Arrowchat.com Review

Based on looking at the website, ArrowChat.com appears to be a legitimate self-hosted live chat software designed for integrating real-time text and video chat capabilities into existing websites.

While the service itself, providing chat functionality, is not inherently problematic from an ethical standpoint, users should exercise caution regarding how the chat feature is implemented and utilized on their own platforms.

The ethical implications largely depend on the content and interactions facilitated by the website integrating ArrowChat.

For instance, if the website hosts content that is deemed inappropriate or promotes activities forbidden in Islam, then using ArrowChat on such a platform would naturally be discouraged.

Here’s an overall review summary:

0.0 0.0 out of 5 stars (based on 0 reviews) Excellent0% Very good0% Average0% Poor0% Terrible0% There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one. Your review Your overall rating Select a Rating5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star Title of your review Your review Your name Your email This review is based on my own experience and is my genuine opinion. ​ Submit Review

Amazon.com: Check Amazon for Arrowchat.com Review Latest Discussions & Reviews:

• Service Provided: Self-hosted live chat and video chat software.
• Technology: Built on PHP and jQuery.
• Integration: Automatic synchronization with existing website user logins, profile links, and avatars.
• Customization: Fully customizable administration panel for changing settings, colors, and viewing logs.
• Mobile Support: Includes a version specifically tailored for mobile devices.
• Video Chat: Supports agora.io and Vonage for video chat on desktop and mobile.
• Integrations: Over 46 integrations with popular platforms like WordPress, BuddyPress, Joomla, phpBB, XenForo, and more.
• Pricing Model: One-time license purchase, no recurring subscriptions.
• Support & Resources: Offers documentation, articles, forums, and a client area for support.
• Ethical Consideration: The tool itself is neutral. its ethical use depends entirely on the content and purpose of the website it’s integrated into. Websites promoting immoral content, gambling, or other forbidden activities would make the use of ArrowChat on them ethically problematic.

The website presents a clear value proposition: enabling live text and video communication among users on a website. It highlights ease of installation, broad integration capabilities, and a one-time purchase model, which can be appealing to website administrators looking to enhance user engagement. However, the fundamental ethical consideration revolves around the context in which this technology is deployed. Just as a hammer can be used for building or for destruction, a chat platform can be used for beneficial communication or for facilitating harmful interactions. Therefore, while ArrowChat provides the technical means, the responsibility for ethical use lies squarely with the website owner.

Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.

IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Best Alternatives for Ethical Website Communication Tools:

For website owners seeking to foster beneficial and ethical communication within their online communities, focusing on tools that promote healthy interaction and align with moral principles is crucial. Here are seven alternatives, keeping in mind that the ethical nature of any communication tool ultimately depends on its application by the user:

• Discord
  • Key Features: Versatile platform for voice, video, and text communication, organized into servers and channels. Offers robust moderation tools, screen sharing, and integrations with other services.
  • Average Price: Free for basic use, with premium features available through Nitro subscriptions monthly/annual.
  • Pros: Highly flexible, excellent for community building, strong moderation capabilities, supports various media types.
  • Cons: Can be overwhelming for new users, requires active moderation to maintain a healthy environment.
• Slack
  • Key Features: Team communication and collaboration platform with channels, direct messaging, file sharing, and integrations with numerous business tools.
  • Average Price: Free for small teams with limited history. paid plans offer more features and history retention.
  • Pros: Excellent for organized team communication, strong search functionality, wide range of integrations.
  • Cons: Can lead to information overload if not managed well, primarily designed for professional use rather than public communities.
• Rocket.Chat
  • Key Features: Open-source team communication platform that can be self-hosted, offering voice, video, and text chat, file sharing, and guest access.
  • Average Price: Free for the open-source version self-hosted. paid enterprise plans available for managed hosting and advanced features.
  • Pros: Full control over data with self-hosting, highly customizable, strong security features, supports various communication methods.
  • Cons: Requires technical expertise for self-hosting and maintenance, support can be community-driven for the free version.
• Element Matrix
  • Key Features: Secure and decentralized communication platform based on the Matrix protocol. Offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls.
  • Average Price: Free to use. premium services or self-hosting may incur costs.
  • Pros: Strong emphasis on privacy and security, decentralized nature enhances resilience, versatile for personal and community use.
  • Cons: Learning curve for new users, public servers may require good moderation, not as widely adopted as some other platforms.
• Microsoft Teams
  • Key Features: Integrated communication and collaboration platform for organizations, offering chat, video conferencing, file storage, and app integration.
  • Average Price: Included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions. free version with limited features available.
  • Pros: Seamless integration with Microsoft ecosystem, robust features for business communication, reliable for large organizations.
  • Cons: Can be resource-intensive, primarily focused on enterprise use, not ideal for public community building.
• Mattermost
  • Key Features: Open-source, self-hostable messaging platform designed for team collaboration, offering private and group messaging, file sharing, and integrations.
  • Average Price: Free for the open-source team edition self-hosted. paid enterprise versions available.
  • Pros: Secure self-hosting option, flexible and customizable, good for organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements.
  • Cons: Requires technical knowledge for setup and maintenance, community support for the free version.
• Zulip
  • Key Features: Unique thread-based conversation model that combines the immediacy of chat with the organization of email. Supports real-time and asynchronous communication.
  • Average Price: Free for basic cloud plan and self-hosted open-source version. paid cloud plans offer advanced features.
  • Pros: Excellent for managing complex discussions and reducing noise, supports rich formatting and code snippets, good for technical teams.
  • Cons: Threaded model can be a departure for users accustomed to traditional chat, requires discipline to maintain organized conversations.

ArrowChat.com Review & First Look

Based on checking the website, ArrowChat.com presents itself as a self-hosted live chat and video chat solution designed to integrate seamlessly into existing websites.

