How to install free live chat on HubSpot CMS

To add live chat to HubSpot CMS, open Settings, select Website, and click Pages. Open the Templates tab and locate the Footer HTML box. Paste your LastWorker script snippet there and save your changes. Ensure you apply this at the domain level so the chat widget appears on every page of your site instead of just one.

Where does the live chat script go in HubSpot?

I have spent the last eighteen years managing front desks and customer operations. I know that when you decide to add a tool like live chat, you want it working immediately. You do not want to click through twenty menus or wait for a developer to call you back. In HubSpot CMS, the process is contained within your site settings.

You need to look for the gear icon in the top navigation bar to open your Settings. On the left side menu, find the section for Website and click on the option for Pages. This area controls the global headers and footers for your entire site.

Once you are in the Pages menu, look for the tab labeled Templates. This is where HubSpot allows you to inject code that needs to load on every page. You will see two main boxes: Site Header HTML and Site Footer HTML.

I always recommend putting chat scripts in the Footer HTML. If you put it in the header, the browser tries to load the chat script before it loads your headline or your hero image. That can make your site feel heavy or slow. By putting it in the footer, the content of your page loads first, and then the chat widget pops up.

What are the exact steps to install the widget?

When I worked with a regional dental practice that had eleven different front desks, we needed a way to centralize communication. We used a CMS to manage our web presence, and getting the chat live was the first step toward stopping leads from dying in a voicemail box.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Log in to your HubSpot account and click the Settings gear icon in the main navigation.
2. In the left sidebar, navigate to Website and then click Pages.
3. Look at the top of the page and click the Templates tab.
4. Scroll down until you see the box labeled Footer HTML.
5. Paste your LastWorker script into this box. It should look like this:

<script src="https://lastworker.com/widget.js" data-agent-id="YOUR_AGENT_ID" async></script>

6. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

Your live chat is now active. If you have a site visitor right now, they can see the widget and start a conversation. Because LastWorker includes a shared inbox, contacts, and tickets for free, you can manage these new leads without worrying about a trial period ending or a credit card being charged.

What is the common mistake that hides your chat widget?

The shops I worked with often made one specific mistake when setting up global site tools. HubSpot allows you to manage multiple domains or specific subdomains in one portal. When you are in the Pages settings menu, there is a dropdown at the top that says: "Choose a domain to edit its settings."

The gotcha is that many people leave this on a specific page or the wrong subdomain. If you have "All domains" selected, the script will load everywhere. However, if you specifically selected one landing page or a blog subdomain, the chat widget will only appear there.

I have watched business owners get frustrated because they can see the chat on their "About Us" page but not on their homepage. They think the software is broken. Usually, they just forgot to set the script at the domain level.

Check that dropdown before you hit save. If you want the widget on every page of your primary website, make sure your primary domain is selected or use the global default. This ensures that a lead who lands on a blog post has the same ability to ask a question as someone looking at your pricing page.

Why use a free widget instead of the HubSpot default?

HubSpot is a powerful tool, and they offer their own chat. I believe in being honest about the options. HubSpot’s free tier allows for two users and includes their branding on the widget. If you are a solo entrepreneur or a very small team, that might work for a while.

However, as you grow, the math changes. Out of the twelve major tools in the market, eight of them charge per seat. Zendesk starts at $19 per agent. Intercom starts around $29 per seat. If you have a team of five people helping with customers, you are looking at $100 to $150 every month just for the right to log in.

LastWorker does not charge for seats. You can have your entire staff in the shared inbox without a subscription. I have hired many receptionists over the years, and I never liked the idea that I had to pay a software company more money just because I hired more human help.

Also, look at the limits on other free tiers. Tidio limits you to 50 conversations a month. Once you hit that 51st customer, the widget simply stops working until your next billing cycle. Crisp limits their free version to two seats and provides no email inbox. LastWorker provides live chat and email support for free forever with unlimited conversations and teammates.

How do you handle AI without surprise charges?

I am wary of tools that "unlock" AI features automatically and start charging you for things you did not approve. At LastWorker, AI is off by default. If you just want a human to answer the chat and the phone, it is free or based on simple usage costs for the phone line.

When you decide to use AI, the costs are transparent. An AI reply on chat, email, or SMS costs $0.04. This only happens when the AI actually generates a response. If you are answering the messages yourself, the cost is zero.

For phone calls, the AI costs $0.10 per minute. That includes the carrier cost. Compare this to the cost of a missed call. I have seen service businesses lose thousands of dollars because a phone rang at 2am and went to a voicemail that no one checked until noon the next day.

If you want a phone number, it is $1 a month. Inbound SMS is free. Outbound SMS is $0.03 per segment. There are no hidden subscription fees. You pay for what you use, and you only use the AI if you choose to turn it on.

Is this better than an answering service?

I have written phone scripts at 2am for traditional answering services. They are often expensive and the quality varies. They usually charge by the minute or by the call, and you often pay a high monthly retainer just to keep the service active.

By installing a chat widget on your HubSpot site, you give customers a way to reach you that does not involve a phone call. Many people prefer to type a quick question while they are at work or on the bus. If you can answer that question through a free shared inbox, you have saved the money you would have spent on a call center.

If you do need phone coverage, the AI answering service at $0.10 a minute is a fraction of the cost of a human answering service. Because it integrates with your knowledge base, which is also free to set up in LastWorker, the AI gives the same answers every time. It does not get tired at the end of a shift.

The dental practice I managed used to struggle with Monday morning voicemails. We would have thirty messages to return, and half of those people had already called a competitor by the time we reached them. Moving those conversations to a live chat or an AI-managed phone line keeps the lead warm.

How do you keep the setup simple?

The reason I lead with the exact box in the HubSpot menu is that I hate fluff. You have a business to run. You do not need a deep dive into the history of CMS architecture. You need to know that your Footer HTML is the place for the script.

Once the script is in, your work in HubSpot is mostly done. You will spend the rest of your time in the LastWorker dashboard. This is where you will see the shared inbox. You do not need to install anything else to get the knowledge base or the ticketing system working. They are part of the free package.

I recommend writing your first few saved replies early. If you find yourself typing the same directions to your office or the same price list over and over, save them. It makes your response time faster. We know that response time is the biggest factor in whether a lead stays with you or leaves.

I have watched good leads die in voicemail boxes for nearly two decades. It is a waste of marketing money and a waste of effort. Using a free tool to capture those leads on your HubSpot site is the easiest way to stop that loss. Stick the script in the footer, save it at the domain level, and you are done.