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Our editors evaluate chatbot software against the same seven published criteria - hands-on setup, the core support workflow, automation and AI, integrations, reporting and analytics, pricing and value, and vendor support and documentation. The ranking below is editorial: it follows that methodology, and paid partnerships are labeled and kept separate. Full hands-on reviews are linked from each pick.
At a glance
A quick side-by-side of every tool in the ranking. Pricing and detailed scoring land with each full review.
| # | Tool | Best for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Landbot | Best no-code chatbot builder | Free plan; paid from €32/month for 500 chats, billed annually |
| 2 |  Intercom | Best for AI-powered support | See pricing |
| 3 |  Botpress | Best for multichannel AI bots | Free plan; paid from $150/month, billed annually |
| 4 |  Voiceflow | Best for custom chat and voice agents | Usage-based; pricing through sales |
| 5 |  Tidio | Best for small e-commerce | Free plan; Flows from $24.17/month, Lyro from $32.50/month, billed annually |
| 6 |  Chatbase | Best for quick AI answers from your content | From $32/month for 700 message credits, billed annually |
| 7 |  Ada | Best for automated resolutions | Custom quote through sales |
| 8 |  Crisp | Best all-in-one messaging | Free for 2 agents; paid from $45/month for 4 agents |
| 9 |  ManyChat | Best for social channel bots | Free for 25 contacts; paid from $14/month, billed annually |
| 10 |  Chatfuel | Best for WhatsApp and Instagram bots | From $18/month, billed annually |
| 11 |  Collect.chat | Best for lead-capture forms | Free plan; paid from $14/month, billed annually |
The 11 best chatbot software tools
Ranked by our editors against the methodology below. Each verdict, pros/cons, and price is filled in as our hands-on review of that tool is published.
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1. Landbot
Best no-code chatbot builderTrade-off Prices are in euros, WhatsApp costs an extra €100 a month or more plus Meta message fees, and Landbot branding stays until the Professional plan.
No-code chatbot builder with a visual, drag-and-drop conversation editor. Its visual, no-code builder mixes scripted flows with AI answers from your knowledge base, and runs on websites and the official WhatsApp Business API. A takeover block hands chats to a live agent along with the conversation history. It suits marketing and support teams that want guided bot flows without developers.
Pros
- Free plan with 100 web chats a month and no card
- Every paid plan includes a monthly allowance of AI chats
- Official WhatsApp Business API, with Landbot handling the application
- HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive and Zoho integrations from Professional
Cons
- Landbot branding on the Free and Starter plans
- CRM integrations, webhooks and API start on Professional at €80 a month
- WhatsApp adds €100 a month plus Meta message fees
- No help desk integration such as Zendesk is named
Best for Best no-code chatbot builder. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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2. Intercom
Best for AI-powered supportTrade-off The specific strengths and limitations of Intercom are documented here once our hands-on review is complete.
AI-first customer service platform pairing live chat with the Fin resolution agent. Full verdict in progress - this slot will summarize how Intercom performed against our testing criteria: where it stood out, where it fell short, and the kind of team it fits.
Pros
Cons
Best for Best for AI-powered support. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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3. Botpress
Best for multichannel AI botsTrade-off The first paid plan costs $150 a month billed annually for 250 conversations, and overage auto-recharge cannot be turned off.
AI agent and chatbot platform with a visual builder, a free tier, and pricing per conversation. It builds AI agents for web chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Slack, Microsoft Teams and more, using a visual Studio or code for advanced builds, and hands conversations off to Intercom, HubSpot, LiveChat or Freshchat. Pricing is per conversation with no per-seat fees. It suits teams that want a capable multichannel bot and have some technical help.
Pros
- Free plan with 100 conversations a month, 3 AI agents and 3 seats
- No per-seat fees, with unlimited seats on the Team plan
- Branding removal included from the Plus plan
- Handoff to Intercom, HubSpot, LiveChat, Freshchat and Zoho SalesIQ
Cons
- Paid plans start at $150 a month for 250 conversations
- Overage auto-recharge cannot be turned off
- Voice is only on the Enterprise plan
- Advanced builds may need developer skills
Best for Best for multichannel AI bots. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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4. Voiceflow
Best for custom chat and voice agentsTrade-off Plan prices are not published and billing is usage-based, so costs depend on traffic and the models you choose.
Platform for building chat and voice AI agents with your choice of language models. It builds chat and voice AI agents, lets you choose or bring your own language model, and includes development, staging and production environments. It connects to tools such as Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot and Shopify. It suits product and CX teams building custom agents.