The initial impression is that of a specialized tool for enhancing user interaction and engagement.

The homepage immediately highlights a “SUMMER SALE” with 20% off all licenses, drawing attention to a clear pricing model focused on one-time purchases rather than recurring subscriptions.

This can be a significant draw for website owners looking for a long-term solution without ongoing costs.

What is ArrowChat.com?

ArrowChat is essentially a PHP script and jQuery-based software that allows website administrators to add real-time text and video chat functionalities to their platforms. It’s pitched as an easy-to-install solution that “installs in minutes on top of any existing website.” This implies a plug-and-play approach, minimizing the technical barrier for implementation. Petkit.com Review

• Self-Hosted: A key differentiator is that it’s self-hosted, meaning the software runs on the website owner’s server, providing more control over data and privacy, a crucial factor for many businesses and communities.
• Purpose: The core purpose is to facilitate direct communication between users on a website, whether for social interaction, customer support, or community building.
• Technology Stack: The reliance on PHP and jQuery suggests a mature and widely compatible technology stack, making it accessible to a broad range of web environments.

Initial Impressions of the Homepage

The homepage is straightforward and provides essential information upfront.

It clearly states the core offering “Add live chat and video to your site in minutes” and immediately follows with a call to action “Try for Free” and “Demo”. Key features are highlighted with concise descriptions, such as “Automatic Synchronization” and “Mobile Chat.” The presence of direct links to “Features,” “Demo,” “Add-ons,” “Help,” and “Pricing” in the main navigation indicates a commitment to transparency and user accessibility.

• Design: The design is functional and clean, prioritizing information over elaborate aesthetics. It’s not overly flashy, which can be a positive for a product focused on utility.
• Key Selling Points: The emphasis on “No recurring subscriptions that you forget about” is a strong selling point, differentiating it from many SaaS Software as a Service chat solutions that operate on monthly or annual fees.
• Ethical Neutrality: The tool itself, being a communication platform, is ethically neutral. Its permissibility and benefit are entirely dependent on how the end-user the website owner implements and monitors it. If integrated into a platform that promotes unethical or forbidden content e.g., gambling, adult content, blasphemy, then using ArrowChat on such a site would be ethically problematic. Website administrators have a responsibility to ensure the content and interactions on their platforms align with ethical guidelines.

ArrowChat.com Features

ArrowChat offers a comprehensive set of features designed to provide a robust and customizable live chat and video chat experience for website users.

The functionalities outlined on their homepage suggest a product built for integration and user engagement within diverse online platforms.

JQuery Chat Script Built on PHP and jQuery

At its core, ArrowChat is a self-hosted live chat software built using PHP script and jQuery. This choice of technology implies a high degree of compatibility with a vast number of existing websites, as PHP is a dominant server-side scripting language and jQuery is a widely used JavaScript library for front-end development. Ernestclintonelectrical.co Review

• Self-Hosted Advantage: Being self-hosted means the software runs directly on the user’s web server. This gives website owners full control over their data, which is a significant privacy and security advantage compared to third-party hosted solutions. It also means no external dependencies that could introduce privacy concerns or service interruptions.
• Performance: The lightweight nature of jQuery and optimized PHP scripts can contribute to good performance, ensuring that the chat functionality doesn’t unduly slow down the website.
• Developer Friendly: For developers, the PHP and jQuery foundation means a familiar environment for customization and troubleshooting, should the need arise.

Automatic Synchronization and User Integration

One of ArrowChat’s standout features is its ability to automatically integrate with a website’s existing user base.

This is crucial for a seamless user experience, as it eliminates the need for users to create separate chat accounts or log in again specifically for the chat.

• User Login: “Our chat will automatically log in your website users when they log into your site. No extra coding!” This bold claim suggests a highly efficient integration process, reducing the burden on website developers.
• Username and Avatars: The system automatically retrieves and displays usernames with full UTF-8 support for multiple languages and determines the avatar system to display user avatars. This ensures a consistent user identity across the main site and the chat.
• Profile Links: ArrowChat conveniently provides links to a user’s profile, enhancing social interaction and navigation within the website.
• Friends List and Group Permissions: The online list of users updates as friends are added or removed, and website administrators can restrict features based on a user’s group directly from ArrowChat’s admin panel. This level of control is vital for managing community interactions and permissions effectively.

Mobile Chat Connectivity

ArrowChat addresses this by including a version specifically tailored for mobile.

• Dedicated Mobile Version: “ArrowChat includes a version tailored specifically for mobile devices.” This ensures an optimized interface and functionality for smaller screens and touch interactions.
• In-Page Pop-up: Users visiting the site on a mobile device can pop up the chat right within the page, avoiding redirects or separate applications, which simplifies the user journey.
• Mobile Demo: The availability of a “Mobile Demo” allows potential users to experience the mobile functionality firsthand before committing, which is a sign of confidence in their product.

Fully Customizable Chat & Admin Panel

Customization is key for any website integration to feel native and align with a site’s branding.

ArrowChat provides a robust administration panel for this purpose. Berry.im Review

• Extensive Control: “With our fully-featured administration panel, you can change colors, settings, view logs, and much more.” This suggests deep control over the chat’s appearance and operational aspects.
• Ease of Use: The phrase “Change settings with a few clicks” emphasizes user-friendliness, indicating that extensive technical knowledge isn’t required for customization.
• Admin Demo: An “Admin Demo” further allows administrators to explore the panel’s capabilities and ease of use, a valuable resource for decision-making.

Video Chat Capabilities

Beyond text-based communication, ArrowChat integrates video chat functionality, adding a significant layer of richness to user interactions.

