A comparison of messaging services: who will answer your reader, and how

The page is assembled by a script from the fact base. Every cell carries a link to the provider's page.

Do I need a bot of my own — and will I have to hand over its token?

Telegram — Do I need a bot of my own — and will I have to hand over its token
Tool	Answer	Source
Livegram	the bot is created in @BotFather with /newbot, then its token is handed to @LivegramBot with /addbot	1
Bitrix24	your own bot is needed: the token of a new or an existing bot is pasted into the channel setup	2
Chatwoot	your own bot is needed: it is created at BotFather, and its token is entered in the service	3
respond.io	your own bot is needed: it is created at BotFather with the /newbot command, and the token is pasted into a field on the platform	4
amoCRM	your own bot is needed: /newbot is run at @BotFather, and the API Token received is entered in the settings	5
Chat2Desk	your own bot is needed: the token from BotFather is pasted into «Настройки — Аккаунты»	6
SleekFlow	your own bot is needed: it is created at BotFather, and its token is pasted in when the channel is connected	7

Will several people be able to reply?

Telegram — Will several people be able to reply
Tool	Answer	Source
Livegram	more than one person can answer: the bot is added to a group chat, and every participant sees the enquiries and answers them	8
Bitrix24	yes: in the channel setup an open line and a queue of staff responsible are chosen	2
Chatwoot	yes: staff are added to the inbox, and this is a separate setup step	3
respond.io
amoCRM
Chat2Desk
SleekFlow

What will happen to the message history if I disconnect the service?

Telegram — What will happen to the message history if I disconnect the service
Tool	Answer	Source
Livegram	disconnecting a bot from the service does not erase the data: the service writes that the bot's users and messages will not be deleted	9
Bitrix24
Chatwoot
respond.io	the message history and the contacts remain: deleting the channel does not erase them	4
amoCRM
Chat2Desk
SleekFlow

Where exactly does the bot work: private chats, groups, channels?

Telegram — Where exactly does the bot work: private chats, groups, channels
Tool	Answer	Source
Livegram	four conversation modes: Standard — every enquiry in one stream; Personal — a topic per person with the name and @username; Private — a topic without the @username and without access to the profile; Anonymous — only the enquiry number	10
Bitrix24	only private one-on-one chats with the customer	2
Chatwoot
respond.io
amoCRM
Chat2Desk
SleekFlow

Sources