11 Best Chatbot Software in 2026

You're losing customers while they wait for replies.

Someone lands on your website at 11 PM with a question about pricing. They wait. No response. They leave. You just lost a sale.

Your support team answers the same questions repeatedly.

• What’s your refund policy?
• How do I reset my password?
• Where is my order?

Problems that should take seconds consume hours of their time

The right chatbot handles this automatically. It answers common questions instantly, qualifies leads while you sleep, and scales your support without hiring more agents.

But here's the problem: most platforms either frustrate customers with robotic responses or drain your budget as you grow.

We tested the top options and found which ones actually work. This guide breaks down 11 best chatbot software platforms with their features, pricing, and performance. You'll discover what small businesses need, what suits enterprises, and which tools work best for specific needs like ecommerce stores or customer support teams.

Let's see what each platform does well, where it fails, and which one matches your needs.

What is Chatbot Software & Why Your Business Needs It

Chatbot software automates conversations with your customers using AI or pre-set rules. Instead of hiring more support agents, you set up a bot that answers common questions, qualifies leads, and helps visitors find what they need.

There are two main types:

Rule-based chatbots work like a flowchart. Customer clicks an option, bot shows the next step. They're simple and reliable for basic tasks like checking order status or booking appointments.

AI-powered chatbots understand natural language. They figure out what customers mean, not just match keywords. They learn from every conversation and handle complex questions without needing constant updates. This helps businesses scale support without expanding their team.

Why You Need One

Automation isn't the only benefit. It's freeing your team from repetitive work so they can focus on problems that actually need human judgment. Chatbots handle the routine stuff instantly while your best agents tackle complex issues that drive real value.

Plus, customers prefer it. They get immediate answers instead of filling out forms and waiting. No friction, no frustration.

11 Best Chatbot Software for Business

The right chatbot software depends on what you're trying to solve. Need instant customer support? Lead generation? Automated sales conversations? Different platforms handle different jobs.

We tested these options for setup speed, pricing, and real performance. This guide shows you what each platform does well, where it falls short, and which one matches your business needs.

Quick Comparison: Best Chatbot Software at a Glance

Now let's dive into what each platform does well, where it falls short, and which one matches your needs.

1. Chatbase

Best for: Businesses wanting AI chatbots trained on their own data without technical setup

Chatbase lets you build AI chatbots trained on your actual business content. Upload documents, paste your website URL, or connect your knowledge base, and the AI learns automatically. It answers customer questions based on your real information, not generic templates.

Setup takes under 10 minutes. No coding required. Just feed it your content, customize the widget, and embed it on your site with a simple code snippet.

When customers ask questions, Chatbase pulls answers directly from your docs. If the AI can't resolve something, it smoothly hands the conversation to your support team with full context. Your agents see the entire chat history and continue from there.

Connect Chatbase with other tools through integrations to expand functionality beyond answering questions.

Pros:

• Quick deployment (live in minutes)
• Easy to customize and manage
• Works across multiple channels (website, Slack, WhatsApp)
• Multi-language support (80+ languages)
• Affordable for small teams

Cons:

• Free plan limited to 100 messages/month
• Advanced features require paid plans

Pricing:

• Free: 100 messages/month
• Hobby: $40/month
• Standard: $150/month
• Pro: $500/month
• Enterprise: Custom

2. Manychat

Best for: Social media marketing automation and lead generation across Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and SMS

Manychat automates conversations on Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS, and email. Built for marketing teams, it sends broadcasts, creates automated sequences, and captures leads through multiple channels.

Setup uses a visual flow builder with drag-and-drop blocks. Pre-built templates launch campaigns fast for abandoned carts, lead qualification, or customer engagement. No coding required.

It handles automated responses and transfers conversations to live agents when customers need human help. You can segment audiences, trigger messages based on behavior, and track results with analytics.

Pros:

• Visual flow builder, easy to use
• Multi-channel support (social, SMS, email)
• Automated broadcasts and sequences
• Affordable starting price for small businesses

Cons:

• Pro plan pricing scales with contact count
• AI features cost extra ($29/month add-on)
• Limited website chat functionality

Pricing:

• Free: Up to 1,000 contacts (Instagram and Facebook only)
• Pro: Starting at $15/month (for first 500 contacts, scales up)
• AI Add-on: $29/month

3. Tidio

Best for: Small businesses and ecommerce stores needing affordable live chat with AI support

Tidio combines live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing in one platform. It's designed for small to medium businesses that want affordable customer support without complexity.