• agora.io and Vonage Support: “ArrowChat has agora.io and Vonage support built-in.” These are prominent real-time communication platforms, ensuring reliable and high-quality video chat experiences.
• Desktop and Mobile: The video chat feature is available on both desktop and mobile devices, maintaining consistency across different access points.
• Enhanced Engagement: Video chat can dramatically increase user engagement and facilitate richer, more personal interactions within a website’s community.

Extensive Integrations

One of the most impressive aspects of ArrowChat is its broad compatibility.

The homepage lists over 46 integrations, covering a wide array of popular CMS, forum, and social networking platforms.

• Wide Compatibility: Integrations include major platforms like WordPress, BuddyPress, Joomla, phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, Drupal, and more. This broad support means that a large number of existing websites can easily adopt ArrowChat without extensive custom development.
• Ease of Installation: The emphasis on “easy installation” for these integrations is a strong selling point, highlighting the product’s design for user convenience.
• Community Enhancement: For platforms like forums phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo and social networks BuddyPress, JomSocial, SocialEngine, adding live chat significantly enhances community interaction and real-time engagement.

These features collectively position ArrowChat as a powerful tool for website owners looking to foster dynamic and interactive online communities.

However, as stated previously, the responsibility for ensuring the ethical and permissible use of such a tool lies solely with the website administrator. The tool itself is a mechanism. Onyx-traders.com Review

Its impact depends on the hands that wield it and the environment in which it operates.

ArrowChat.com Pros & Cons

When evaluating ArrowChat.com, it’s essential to weigh its strengths against its limitations, especially from an ethical and practical standpoint for website administrators.

Given that the tool itself is neutral and its ethical implications depend on the usage context, we will focus on the technical and operational pros and cons, while reiterating the user’s responsibility for ethical application.

ArrowChat.com Pros

ArrowChat offers several compelling advantages that make it an attractive option for website owners looking to enhance user interaction.

• One-Time License Purchase: A major advantage is the absence of recurring subscriptions. The website explicitly states, “No recurring subscriptions that you forget about.” This means a single upfront payment provides perpetual use of the software, which can lead to significant long-term cost savings compared to SaaS chat solutions that charge monthly or annually. This fixed cost model provides budget predictability.
• Self-Hosted Control: As a self-hosted solution, ArrowChat runs on the user’s server. This grants full control over data, privacy, and security. Website owners are not reliant on a third-party vendor for data storage or uptime, which can be critical for sensitive applications or strict privacy regulations.
• Extensive Integrations: With over 46 integrations for popular CMS, forum, and social networking platforms e.g., WordPress, Joomla, XenForo, phpBB, BuddyPress, ArrowChat offers remarkable compatibility. This ease of integration significantly reduces the development effort required to implement the chat feature on existing sites.
• Comprehensive Features: The software boasts a rich set of features, including:
  • Text and Video Chat: Facilitates diverse communication needs.
  • Automatic User Synchronization: Seamlessly logs in users, retrieves profiles, avatars, and friend lists.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: A dedicated mobile version ensures a smooth experience on any device.
  • Robust Admin Panel: Allows extensive customization of appearance, settings, and access to logs.
  • Group Permissions: Granular control over user access to features.
• Scalability: Being self-hosted, the scalability largely depends on the hosting environment provided by the website owner. With appropriate server resources, ArrowChat can potentially handle a large number of concurrent users, offering flexibility as a community grows.
• Established Presence: The copyright notice indicates “Copyright c 2009-2025 Web Mobile Admin,” suggesting a long-standing presence in the market since 2009. This longevity can imply a stable and mature product.

ArrowChat.com Cons

While ArrowChat has many strengths, there are also potential drawbacks and considerations. Sapeproducts.com Review

• Self-Hosting Responsibility: While a pro for control, self-hosting means the website owner is responsible for server maintenance, security updates, backups, and scalability. This requires technical expertise and ongoing effort, which might be a burden for those without dedicated IT staff or strong technical knowledge. Any server issues or security vulnerabilities directly impact the chat’s availability and safety.
• Upfront Cost: Although there are no recurring fees, the initial license purchase can be a barrier for some smaller websites or individuals compared to free SaaS alternatives or open-source solutions that require only hosting costs.
• Reliance on Website Content for Ethical Use: This is the most significant “con” from an ethical standpoint. ArrowChat is merely a communication tool. If it’s integrated into a website that promotes forbidden content e.g., gambling, adult entertainment, interest-based transactions, immoral behavior, or content contrary to Islamic principles, then using ArrowChat on such a site is ethically problematic. The tool itself doesn’t filter or censor content. the responsibility lies entirely with the website administrator to monitor and moderate discussions to ensure they adhere to ethical and moral standards. Failure to do so can lead to the facilitation of harmful or illicit communication.
• Limited Direct Support vs. Community/Docs: While they offer “Help,” “Support Docs & API,” “Articles,” and “Forums,” the level of direct, personalized support might not be as extensive as some high-end SaaS solutions that include dedicated account managers or 24/7 live support lines with their recurring subscriptions. Users might need to rely more on documentation and community forums for troubleshooting complex issues.
• Potential for Feature Lag: As a self-hosted, one-time purchase product, there’s a possibility that new features or integrations might not roll out as frequently as with competitive SaaS platforms that operate on a subscription model and have continuous development cycles funded by recurring revenue.
• Outdated Design Potential: While the functionality is key, the static nature of a self-hosted product might mean the user interface design could fall behind the modern, continuously updated aesthetics of cloud-based solutions over time, unless regular updates are purchased or included with the license.

In summary, ArrowChat offers a powerful and cost-effective solution for adding chat functionality, particularly appealing for those who prioritize data control and a one-time investment.

However, its ethical value is inextricably linked to the context of its deployment, demanding a strong commitment from website owners to ensure a permissible and morally upright environment for user interaction.

