Chat (Better Messages)

Private messages backed by Better Messages, with group conversations as well as one-to-one.

One chat backend per app

This and Chat are mutually exclusive. The builder refuses the second one.

Before you start

Plugin	Better Messages
Endpoint group	Better Messages
Plan	Every plan

Add it to your app

1. Drag Chat — the card whose subtitle reads Better Messages — onto a navigation bar.
2. Set a Title.

Both chat features are labelled Chat and carry the same icon. The plugin name under the card is what tells them apart.

Settings

Setting	What it does	Default
Title, Description	Shown at the top	Empty
Restrictions	Which roles see the tab	Everyone

What your members see

An inbox of conversations, one-to-one and group, with unread badges. Opening a conversation shows the thread and a reply field.

Group conversations are the reason to choose this backend over Chat.

Moderation

Better Messages distinguishes ordinary members from moderators, and the app respects that split — a moderator sees the moderation actions the plugin grants them, and an ordinary member does not.

Your site’s own messaging policies still apply. If Better Messages is configured to restrict who may start a conversation, the app enforces the same rule rather than working around it.

Realtime

Better Messages has its own realtime behaviour on the web. In the app, live delivery comes from Realtime; without it, messages arrive on refresh.

When it does not work

Symptom	Cause	Fix
The inbox is empty	The Better Messages group is off	Enable it
The feature will not drop	A chat feature is already placed	Remove the other one
You placed the wrong Chat	Both are labelled Chat	Check the plugin name on the card
Group conversations are missing	Groups are disabled in Better Messages	Enable them there
Members cannot start conversations	The plugin’s own policy	Check its settings
Messages only arrive on refresh	Realtime is not connected	Realtime