Pros
- Choice of language models, or bring your own
- Integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot and Shopify
- Separate development, staging and production environments
- Chat and voice agents in one platform
Cons
- No public plan prices
- No free plan is listed on its pricing page
- Costs vary with the AI model and voice vendor
- Advanced builds use custom code and the API
Best for Best for custom chat and voice agents. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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5. Tidio
Best for small e-commerceTrade-off Flows, Lyro and live chat are each billed separately by usage, so costs grow in several places at once as traffic rises.
Live chat and chatbots with the Lyro AI assistant, aimed at online stores. It combines rule-based chatbot Flows with the Lyro AI agent and live chat, so a bot can answer, collect details or hand over to a person in the same widget. Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp work alongside website chat. It suits small online stores that want chatbots and human chat in one tool.
Pros
- Free plan with 50 billable conversations and 50 one-time Lyro conversations
- Flows from $24.17 a month for 2,000 visitors reached
- Lyro AI agent from $32.50 a month, billed annually
- 7-day trial of paid plans and add-ons
Cons
- Lyro's entry quota is 50 conversations a month
- Removing Tidio branding is a $16.67 a month add-on on Growth, and not offered below it
- Self-serve plans are capped at 10 seats
- Prices for higher Lyro and Flows volumes are not published
Best for Best for small e-commerce. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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6. Chatbase
Best for quick AI answers from your contentTrade-off Each plan includes one AI agent, help desk integrations and the takeover inbox start on Standard at $120 a month.
AI chatbot trained on your website and documents, with help desk handoff and voice. It trains an AI chatbot on your website, documents and FAQs without code, and runs it on your site, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Slack and email, with voice from the Standard plan. It connects to Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, HubSpot and Salesforce and has its own inbox for human takeover. It suits teams that want an AI chatbot answering from their own content quickly.
Pros
- No-code setup that trains on your website and documents
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral and other models
- Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, HubSpot and Salesforce integrations from Standard
- Built-in inbox with human takeover from Standard
Cons
- No free plan, only a 7-day trial
- One AI agent per plan; extra agents cost $300 a year each
- Removing Chatbase branding costs $1,188 a year
- Hobby plan has no API, help desk integrations or voice
Best for Best for quick AI answers from your content. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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7. Ada
Best for automated resolutionsTrade-off Ada publishes no prices and sells only through a demo and business case with its sales team, so you cannot estimate the cost or try it on your own.
No-code AI agent platform focused on automated, resolution-first conversations. It runs one AI agent across web chat, WhatsApp, SMS, social channels, email and voice, and hands conversations to Zendesk, Salesforce, ServiceNow and other help desks with full context. It lists SOC 2, HIPAA and PCI DSS compliance. It suits large support teams that want an enterprise chatbot on top of an existing help desk.
Pros
- Handoff to Zendesk, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Gorgias, Help Scout and more
- One agent setup runs across web chat, WhatsApp, SMS, social and email
- Voice agent works alongside an existing phone system and numbers
- Lists SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR and PCI DSS compliance
Cons
- No public pricing or published billing model
- No free trial or self-serve signup
- Built for large teams; small teams are a weaker fit
- Setup runs through an Ada representative
Best for Best for automated resolutions. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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8. Crisp
Best all-in-one messagingTrade-off AI use is limited by the credits in each plan, the free plan has none, and removing Crisp branding needs the Plus plan at $295 a month.
Multichannel messaging, shared inbox, and chatbots for growing teams. Its chatbot and AI agent run in the same inbox as human chat, across website chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram and more, with AI credits included from the Mini plan. Pricing is a flat fee per workspace with unlimited conversations. It suits small teams that want a bot and live agents in one tool.
Pros
- Free plan for 2 agents with no time limit
- Flat workspace pricing with 4, 10 or 20 agents included
- Unlimited conversations on every plan
- 14-day trial of every feature with no card
Cons
- Free plan includes no AI credits
- WhatsApp, SMS and the knowledge base start on Essentials
- White labelling needs Plus at $295 a month
- The price of extra AI credits is not published
Best for Best all-in-one messaging. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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9. ManyChat
Best for social channel botsTrade-off WhatsApp, SMS, email, AI features and integrations all need the Pro plan or higher, and its AI auto-reply features work only on Instagram and are in beta.