ArrowChat.com Alternatives

For those seeking to integrate chat functionality into their websites while maintaining strong ethical principles, particularly those aligned with Islamic values, it’s crucial to select platforms that foster positive, respectful, and beneficial communication.

While ArrowChat itself is a neutral tool, its suitability depends entirely on the website it’s integrated with.

The alternatives below offer a range of self-hosted and privacy-focused options that can be used to build ethical online communities. Duronic.com Review

Here are some alternatives, focusing on tools that emphasize control, privacy, and can be configured to uphold moral standards:

1. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is a powerful, open-source communication platform that can be self-hosted, giving administrators complete control over their data and environment.

• Key Features: Offers real-time chat, video conferencing, audio calls, file sharing, and screen sharing. It supports end-to-end encryption and has robust moderation tools.
• Pros:
  • Self-Hostable: Provides full data sovereignty, which is excellent for privacy and adherence to data residency laws.
  • Open-Source: The code is transparent, allowing for audits and community-driven improvements.
  • Comprehensive Communication: Supports various forms of communication beyond text.
  • Strong Moderation: Tools to manage users, channels, and content are extensive, crucial for maintaining an ethical environment.
• Cons:
  • Technical Expertise: Self-hosting requires a good understanding of server management.
  • Maintenance: Responsibility for updates, security patches, and backups lies with the host.
• Ethical Use: Ideal for creating private, moderated communities where discussions can be guided by specific ethical guidelines. Its self-hosted nature means no third-party profiting from user data, aligning with principles of data ownership.

2. Mattermost

Mattermost is another open-source, self-hostable messaging platform designed for secure team collaboration, often seen as an alternative to Slack.

• Key Features: Private and group messaging, file sharing, custom integrations, robust search, and a high degree of control over data.
  • Self-Hostable & Open-Source: Offers complete control over data and source code.
  • Security Focused: Designed with enterprise-grade security in mind, including audit logs and authentication options.
  • Customizable: Highly flexible to fit specific organizational or community needs.
  • Setup Complexity: Initial setup and configuration can be technical.
  • Feature Parity: While robust, some niche features might not match the breadth of highly specialized SaaS tools.
• Ethical Use: Excellent for closed communities or teams where communication needs to remain private, secure, and focused on beneficial discussions. Its self-hosted nature ensures data privacy and no external monetization of user interactions.

3. Element Matrix

Element is a client for the Matrix open network, a decentralized communication protocol. It prioritizes privacy and encryption. Xfurbish.com Review

• Key Features: End-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, file sharing, and federated communication users on different Matrix servers can communicate.
  • Decentralized & Encrypted: High privacy and security by design, difficult to censor or shut down.
  • Open-Source: Transparency and community development.
  • Self-Hostable Servers: Users can host their own Matrix server Synapse, gaining full control.
  • Learning Curve: The concept of federation and multiple clients can be confusing initially.
  • Server Maintenance: Running a reliable Matrix server requires technical effort.
• Ethical Use: Provides an unparalleled level of privacy and autonomy, allowing communities to establish communication channels free from external surveillance or data exploitation. This aligns well with principles of safeguarding privacy and promoting secure interaction.

4. Zulip

Zulip offers a unique message threading model that combines the immediacy of chat with the organization of email threads. It’s open-source and can be self-hosted.

• Key Features: Stream-based messaging with powerful threading, full-text search, code snippets, and integration with external tools.
  • Organized Conversations: The threading model is excellent for deep, focused discussions, reducing information overload.
  • Self-Hostable: Control over data and customization.
  • Markdown Support: Rich formatting for clear communication.
  • Different Paradigm: Requires users to adapt to its unique threading structure.
  • Resource Intensive: Can be more demanding on server resources than simpler chat tools.
• Ethical Use: Ideal for educational platforms, scholarly discussions, or communities focused on specific, in-depth topics. Its structure promotes focused and constructive dialogue, minimizing distractions or off-topic conversations.

5. Discourse

While primarily a modern forum software, Discourse includes integrated real-time chat features, making it a robust platform for community building that combines asynchronous discussions with live interaction.

• Key Features: Modern forum interface, built-in chat, powerful moderation tools, email notifications, and deep customization options.
  • Comprehensive Community Solution: Not just chat, but a full-fledged platform for long-form discussions and knowledge sharing.
  • Strong Moderation: Excellent tools for managing content and users, vital for ethical community management.
  • Self-Hostable: Offers data ownership and control.
  • More Complex: More than just a chat tool, so setup and management can be more involved.
  • Resource Demanding: Requires more server resources than a simple chat script.
• Ethical Use: Perfect for building extensive, well-moderated online communities dedicated to learning, mutual support, or sharing beneficial knowledge. The combination of structured discussions and live chat allows for diverse and productive interactions, provided the community guidelines are robust.

6. Mumble

For communities primarily focused on voice communication e.g., educational sessions, collaborative discussions, gaming for permissible purposes, Mumble is an open-source, low-latency voice chat application.

• Key Features: High-quality voice, low latency, strong encryption, channel-based organization, and user management.
  • Excellent Voice Quality: Optimized for clear audio communication.
  • Self-Hostable Murmur server: Full control over the voice server.
  • Lightweight: Efficient use of resources.
  • Voice-Centric: Not designed for text chat or file sharing primarily.
  • Client Software Required: Users need to install a Mumble client.
• Ethical Use: Highly suitable for groups requiring real-time audio interaction, such as online study circles, collaborative project meetings, or family discussions, ensuring clear, direct, and private voice communication.

7. Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet is a completely free, open-source video conferencing solution that can be self-hosted.

