So Long, Meebo: Virtual Reference & Chat Options for Libraries | Comparison tables

Link	LibChat	LibraryH3lp	Trillian	Zoho	Chatango
Like	Likes 0	Likes 0	Likes 0	Likes 0	Likes 0
Website	springshare.com/...	libraryh3lp.com	trillian.im	zoho.com/...	chatango.com
Last update	Aug. 2^nd 2012 6:27:38 PM	Aug. 2^nd 2012 6:27:38 PM	Jun. 18^th 2013 8:29:34 PM	Mar. 31^st 2023 5:41:33 AM	Dec. 19^th 2012 4:00:08 PM
Pricing
Price	$499 annually	from $180 annually, depends on institution size; SMS begins at $50 per 1000 msgs libraryh3lp.com/... Note: My Customer Cloud version of this product identical in every respect except pricing; .20 per chat*; 0.03 per SMS	Free; $12 annually for Pro version	Free	Free
Free trial period	Yes	Yes 90 days	No N/A	No N/A	No N/A
Features
Cross-platform	All major browsers	All major browsers	All major browsers; client works on Windows and Mac	All major browsers	All major browsers
Networks supported	None: not based on Jabber protocol	AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, Facebook, XMPP/Jabber	AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber/XMPP, Windows Live, IRC, Bonjour	Google, Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, AIM, ICQ, MySpace, Jabber	None
Concurrent operators	2	Unlimited	Multiple connections to same account permitted	1	1 per room; can create unlimited rooms
Flash-based	No	No	- web version only	- Sound options are flash-based	Yes
Chat transcripts	Yes	Yes can be toggled on/off	Yes	Yes can be purged	Yes
LibAnswers/Guides integration	Yes	Yes Works with Libguides; some LibAnswers integration possible. http://docs.libraryh3lp.com/libguides.html	No	Yes Can add widget to LibGuides	No
SMS	Yes	Yes	- Workaround using AIM hack	- Workaround using Google Voice & GVMax or AIM hack	No
Twitter integration	Yes	- In development	Yes	No	No
Embeddable	Yes Widget	Yes Widget (includes "float over" and "pop out" options)	No	Yes Widget - similar to meebo	Yes
Mobile-friendly widget	Yes	Yes	Yes Mobile app	Yes	- Flash rules out iOS
Customizable appearance	Yes	Yes	- skins available for Windows client	Yes	Yes
Multiple queues	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Transfer chats	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Stats/report generation	Yes Extensive analytical tools. http://www.springshare.com/libanswers/features.html	Yes Extensive reporting tools available; stats also available via API.	No	No	No
Custom APIs	No	Yes APIs and "hackable code"	No Pro version can be extended by plugins	No	No
Local client available	No	Yes through Pidgin, Adium, Psi, any XMPP/Jabber client, including mobile clients.	Yes	Yes through Pidgin or Trillian or Gajim	No
File attachment	No	Yes 20 meg max	Yes	- can only send to registered Zoho users	No
Ads	No	No	Yes in free version; No ads in Pro	No	Yes in user profiles
Audio/video	No	No	- Audio only	Yes	- uses Adobe Flash
Customizable notifications	Yes	Yes Standard away message or hide widget when offline	Yes	- Simple status updates only; no pop-up notifications	- Yes, with free MessageCatcher download (Windows only)
Privacy features	Patron data securely stored in Springshare database; purge on request; SMS numbers never displayed; "We will never sell, distribute, or misuse patron information in any way"	Library can purge its own data independently; anonymize identifying information; SSL encryption; no ads; no data mining	128-bit Blowfish encryption built-in	SSL; chat history can be purged	"We do not read private one-on-one conversations that occur in Chatango...We do store your IPs, and use cookies to identify users, just like every other site in the world. When you send a message in a group chat, your IP address is visible to the chat owner and to the chat moderators, that the chat owner creates. We don't store your passwords, just their HMAC's. We do not store any credit card numbers when you support Chatango. We do not sell your email addresses to spammers or marketing agencies. And there is no spyware and no adware in MessageCatcher."
Customer support	Yes	Yes	- Support via email for Pro customers	Yes	No