The platform offers Lyro, an AI assistant that handles common questions using natural language. You can also build custom chatbots with a visual flow builder. Lyro handles general questions while your custom flows manage specific scenarios.

Setup is simple. Add the widget to your website, connect your preferred channels, and start chatting. The interface is clean and beginner-friendly. Tidio also integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, making it popular with online stores.

Pros:

• Easy setup
• AI assistant (Lyro) with natural language
• Deep ecommerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce)
• Good mobile app for support teams

Cons:

• Conversation limits can spike costs unexpectedly with high traffic
• AI and chat features billed separately
• Limited advanced automation options

Pricing:

• Free: $0/month (50 conversations)
• Starter: $29/month (100 conversations)
• Growth: $59/month (250 conversations, scales with usage)
• Tidio+: Starting at $749/month
• Premium: Starting at $2,999/month

4. Intercom

Best for: Mid-sized companies and enterprises needing advanced AI automation with omnichannel support

Intercom combines live chat, email, help desk, and AI automation in one platform. Built for mid-sized to enterprise teams, it handles support, sales, and marketing from a unified inbox.

The platform features Fin AI, an AI agent that resolves customer questions using your help center content. It answers common queries automatically and routes complex issues to your team with full context. Note that Fin charges $0.99 per successful resolution on top of seat fees.

You'll spend more time configuring Intercom than simpler tools. You get customer segmentation, targeted messaging, and detailed analytics. Intercom integrates with major CRMs and business tools.

Pros:

• Powerful AI agent (Fin) handles complex queries
• Unified inbox for all channels
• Advanced segmentation and targeting
• Strong CRM and business tool integrations

Cons:

• Expensive with AI resolution fees ($0.99 per resolution)
• Complex pricing structure
• Steep learning curve for new users

Pricing:

• Essential: $39/month per seat
• Advanced: $99/month per seat
• Expert: $139/month per seat
• Plus: Fin AI costs $0.99 per successful resolution
• 14-day free trial available

5. Botpress

Best for: Technical teams and developers needing highly customizable AI chatbots with API integrations

Botpress is a cloud-based platform for building AI chatbots with advanced customization. It's designed for developers and technical teams who need full control over chatbot logic and integrations.

Build flows visually or access code-level customization through JavaScript blocks. You can create complex conversation flows, connect to external APIs, and deploy across 10+ channels including websites, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Slack.

Botpress uses LLM-powered AI with knowledge base training. Upload your PDFs, docs, or website content, and the bot uses RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) to answer questions. You can still build custom logic flows for specific workflows.

Pros:

• Advanced flow builder with custom JavaScript
• LLM-powered with knowledge base training
• Multi-channel deployment (10+ channels)
• Flexible API and database connections

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge and coding
• Steeper learning curve than no-code tools
• Usage costs scale with messages and features

Pricing:

• Free: $5 in AI credits (~1,000-2,000 messages), up to 5 bots
• Plus: $89/month (removes branding, 25% usage discount)
• Team: $495/month (collaboration features)
• Usage fees: ~$10 per 5,000 extra messages

6. Olark

Best for: Small businesses wanting simple, human-first live chat without automation complexity

Olark is a straightforward live chat platform built for small to mid-sized businesses. It focuses on simple, reliable chat without the complexity of advanced AI or automation features.

The platform offers real-time chat with your website visitors, customizable chat boxes, and basic reporting. You can see who's on your site, their location, and what pages they're viewing before the chat begins. Team members can handle multiple conversations and use canned responses for common questions.

Olark integrates with popular CRMs, help desks, and business tools. The setup is quick - add a code snippet to your website and start chatting. It includes rule-based triggers for targeted messages based on visitor behavior.

Pros:

• Easy setup (under 5 minutes)
• Real-time visitor monitoring with detailed insights
• Customizable chat widget
• Good CRM and help desk integrations

Cons:

• No AI or advanced automation features
• Expensive add-ons (branding removal costs $59/month extra)
• Limited free plan (1 agent, 20 chats/month)

Pricing:

• Free: 1 agent, 20 chats/month
• Standard: $29/month per agent
• Pro: Custom pricing (includes AI CoPilot)
• PowerUps: Additional costs for branding removal, translation, etc.