It’s ideal for private video calls and online meetings. Southwesternrailway.com Review

• Key Features: Secure video conferences, screen sharing, text chat within meetings, and no account required for participants.
  • Open-Source & Free: No licensing costs, transparent code.
  • Self-Hostable: Total control over meeting data.
  • No Account Needed: Easy for participants to join.
  • End-to-End Encryption: Available when self-hosting and configured correctly.
  • Performance Dependent on Host: Quality can vary based on server resources and internet connection.
  • Primarily Video Conferencing: While it has text chat, it’s not a persistent chat platform.
• Ethical Use: Excellent for facilitating online educational sessions, family gatherings, or professional meetings where privacy and direct communication are paramount. Its self-hostable nature minimizes reliance on third-party services for sensitive conversations.

When considering any of these alternatives, the key takeaway is that the tool itself is a vehicle.

The ethical outcome is determined by the content shared, the rules established, and the vigilance of the administrators in ensuring all interactions adhere to high moral and religious standards.

Always prioritize platforms that offer robust moderation capabilities and data control to foster a truly beneficial and ethical online community.

How to Cancel ArrowChat.com Subscription

ArrowChat.com explicitly states a key selling point on its homepage: “No recurring subscriptions that you forget about.” This means that ArrowChat operates on a one-time license purchase model, rather than a recurring subscription model. Therefore, there is no “subscription” in the traditional sense that you would need to cancel.

• Understanding the Purchase Model: When you purchase ArrowChat, you are buying a license for the software outright. This license grants you the right to use the specific version of the software you purchased indefinitely on a single domain or as specified by the license type, such as developer licenses for multiple domains.
• No Automatic Renewals: Since there are no recurring subscriptions, there are no automatic renewals or hidden charges that would necessitate a cancellation process.
• What You Might “Cancel”: The only things you might discontinue related to ArrowChat are:
  • Not Renewing Support/Update Period: Some software licenses might come with a limited period of free updates and support e.g., one year. After this period, you might have the option to purchase an extension for updates and support, but this is not an automatic renewal that needs cancellation. If you choose not to extend, you simply won’t receive future updates or support, but your existing software license remains valid.
  • Discontinuing Use: If you no longer wish to use ArrowChat on your website, you simply remove the software from your server. There’s no further administrative action required with ArrowChat.com itself beyond the initial purchase.
• Checking Your Account: If you have an account in the “Client Area” https://arrowchat.com/members/, this is primarily for managing your licenses, accessing downloads, viewing documentation, and opening support tickets. It’s not a portal for managing ongoing billing or subscriptions since they don’t have them.
• Refund Policy: If you are within a short period after purchase and are looking for a refund, you would need to refer to their “Terms of Use” https://arrowchat.com/license/ or contact their sales/support team directly https://arrowchat.com/support/contact/. Refund policies are separate from subscription cancellation processes.

In essence, the benefit of ArrowChat’s model is that once you’ve bought it, it’s yours to use. 7dayassist.com Review

You don’t have to worry about monthly bills or the hassle of canceling a service you no longer need.

This aligns with a direct, clear transaction model.

ArrowChat.com Pricing

ArrowChat operates on a straightforward one-time license purchase model, rather than a recurring subscription. This is a significant differentiator in the market, often highlighted as a key benefit on their homepage “No recurring subscriptions that you forget about”. The pricing structure revolves around different license types, typically varying by features and usage rights e.g., number of domains.

• License-Based Model: Instead of monthly or annual fees, you buy a perpetual license. This means you own the right to use the software indefinitely once purchased.
• Pricing Transparency: While specific prices are dynamic and subject to change especially with promotions like their “SUMMER SALE | 20% Off ALL Licenses”, the website provides a “Pricing” link https://arrowchat.com/purchase/ where users can view current license options.
• Typical License Tiers Based on similar software models:
  • Standard License: Often for a single website or domain, providing core features.
  • Developer/Unlimited License: Allows usage on multiple websites or for developers building solutions for clients. These typically come with a higher one-time fee.
  • Add-ons/Themes: While the core license covers the main software, specific add-ons or custom themes might be sold separately as one-time purchases as well. For example, they list “Themes” https://arrowchat.com/store/search/?c=theme which implies additional costs for design templates.
  • Push Service: The mention of a “Push Service” https://arrowchat.com/push/ might imply an optional, potentially recurring service for real-time notifications, which would be separate from the core software license. Users should verify if this is an additional recurring cost or a one-time setup fee.
• Cost Savings Over Time: For websites intending to use the chat software long-term, the one-time purchase model can lead to substantial cost savings compared to subscription-based services that accumulate costs indefinitely. For instance, a subscription service costing $20/month would cost $240/year, whereas a one-time purchase of, say, $199 or $299, would pay for itself in less than two years and then provide free usage thereafter.
• Value Proposition: The pricing model caters to users who prefer ownership and wish to avoid ongoing operational expenses, offering a clear upfront investment.

It’s advisable for any prospective buyer to visit their official “Purchase” page https://arrowchat.com/purchase/ to see the most current pricing, available license types, and any ongoing promotions like the “SUMMER SALE” they advertised.

This will provide the most accurate and up-to-date information on their pricing structure. Ellipal.com Review

ArrowChat.com vs. Competitors

When evaluating ArrowChat.com against its competitors, it’s crucial to categorize the types of chat solutions available. ArrowChat primarily positions itself as a self-hosted, one-time purchase live chat and video chat software for website integration. This places it in a different league than many popular SaaS Software as a Service chat solutions or open-source alternatives.

Let’s break down how ArrowChat stacks up against different types of competitors:

1. Vs. SaaS Live Chat Solutions e.g., LiveChat, Tawk.to, Intercom

These are cloud-based services where you subscribe monthly or annually, and the chat functionality is hosted and managed by the provider.

