Tools Reviews · Chatbots & Automation
Best Chatbot Software: 5 Tools to Automate Customer Conversations
Software Comparison • Chatbots • Conversation Automation
A chatbot can greet a visitor, answer a common question, qualify a lead or book a call while your team is busy or offline. The right one depends on where your customers talk to you: your website, WhatsApp, Instagram or Messenger.
In this guide we compare five well-known chatbot builders, show what each publishes about pricing, and explain who each one suits. We focus on one question above all: which tool automates the conversations you actually have, on the channels you actually use, at a price that scales sensibly?
Already know you want an AI-first assistant? See our guide to the best AI chatbot software. This article is wider: it covers builders for website chat and messaging channels. For handing conversations to people, see our best ticketing systems comparison, and for AI pricing models, see the best AI customer support tools.
Editorial note: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and features were checked against each vendor’s official pages on October 17, 2026, and we have not hands-on tested these tools. Vendors change plans often, so confirm current pricing before you buy.
Quick answer: Tidio is an easy start for website chat, with a free plan and paid plans from $24.17 a month. Landbot suits no-code lead-generation flows (plans from €32 a month billed annually). Manychat is built for Instagram, TikTok, Messenger and WhatsApp, from $14 a month. Chatfuel focuses on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook from $18 a month billed yearly, and Botpress is for teams that want to build custom AI agents, from $150 a month on its newer plans.
- Best for website chat with a free plan: Tidio
- Best for no-code lead-generation flows: Landbot
- Best for Instagram and social messaging: Manychat
- Best for WhatsApp-focused automation: Chatfuel
- Best for custom AI agents: Botpress
Each block is one section, sized by how long it is. The orange block is the longest: Frequently Asked Questions (about 1 min). Tap a block to jump.
How a Chatbot Handles a Message
Chatbots fall on a spectrum. Rule-based bots follow flows you design with buttons and branches. AI agents answer from your content. Many tools now combine the two, and all of them need a clear path to a human.
How a chatbot handles a message
The typical path from a visitor message to a result. Steps are generic; each vendor configures them differently.
The steps are a generic workflow, not a claim about any one vendor. Feature references checked on official pages, October 17, 2026.
Chatbots work best when they connect to the rest of your tools. Our guides to the best CRM software for ecommerce, the best appointment scheduling software and the best workflow automation software cover tools you can connect to a bot.
1. Tidio — Best for Website Chat With a Free Plan
Best for: Small businesses and online stores that want live chat, a chatbot and AI replies in one tool.
What Tidio does well
- A free plan includes 50 billable conversations a month and 10 seats, with the first 50 Lyro AI conversations free for the account’s lifetime.
- Includes live chat, ticketing, email management, FAQ upload and a website scraper on the free plan.
- Starter is $24.17 per month with 100 billable conversations; Growth starts at $49.17 per month.
- Flows, its visitor automations, are also sold on their own from $24.17 per month.
Potential drawbacks
- Pricing is conversation-based, so costs can rise as traffic grows.
- The page lists different conversation ranges for Growth in two places, so confirm the exact limit before buying.
- Plus starts at $300 per month plus usage.
Pricing
Free: $0. Starter: $24.17 per month. Growth: from $49.17 per month. Plus: from $300 per month plus usage. Premium: contact for pricing. Source: Tidio pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
2. Landbot — Best for No-Code Lead-Generation Flows
Best for: Marketing and sales teams that want to design conversational lead capture and qualification flows without code.
What Landbot does well
- A free plan includes 100 chats a month, 1 seat, the full builder and templates.
- Starter is €32 per month billed annually (€40 monthly) with 500 chats and 100 AI chats.
- Professional is €80 per month billed annually (€100 monthly) with 2,500 chats, 300 AI chats, no Landbot branding and premium integrations such as HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive.
- A WhatsApp-ready Professional plan is €160 per month, and Business starts at €400 per month.
Potential drawbacks
- Prices are shown in euros; the page offers a USD toggle but did not list dollar amounts when we checked.
- Starter keeps Landbot branding and does not include WhatsApp, which is a paid add-on on Professional.
- Extra chats cost €0.05 each and extra AI chats €0.10 each.
Pricing
Free: €0. Starter: €32 per month billed annually. Professional: €80 per month billed annually. Professional WA: €160. Business: from €400 per month. Prices exclude tax and are shown in euros. Source: Landbot pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
3. Manychat — Best for Instagram and Social Messaging
Best for: Creators, ecommerce brands and marketers who sell and support through Instagram, Messenger, TikTok and WhatsApp.
What Manychat does well
- A free plan includes 25 active contacts, up to 2 channels and basic automations.
- Essential is $14 per month (250 contacts), Pro is $29 (2,500 contacts), Business is $69 (7,500) and Advanced is $139 (25,000).
- Essential removes Manychat branding and adds unlimited automations; Pro adds broadcasts, AI-powered conversations, WhatsApp, SMS and email.
- Annual billing lowers the monthly price by 18% to 30% depending on the plan.
Potential drawbacks
- Pricing is based on active contacts, and overage fees apply when you exceed your limit.
- Lower tiers are limited to two or three channels.
- We could not confirm API access from the pricing page.
Pricing
Free: $0 (25 contacts). Essential: $14 per month. Pro: $29. Business: $69. Advanced: $139. Annual billing is cheaper per month. Source: Manychat pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
4. Chatfuel — Best for WhatsApp-Focused Automation
Best for: Teams that sell and support mainly through WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.
What Chatfuel does well
- The Business plan is $18 per month billed yearly ($216 a year) for one company, with $20 a month in AI credits.
- Agency S is $90 per month billed yearly ($1,080 a year) for up to three companies, with $100 a month in AI credits.
