Free live chat for charities and community groups
Software that charges per person does not suit a rota of volunteers. Orbis Chat is free per website, with as many agents as you need.
The challenges of running on goodwill
Charities need to be easy to reach, but rarely have someone at a desk all day.
- Paying per agent quickly becomes expensive when you rely on volunteers.
- Volunteers come and go, and each one has to learn how you answer things.
- People may find you out of hours, when nobody is available to reply.
- Donors, volunteers and service users have very different questions.
How Orbis Chat helps charities
The free plan is not a trial, so there is no budget surprise later.
Unlimited agents, free
Add every volunteer and member of staff with their own login. See how pricing works.
Shortcuts
Give new volunteers approved wording for common questions.
Departments
Separate donor enquiries, volunteering and services.
Business hours and a clear message
Be open about when someone is available, and point to other services when you are closed.
Chat page
Share a hosted chat link in campaigns or posts, without changing your website.
Worked example: a volunteer rota
A small community charity staffs its chat with a rota of volunteers.
Everyone gets a login
Each volunteer is invited as an agent, and leaves when they no longer need access.
Hours match the rota
Business hours are set to when volunteers are on shift, and offline messages become tickets.
Approved wording is ready
Shortcuts cover volunteering, donations and where to find help.
Handover is easy
Private notes tell the next volunteer what has happened in a conversation.
This is an illustration of how the features fit together, not a real customer story.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a charity discount?
There is no need for one. All live-chat features are free, per website, with unlimited agents and chats. The only paid option is removing the branding link.
Is chat suitable for crisis support?
Orbis Chat does not guarantee availability or delivery, so it should not be the only route for urgent or crisis support. Make other routes clear in your greeting.
How do we keep people's details safe?
Use roles to control access, two-factor login, and data retention settings. The GDPR tools help you export or delete a person's data.