• ArrowChat Advantages:
  • One-Time Purchase: This is ArrowChat’s biggest differentiator. No recurring fees means significant cost savings over the long term. This is particularly appealing for small businesses or communities with budget constraints.
  • Full Data Control: Since it’s self-hosted, all chat data resides on your server. This is a massive advantage for privacy, data sovereignty, and compliance with strict regulations e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, or for websites handling sensitive information. You don’t have to trust a third party with your user’s conversations.
  • Deep Integration: As it’s built directly into your website’s backend, ArrowChat can potentially offer deeper, more seamless integration with your existing user database, profile systems, and permissions.
  • Customization: Self-hosted solutions often allow for a higher degree of low-level customization if you have the technical expertise, enabling you to tailor the chat exactly to your needs without vendor limitations.
• SaaS Competitor Advantages:
  • Ease of Use/Maintenance: SaaS solutions handle all the hosting, maintenance, security updates, and scaling. You just embed a snippet of code. This is ideal for non-technical users or those who prefer a hands-off approach.
  • Advanced Features: Many SaaS platforms offer sophisticated features like AI-powered chatbots, CRM integrations, detailed analytics, ticketing systems, proactive chat triggers, and agent management tools that might be more complex or unavailable in a self-hosted solution.
  • Scalability Managed: While ArrowChat’s scalability depends on your server, SaaS providers manage scalability for you, often guaranteeing high uptime and performance under heavy load.
  • Dedicated Support: Subscription models often come with dedicated customer support teams, account managers, and faster response times for critical issues.

2. Vs. Open-Source Self-Hosted Solutions e.g., Rocket.Chat, Mattermost, Element/Matrix

These are also self-hosted, offering data control, but they are typically open-source and often free to use, requiring only hosting costs.

*   Commercial Support/Maturity Potentially: As a commercial product, ArrowChat might offer a more streamlined setup process, guaranteed compatibility, and professional support even if limited to a purchase period compared to relying purely on community support for open-source projects. Its longevity since 2009 suggests a stable product.
*   Ready-to-Use Integrations: ArrowChat emphasizes its "46+ integrations" with popular CMS/forum platforms. While open-source tools can integrate, ArrowChat might offer more "out-of-the-box" ready-made plugins for these specific platforms, reducing setup time.

• Open-Source Competitor Advantages:
  • Cost Initial: Open-source software itself is free. You only pay for hosting and your time/expertise. This can be more cost-effective for very small projects or those with strong technical teams.
  • Community-Driven Innovation: Open-source projects often benefit from a large community of developers contributing features, bug fixes, and innovations.
  • Transparency: The open codebase allows for complete transparency regarding security and functionality, which can be critical for highly sensitive applications.
  • Flexibility Deep Customization: For developers, the open-source nature allows for virtually unlimited customization and modification of the core software, though this requires significant technical skill.

3. Vs. General Communication Platforms e.g., Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams

These are broader collaboration tools that include chat, but are not primarily designed for integration into an existing website as a direct user-to-user chat feature. Clarityfx.ai Review

*   Website Integration Focus: ArrowChat is built specifically to embed directly into *your* website, leveraging your existing user base and providing a cohesive experience. Users don't need to leave your site or create separate accounts on another platform.
*   Direct User-to-User: It facilitates communication directly among users on your platform, which is different from a team-centric tool like Slack or a large public community like Discord, where users typically join specific servers.

• General Platform Advantages:
  • Broader Collaboration: These platforms offer a much wider range of features beyond just chat, including robust file sharing, project management, video conferencing, and integrations with numerous business tools.
  • Managed Infrastructure: Like SaaS live chat, these platforms handle all the infrastructure.
  • Existing User Bases: Many users are already familiar with and active on platforms like Discord or Slack, potentially lowering the barrier to adoption if you direct your users there.

Ethical Consideration: Regardless of the competitor, the ethical use of any chat tool hinges on the administrator. If the purpose of the website or the content exchanged through the chat promotes activities forbidden in Islam e.g., gambling, immoral content, riba, polytheism, then using ArrowChat or any alternative would be unethical. The responsibility for moderation and content filtering always falls on the website owner. ArrowChat’s self-hosted nature provides the tools for this control, but does not inherently guarantee ethical conduct.

In conclusion, ArrowChat carves out a niche by offering a powerful, self-hosted, one-time purchase solution for integrating live chat and video into existing websites.

It appeals to those prioritizing data control and long-term cost predictability.

However, users must be prepared for the responsibilities of self-hosting and, critically, for robust moderation to ensure the chat environment remains ethical and aligns with permissible interactions.

How to Get Started with ArrowChat.com

Getting started with ArrowChat.com generally involves a few key steps, from purchase to integration and initial setup. Neatsvor.com Review

The process is designed to be relatively straightforward for website administrators, especially given its claim of “installs in minutes.”

1. Purchase a License

The very first step is to acquire a license from their official website.

ArrowChat operates on a one-time license purchase model.

• Visit the Pricing Page: Navigate to the “Pricing” or “Purchase” section on ArrowChat.com https://arrowchat.com/purchase/.
• Select a License: Choose the license type that best suits your needs e.g., single domain license, developer license. Consider any ongoing sales or promotions.
• Complete Purchase: Follow the steps to complete the purchase. This will likely involve creating an account in their “Client Area” https://arrowchat.com/members/, where you will manage your license and access the software download.
• No Recurring Fees: Remember, this is a one-time payment, so you won’t need to worry about recurring billing for the core software.

2. Download the Software

Once your purchase is complete, you will gain access to the ArrowChat software files.

• Access Client Area: Log in to your “Client Area” on ArrowChat.com.
• Locate Download: Find the download link for the ArrowChat software package. It will typically be a ZIP archive containing all the necessary PHP and jQuery files.
• Download to Local Machine: Download the package to your local computer.

