you set up and use the widget is your responsibility.
Does live chat need cookie consent?
It can, depending on what the widget stores and tracks. Check what yours sets when the page loads and how it fits with your cookie banner. This is not legal advice.
What should I ask a live chat vendor about GDPR?
Ask for a signed data processing agreement, the hosting region for your account and the list of sub-processors that handle chat data.
Do I need my chat data hosted in the EU?
Not always. GDPR allows some transfers outside the EU with safeguards. EU hosting can simplify things, but check what applies to your business.
How long should I keep chat transcripts?
Only as long as you need them for the reason you collected them. Set a retention period and delete older transcripts on a schedule.
Can I hide visitor data in chat transcripts?
Some tools offer that. One vendor here says you can hide visitor data from transcripts and real-time monitoring.
