What is the difference between Chat and messaging?

Question

Why should I use live chat or messaging? Are messaging and live chat different products? Is live chat the same as messaging?

Answer

Your account purchases the Chat product and then can use communication channels such as live chat or messaging. Admins can enable the messaging communication channel to allow agents and visitors to engage in messaging conversations instead of live chats.

Note: New Zendesk instances have Messaging enabled by default and can no longer opt out of Messaging. Existing customers who were using legacy Chat before Messaging became the default may still request an opt‑out through Zendesk Customer Support for review and approval.

Choose live chat or messaging based on the conversation experience you want to provide to your visitors and the workflows you desire for your agents.

Live chat

Messaging

Live chat offers real-time, session based and synchronous support for customers to receive 1:1 support from an agent on your website. | Messaging conversations can occur in real time and across channels when necessary but can be picked back up without losing context or history.
Live chat requires high involvement from both parties and has a beginning and an end. | Messaging conversations can start and stop when convenient for the participants.

In live chat, you route chats to departments (or agent groups if you use agent workspace),  but cannot use omnichannel routing.

In messaging, you route conversations to groups of agents, and can use omnichannel routing.