3. Upload to Your Web Server

ArrowChat is a self-hosted solution, meaning the software needs to reside on your web server. Samyakyoga.org Review

• Choose a Directory: Decide where on your web server you want to install ArrowChat. It can be in the root directory, a subdirectory e.g., yourwebsite.com/chat/, or a subdomain e.g., chat.yourwebsite.com.
• Use FTP/SFTP: Use an FTP File Transfer Protocol or SFTP client e.g., FileZilla, Cyberduck to upload the extracted ArrowChat files from your local computer to the chosen directory on your web server.
• Ensure Permissions: Verify that the necessary file and directory permissions are correctly set on your server to allow ArrowChat to function properly. Their documentation https://arrowchat.com/docs/ will provide specific requirements.

4. Database Setup

ArrowChat requires a database to store chat logs, user data, and settings.

• Create Database: Using your web hosting control panel e.g., cPanel, Plesk or a database management tool e.g., phpMyAdmin, create a new MySQL or MariaDB database and a corresponding database user with appropriate permissions.
• Note Credentials: Make sure to record the database name, username, and password, as you’ll need these during the installation process.

5. Run the Installation Script

ArrowChat typically comes with an installation script that guides you through the final setup.

• Access Installer URL: Open your web browser and navigate to the URL of the ArrowChat installer. This is usually something like yourwebsite.com/chat/install/ or yourwebsite.com/arrowchat/install/, depending on where you uploaded the files.
• Follow Prompts: The installer will guide you through steps such as:
  • Database Connection: Entering the database credentials you noted earlier.
  • Website Integration: Selecting your existing website platform e.g., WordPress, Joomla, phpBB from their list of integrations. This step is crucial for automatic user synchronization.
  • Admin Account Setup: Creating your ArrowChat administrator account.
• Complete Installation: Once the installer finishes, you should be prompted to delete the installation directory for security reasons.

6. Configure and Customize

After successful installation, you can log into the ArrowChat administration panel to configure and customize your chat.

• Access Admin Panel: Log in to the ArrowChat admin panel using the credentials you set up during installation e.g., yourwebsite.com/chat/admin/.
• General Settings: Adjust basic settings like chat colors, themes https://arrowchat.com/store/search/?c=theme, language, and display options to match your website’s branding.
• User Permissions: Set up group permissions to control which users have access to specific chat features.
• Moderation Settings: This is a crucial step for ethical use. Configure moderation tools, set up filters for inappropriate content, and define rules for user behavior within the chat. Regular monitoring and moderation are essential to ensure the chat environment remains permissible and free from haram content or interactions.
• Integrations: Fine-tune the integration settings with your specific CMS/forum platform to ensure seamless user login, avatar display, and profile linking.

7. Test the Chat

Finally, thoroughly test the chat functionality from both a user and administrator perspective.

• User Experience: Log in as a regular user on your website to ensure the chat appears, users can log in automatically, send messages, and use video chat if configured.
• Admin Features: Test moderation tools, log viewing, and other administrative functions.
• Mobile Test: Verify the mobile chat experience on different devices.

By following these steps, you can get ArrowChat up and running on your website. Streetgarms.com Review

Remember that ongoing vigilance in content moderation is key to maintaining an ethical and beneficial communication platform.

Ethical Considerations for Implementing Live Chat

Implementing live chat functionality on a website introduces a layer of real-time communication that, while beneficial for engagement, carries significant ethical responsibilities, especially from an Islamic perspective. The tool itself, like ArrowChat, is neutral.

Its permissibility and ethical standing are entirely dependent on how it is used, managed, and moderated by the website owner.

1. Content Moderation and Filtering

The most critical ethical consideration is the content exchanged within the chat. Unmoderated or poorly moderated chat can quickly devolve into platforms for inappropriate, harmful, or forbidden discussions.

• Prohibition of Immoral Content: Chats must be vigilantly monitored to prevent the dissemination of content related to:
  • Sexuality and Indecency: Any form of explicit, suggestive, or immoral discussions, images, or links. This includes flirting, dating, or discussions that promote illicit relationships.
  • Blasphemy and Idol Worship: Content that disrespects religious beliefs, promotes polytheism, or demeans sacred figures.
  • Gambling, Alcohol, Narcotics: Discussions or promotion of any activities considered haram in Islam, such as gambling, consumption of alcohol or drugs, or financial fraud.
  • Hate Speech and Harassment: Any form of bullying, slander, backbiting, mocking, or discriminatory language based on race, religion, gender, or any other characteristic.
• Proactive Filtering: Implement automated filters for keywords and phrases that are commonly associated with inappropriate content. While filters are not foolproof, they provide a first line of defense.
• Active Human Moderation: Relying solely on automated tools is insufficient. Dedicated human moderators are essential to review chat logs, respond to user reports, and intervene in real-time to address violations. This requires a commitment of time and resources.
• Clear Guidelines: Establish and prominently display clear chat guidelines and terms of service that explicitly outline permissible and impermissible behavior. Users should be aware of what is expected and the consequences of violating rules.

2. Privacy and Data Security

Handling user data, especially private conversations, demands stringent privacy and security measures. Brainmanager.app Review

• Data Minimization: Only collect and store data that is absolutely necessary for the functioning and moderation of the chat.
• Secure Storage: Ensure that chat logs and user data are stored on secure servers with robust encryption at rest and in transit. Being self-hosted as ArrowChat is gives the website owner more control over this, but also places full responsibility on them.
• Privacy Policy: Maintain a transparent and easily accessible privacy policy that clearly outlines what data is collected, how it is used, who it is shared with if anyone, and how users can access or request deletion of their data.
• User Consent: Obtain explicit consent for data collection and processing, especially for features like video chat or persistent chat logs.
• No Data Exploitation: Ensure that user data from the chat is not used for unethical purposes, such as targeted advertising based on sensitive conversations, or shared with third parties without explicit consent.

3. Purpose and Intent

The overall purpose for which the live chat is implemented is crucial.