Chatbot builder specialized for social and messaging-channel automation. It automates conversations on Instagram, TikTok, Messenger, Telegram, WhatsApp, SMS and email, with unlimited automations from the Essential plan and a shared inbox for live replies. Pricing is based on active contacts per month. It suits brands that sell to and support customers mainly through social media.
Pros
- Paid plans from $14 a month, billed annually
- Broad social channel list, including TikTok and Telegram
- Unlimited automations from the Essential plan
- 14-day trial on Essential and Pro
Cons
- WhatsApp, SMS, email, AI and API need Pro at $29 a month or more
- AI auto-replies work only on Instagram and are in beta
- WhatsApp messages carry per-message fees
- No website chat widget is listed in its plan details
Best for Best for social channel bots. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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10. Chatfuel
Best for WhatsApp and Instagram botsTrade-off It focuses on Meta channels, with no voice or email and no named help desk integrations, and AI use is capped by monthly credits and a fair-use limit.
Chatbot builder for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook with flat pricing and AI credits included. It builds bots for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook with a visual builder, and its Business plan includes $20 of AI credits a month. It is an official Meta Business Partner and WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, with a team inbox for human replies. It suits small businesses that sell to and support customers on Meta's messaging apps.
Pros
- From $18 a month, billed annually
- Official Meta Business Partner and WhatsApp provider
- No-code templates and visual builder
- In-chat payments through Stripe
Cons
- No voice or email channel
- No named help desk integrations
- AI use capped by credits and a fair-use limit
- Agency plan covers only 3 companies
Best for Best for WhatsApp and Instagram bots. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
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11. Collect.chat
Best for lead-capture formsTrade-off It has no AI answer bot and no live chat or human handoff, so it does not replace a support chatbot.
Conversational forms and lead-capture chatbots for websites. It builds scripted, chat-style forms that qualify leads, book appointments and take payments, and embeds them on a website as a chat widget, inline or as a full page. A free plan covers 100 responses a month. It suits small businesses that want to capture leads or bookings rather than answer support questions.
Pros
- Free plan with 100 responses a month and no card
- Paid plans from $14 a month, billed annually
- Appointment booking, payments and phone verification built in
- Integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Sheets and Zapier
Cons
- Free plan limited to 100 responses and 3 forms
- New submissions pause when you reach the plan limit
- No live chat or human handoff
- AI only helps build forms, not answer questions
Best for Best for lead-capture forms. Full confirmation lands with our complete review of this category.
How do we pick chatbot software?
Every tool is reviewed against the same seven published criteria by our editorial reviewer - not by vendors, and not by ad spend. A sponsored vendor is never placed at number one, and paid placements are labeled and kept separate from the ranking.
- Hands-on setupHow long it takes to connect a mailbox or install the widget and reach a first resolved conversation.
- Core support workflowRouting, assignment, macros, and SLAs under real ticket volume.
- Automation and AIHow much bots and AI replies resolve versus hand back to a person.
- IntegrationsDepth of the CRM, e-commerce, and channel integrations, and the setup each one needs.
- Reporting and analyticsResolution time, CSAT, and volume by channel without exporting to a spreadsheet.
- Pricing and valueThe real cost at a realistic seat count, usage charges, and what higher tiers gate.
- Support and documentationHow responsive the vendor is, and whether its docs and onboarding get a new team productive.
Read the full, named methodology on our How We Test page.
How to choose chatbot software?
The right pick comes down to your channels, how much you need to automate, your existing integrations, and a live trial. Work through these four checks before you commit:
- Map your channels Decide where customers reach you - email, live chat, social, or in-app - and shortlist tools that cover them.
- Weigh automation Estimate how much volume an AI agent or macros could deflect before you pay per seat.
- Check the integrations Confirm the tool connects to your store, CRM, and billing without custom work.
- Trial with real tickets Run a week of live conversations before committing to an annual plan.
How much does chatbot software cost?
Chatbot builders charge by usage, but each counts it differently. Landbot counts chats, from €32 a month (billed annually) for 500. Botpress counts conversations, from $150 a month for 250. Chatbase counts message credits, from $32 a month for 700. ManyChat counts active contacts, from $14 a month for 250. Voiceflow bills by usage and quotes through sales. Flat-fee tools are simpler: Chatfuel costs $18 a month with $20 of AI credits, Crisp $45 a month for 4 agents with AI credits included, and Collect.chat from $14 a month. Ada quotes through sales. Expect extra costs for going over your plan, for WhatsApp, where Meta charges per message, and for removing the vendor's branding from the widget. Prices checked on each vendor's site in October 2026.
