Real-time chat solutions are becoming increasingly popular for businesses to connect with customers, allowing for immediate handling of inquiries and potential sales. To integrate such solutions into existing apps and websites, companies can leverage prebuilt API and SDK (Software Development Kit) solutions that abstract away complexities, enabling easy implementation without reinventing the wheel. APIs provide an HTTP interface, while SDKs offer a language-specific interface for quick integration, often including UI/UX components out of the box. Key features to consider include group chats, voice and video calling, screen sharing, real-time notifications, chat moderation, multimedia or file sharing, and mobile device support. Pricing varies, but typically factors in the number of users, messages used, and combinations thereof, with many solutions offering free plans with constraints. Industry leaders such as Twilio, Sendbird, PubNub, MirrorFly, and TalkJS provide comprehensive real-time messaging software platforms, each with unique features and advantages, catering to different business needs and requirements.