• Beneficial Use: The chat should ideally serve a beneficial purpose, such as:
  • Knowledge Sharing: Facilitating discussions on educational topics, religious learning, or skill development.
  • Community Support: Providing a platform for mutual support, advice, and positive interaction within a defined community.
  • Customer Service: Offering real-time assistance and support to users, which is generally permissible and helpful.
  • Halal Entertainment/Socialization: Allowing users to engage in permissible social interaction and build connections within ethical boundaries.
• Avoiding Harassment and Time-Wasting: The chat should not become a platform for idle gossip, unproductive discussions, or activities that promote excessive time-wasting, which can detract from more beneficial pursuits.
• Discouraging Isolation/Excessive Reliance: While fostering community, the chat should not encourage excessive online interaction to the detriment of real-world responsibilities and social connections.

4. Accessibility and Inclusivity

Ensure the chat feature is accessible and inclusive to all users who can ethically participate.

• User-Friendly Design: Design the chat interface to be easy to use for individuals with varying levels of technical proficiency.
• Language Support: If your audience is diverse, provide support for multiple languages.
• Disability Access: Consider accessibility features for users with disabilities e.g., screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation.

5. Accountability and Transparency

Website administrators must be accountable for the environment they create.

• Clear Reporting Mechanisms: Provide easy-to-use mechanisms for users to report inappropriate content or behavior.
• Timely Response: Ensure a system for timely review and action on reported violations.
• Transparency in Enforcement: While respecting privacy, be transparent about the enforcement of guidelines to deter misconduct and build trust within the community.

In conclusion, while ArrowChat provides the technical framework for live communication, the ethical burden rests entirely on the website owner.

A commitment to rigorous moderation, robust privacy measures, and a clear intent to foster beneficial interactions is paramount to ensuring that the implementation of live chat aligns with Islamic ethical principles and contributes positively to the online community.

Ignoring these considerations risks turning a potentially useful tool into a source of harm or moral transgression.

FAQ

ArrowChat.com is a website that sells a self-hosted live chat and video chat software, built on PHP and jQuery, designed to be integrated into existing websites to enable real-time communication among users.

Is ArrowChat a subscription-based service?

No, ArrowChat is not a subscription-based service.

It operates on a one-time license purchase model, meaning you buy the software license outright and there are no recurring monthly or annual fees for the core product.

How much does ArrowChat cost?

The cost of ArrowChat depends on the specific license type you purchase e.g., single domain vs. developer license. They often run sales and promotions.

You can find current pricing on their official “Purchase” page.

What platforms does ArrowChat integrate with?

ArrowChat boasts over 46 integrations with popular platforms including WordPress, BuddyPress, Joomla, phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, Drupal, and various other CMS, forum, and social networking scripts.

Does ArrowChat support video chat?

Yes, ArrowChat supports video chat functionality for both desktop and mobile devices, utilizing integrations with services like agora.io and Vonage.

Is ArrowChat self-hosted?

Yes, ArrowChat is a self-hosted software, meaning you download the files and install them directly on your own web server, giving you full control over your data.

Can I customize the appearance of the ArrowChat?

Yes, ArrowChat offers a fully-featured administration panel that allows you to change colors, settings, and other visual aspects of the chat to match your website’s design.

Does ArrowChat work on mobile devices?

Yes, ArrowChat includes a version specifically tailored for mobile devices, allowing users to access the chat directly within your page on their mobile browsers.

How does ArrowChat handle user logins and profiles?

ArrowChat is designed for automatic synchronization, meaning it will automatically log in your website users when they log into your site, and retrieve their usernames, avatars, and profile links.

What kind of support does ArrowChat offer?

ArrowChat provides support through documentation Docs & API, articles, a user forum, and a client area where you can open support tickets.

Is there a free trial for ArrowChat?

The website mentions “Try for Free” and “Demo” options, which typically allow you to explore the software’s functionality and interface before making a purchase.

Can I get a refund for ArrowChat?

For information regarding refunds, you would need to consult ArrowChat’s “Terms of Use” or contact their sales or support team directly, as refund policies vary.

What are the ethical considerations for using ArrowChat?

The ethical use of ArrowChat depends entirely on the content and purpose of the website it’s integrated into.

Website owners must ensure robust moderation to prevent forbidden content e.g., gambling, immoral behavior, hate speech and protect user privacy.

Are there recurring costs for updates or support?

While the core license is a one-time purchase, some software licenses may offer a limited period of free updates and support.

After this period, you might have the option to purchase an extension for ongoing updates and support, but this is not an automatic recurring fee.

How do I install ArrowChat on my website?

Installation typically involves purchasing a license, downloading the software, uploading it to your web server via FTP, setting up a database, and then running a web-based installer script.

Detailed instructions are usually provided in their documentation.

Does ArrowChat store user chat logs?

Yes, as a chat software, ArrowChat stores chat logs in your database.

As the self-hoster, you are responsible for managing this data, including its security and privacy.

Can I restrict certain features for user groups in ArrowChat?

Yes, ArrowChat’s admin panel allows you to set up group permissions, enabling you to restrict or grant access to specific chat features based on a user’s group on your website.

What is the ArrowChat “Push Service”?

The “Push Service” mentioned on the website https://arrowchat.com/push/ typically refers to a mechanism for real-time notifications, ensuring users receive messages instantly even if they are not actively on the chat page. It’s usually an add-on or a separate service.

Can I create custom themes for ArrowChat?

While ArrowChat offers purchasable themes, its self-hosted nature and use of jQuery and PHP suggest that users with development skills could likely create or customize their own themes to a high degree.

What are the advantages of a self-hosted chat solution like ArrowChat?

Advantages include full control over your data and privacy, a one-time purchase model for long-term cost savings, and potentially deeper integration and customization options compared to third-party hosted solutions.