- All plans include AI chatbots, a shared team inbox, a CRM, integrations such as Google Sheets, Zapier and Stripe, and official WhatsApp API access.
- Business features include bulk WhatsApp campaigns, automatic meeting booking in WhatsApp and lead qualification.
Potential drawbacks
- Only yearly prices were listed; monthly-billing prices were not shown.
- Conversation and contact limits are not given numerically on the page.
- The channel focus is WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, so it is not a website-chat tool.
Pricing
Business: $18 per month billed yearly ($216 a year). Agency S: $90 per month billed yearly ($1,080 a year). Each plan starts with a free trial; the trial length is not stated. Source: Chatfuel pricing page, checked October 17, 2026.
5. Botpress — Best for Custom AI Agents
Best for: Teams with some technical skill that want to build and run custom AI agents for support and automation.
What Botpress does well
- A free plan includes 100 conversations.
- Plus is $150 per month with 250 conversations, Team is $750 per month with 1,500 conversations and Built For You is $1,650 per month.
- Paid plans include unlimited bots and Always Alive instant responses at no extra cost.
- Since May 2026, AI usage is bundled into each plan instead of billed separately, and billing counts conversations rather than messages.
Potential drawbacks
- These prices apply only to workspaces created after May 14, 2026; older workspaces keep legacy pricing for now.
- The post gave no dollar figure for the included AI spend.
- Built for builders, so it may be more than a simple FAQ bot needs.
Pricing
Free: $0 (100 conversations). Plus: $150 per month (250 conversations). Team: $750 per month (1,500 conversations). Built For You: $1,650 per month. Enterprise: custom. Source: Botpress pricing update post of May 2026, checked October 17, 2026.
Read Botpress Pricing Update →
Chatbot Software Compared Side by Side
| Tool | Best for | Published pricing | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tidio | Website chat | $24.17 per month and up | Yes (50 conversations a month) |
| Landbot | Lead-generation flows | €32 to €80 per month billed annually; from €400 for Business | Yes (100 chats a month) |
| Manychat | Instagram and social messaging | $14 to $139 per month | Yes (25 contacts) |
| Chatfuel | WhatsApp automation | $18 or $90 per month billed yearly | Free trial |
| Botpress | Custom AI agents | $150 to $1,650 per month | Yes (100 conversations) |
What each tool counts and charges for
The billing unit changes from tool to tool, so volume estimates matter.
Sources: each vendor’s official pricing page or pricing announcement, checked October 17, 2026.
How to Choose the Right Chatbot Software
- You want website chat with a free start: try Tidio.
- You want to capture and qualify leads with flows: look at Landbot.
- Your audience is on Instagram or Messenger: evaluate Manychat.
- Your customers are on WhatsApp: compare Chatfuel.
- You want to build a custom AI agent: look at Botpress.
If you need to pass conversations to a team, our best ticketing systems guide covers ticketing, and the best AI customer support tools guide compares AI add-ons. For a broader view of AI-first assistants, see our best AI chatbot software guide.
What to Look for in Chatbot Software
- Channels: website, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS and email.
- Builder style: visual flows, AI agents or both.
- Handoff: a clear path to a person when the bot is stuck.
- Integrations: your CRM, calendar, store and spreadsheet.
- Billing unit: conversations, chats or active contacts.
- Branding: whether the free or entry plan carries vendor branding.
- Data and compliance: where chat data is stored and how it can be exported.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chatbot software?
It is software that lets you build bots that talk to customers on your website or messaging apps, answering questions, collecting details and handing complex chats to a person.
What is the difference between a rule-based chatbot and an AI chatbot?
A rule-based bot follows flows you design with buttons and branches. An AI chatbot generates answers from content you provide. Many tools offer both.
Do I need to code to build a chatbot?
Not with most of these tools. Tidio, Landbot, Manychat and Chatfuel are built around visual builders. Botpress is aimed at teams that want more control.
Which chatbot is best for WhatsApp?
Chatfuel is focused on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, and Manychat supports WhatsApp from its Pro plan. Landbot offers WhatsApp as an add-on or on a WhatsApp-ready plan.
Are there free chatbot tools?
Yes. Tidio, Landbot, Manychat and Botpress list free plans with limits, and Chatfuel starts with a free trial.
How much does chatbot software cost?
Published entry paid plans range from $14 a month (Manychat Essential) to $150 a month (Botpress Plus). Volume, channels and billing units differ, so compare on your expected traffic.
Will a chatbot replace live chat?
It usually works alongside it. A bot handles common questions and collects details, while people handle exceptions. See our best ticketing systems guide for the human side.
How do I measure whether a chatbot works?
Look at resolution or completion rates, handoff reasons, leads captured and the questions it could not answer, then improve the content or flows.
What should I ask a vendor?
Ask how conversations or contacts are counted, what happens at your limit, which channels cost extra, how handoff works and how you can export your data.
Final Verdict
There is no single best chatbot software; it depends on your channels, your volume and how technical your team is. Tidio is an easy start for website chat, Landbot fits lead-generation flows, Manychat fits social messaging, Chatfuel fits WhatsApp and Botpress fits custom AI agents. Shortlist two, run a free plan with real conversations and confirm current pricing before you commit.
Want your chatbot on a fast, well-built site? Our WordPress development team can help.
Sources
Jaykishan Panchal
Founder, TechCognate · SEO Strategist & WordPress Expert
Jaykishan Panchal is the founder of TechCognate and an SEO strategist with 15+ years of hands-on experience driving organic growth for businesses worldwide. He specialises in technical SEO, content strategy and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), helping brands stay visible in both traditional search and AI-driven discovery.
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