Where do I buy chatbot software?
Each tool is bought directly from its vendor on a monthly or annual subscription. From any pick above, follow through to our full review for current plans, then start a trial or request a demo. Links marked as partners are paid placements and are labeled as such.
Frequently asked questions
How do we rank these tools?
Every tool is reviewed against the same seven criteria: setup, the core support workflow, automation and AI, integrations, reporting, pricing and value, and vendor support. Vendors cannot pay for a better position, and a sponsored vendor is never placed first. Paid placements appear only in the labeled Featured Partner box. Full details are on our How We Test page.
Is there a free chatbot software option?
Yes, with small limits. Landbot's free plan covers 100 chats a month with no AI chats, Botpress's covers 100 conversations with 3 AI agents, and Collect.chat's covers 100 responses and 3 forms. Tidio's free plan includes 50 billable conversations plus 50 lifetime Lyro AI conversations. Crisp is free for 2 agents but includes no AI credits.
Can I try a paid plan before buying?
Yes, for most self-serve tools. Landbot gives 14 days on its paid plans with no card, then moves you to its free plan. Crisp offers 14 days of every feature with no card. Tidio and Chatbase offer 7-day trials, and Chatfuel says every plan starts with a free trial. Ada offers only a demo request with its team.
How long does it take to set up?
A basic bot can go live once you pick a template or point an AI agent at your website and help content, then add the widget to your site or connect a messaging channel. WhatsApp takes longer because Meta must approve your business account; Landbot says this usually takes one to two weeks. Plan the human handoff before launch.
What happens if we go over our plan's limits?
It depends on the vendor. Botpress adds a 100-conversation pack automatically at 95 percent of your quota, at $65 on Plus or $50 on Team, and this cannot be turned off. Landbot charges €0.05 per extra chat and €0.10 per extra AI chat. Chatbase can auto-recharge at $40 per 1,000 credits. Collect.chat pauses new submissions until the next billing cycle.
How do AI credits work in chatbot software?
Many builders include a fixed AI allowance and charge for more. Crisp includes $5 of AI credits on Mini, $25 on Essentials and $75 on Plus, which it estimates at around 90, 450 and 1,350 automated conversations. Chatfuel Business includes $20 of AI credits a month. Botpress includes $25 of AI spend on Plus and $150 on Team.
Which chatbots work on WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger?
Several do. Tidio lists Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp on every plan, including Free. Botpress has WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Slack, Microsoft Teams and Telegram integrations. Chatfuel is built for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook and is a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider. Crisp connects WhatsApp and Instagram from Essentials. Landbot adds a WhatsApp number for €100 a month on Professional.
Can a chatbot answer questions from our own content?
Yes, that is the main job of AI chatbots such as Chatbase, which connects an agent to your data sources and allows 40 MB of training content on every listed plan. Its Pro plan also lets you use past support tickets as a training source. Crisp adds a knowledge base from its Essentials plan, at $95 a month.
Can the chatbot hand a conversation to a human agent?
Yes, in most tools. Landbot's Human Takeover block passes chats to agents in a team inbox, and Tidio and Chatfuel include live chat or a team inbox. Botpress hands off to Intercom, LiveChat, Freshchat and HubSpot. Chatbase adds its helpdesk inbox, plus Zendesk, Intercom and Freshdesk integrations, from its Standard plan at $120 a month billed yearly.
Can we remove the vendor's branding from the chat widget?
Usually only on higher plans or for a fee. Landbot removes its branding from the Professional plan, and Botpress offers a whitelabel webchat from Plus. Tidio charges $16.67 a month on Growth and includes removal on Plus. Chatbase charges $1,188 a year to remove its branding. Crisp's white labelling needs the Plus plan at $295 a month.
Which chatbot is best for lead capture rather than support?
Collect.chat is built for chat-style forms rather than support conversations. It handles appointment booking, payments through Stripe, Razorpay or PayPal, and phone number checks by SMS code. Its paid plans start at $14 a month billed yearly for 1,000 responses, and only completed forms count toward the limit. Its pricing page lists no live chat.
Which chatbot suits a large enterprise support team?
Ada is aimed at large teams. It covers voice, messaging and email, and lists SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR and PCI DSS compliance, but it publishes no prices and offers only a demo request. Voiceflow suits teams building custom agents, with a choice of major language models or your own, and separate development, staging and production environments.
References
Sources and testing notes will be listed here as the reviews behind this ranking are published.
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