7. LiveChat

Best for: Professional support teams needing reliable live chat with built-in ticketing and extensive integrations

LiveChat is a customer service platform combining live chat, ticketing, and analytics. It handles conversations across websites, mobile apps, and social media channels.

The platform offers real-time chat with features like intelligent routing, canned responses, and chat tagging. You can track visitor behavior with "Sneak Peek" to see what customers type before they send. The platform converts unresolved chats into follow-up tickets automatically.

LiveChat integrates with over 200 tools including CRMs, email platforms, and ecommerce systems. It includes chat archives, detailed reports, and customer satisfaction surveys.

Pros:

• Built-in ticketing system for follow-ups
• Over 200+ integrations available
• Strong reporting and analytics
• Top-rated mobile app for agents

Cons:

• Expensive and scales quickly with team size
• Chatbot features require separate ChatBot.com subscription ($52/month)
• Starter plan limited to 60-day chat history

Pricing:

• Starter: $25/month per agent (60-day history)
• Team: $59/month per agent (unlimited history)
• Business: $89/month per agent (advanced features)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

8. Landbot

Best for: Marketing teams wanting visually engaging chatbots for lead generation and landing pages

Landbot is a no-code chatbot builder focused on creating conversational experiences for websites, WhatsApp, and messaging apps. It's designed for marketing and lead generation teams who want interactive, engaging chat flows.

The platform uses a visual builder where you design conversations as flowcharts. You design each block as a question, response, or action. You can add images, videos, buttons, and forms to create engaging experiences.

Landbot now includes AI capabilities with its AI Agent for handling open-ended conversations. It integrates with Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, and CRMs for lead management and automation.

Pros:

• Beautiful, user-friendly interface
• Visual no-code builder with drag-and-drop
• AI Agent for open conversations
• Highly customizable with media and buttons

Cons:

• Expensive compared to alternatives
• WhatsApp requires separate pricing (€80-€160/month)
• branding removal costs extra €9/month

Pricing:

• Sandbox: Free (100 chats/month, with branding)
• Starter: €40/month
• Pro: €100/month (includes AI Agent)
• WhatsApp Starter: €80/month
• WhatsApp Pro: €160/month

9. Zendesk

Best for: Mid-to-large organizations needing high-volume automation and unified omnichannel support

Zendesk is a comprehensive customer service platform that unifies live chat, email, phone, and social media channels in a single workspace for teams managing thousands of customer interactions.

The platform includes AI-powered chatbots that answer common questions using your help center content. Essential AI is built-in, but advanced features like sentiment analysis and Agent Copilot require a $50/agent/month add-on. When escalation is needed, agents get full conversation context.

Each plan limits AI resolutions (5-15 per agent/month), with additional successful resolutions costing $1.50-$2.00 each.

Pros:

• Superior AI reads help articles and responds immediately
• Unified workspace for all channels (email, chat, phone, social)
• Handles hundreds of agents without performance issues
• Advanced reporting and analytics

Cons:

• Outcome-based AI costs can create unexpected bills
• Advanced AI features require $50/agent/month add-on
• Complex setup (typically 4-8 weeks for full deployment)

Pricing:

• Suite Team: $69/month per agent (5 AI resolutions included)
• Suite Professional: $149/month per agent (10 AI resolutions)
• Suite Enterprise: $219/month per agent (15 AI resolutions)
• Advanced AI Add-on: $50/agent/month

10. Chatfuel

Best for: Service-based businesses and brands focusing on social media client interaction and lead generation

Chatfuel is a chatbot platform designed for Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp automation. Built for businesses that interact with clients on social media and automate sales conversations.

The platform uses a visual builder to create automated flows without coding. Chatfuel's AI Agent trains on your website or PDFs using ChatGPT. The standout feature is Comment-to-DM automation: when someone comments on your post, the bot sends them a direct message automatically.

It integrates with Google Sheets, Zapier, and popular business tools. The platform offers a website widget that captures leads and funnels them into social DMs.

Pros:

• Official Meta Partner with reliable Comment-to-DM triggers
• Affordable AI capabilities starting at $15/month
• No coding required with drag-and-drop builder
• Strong Instagram Story Reply automation

Cons:

• Split billing (WhatsApp and Instagram need separate subscriptions)
• Conversation limits can spike costs with viral posts
• Focused on marketing automation, not help desk support

Pricing:

• Free: $0 (50 conversations/month)
• FB/IG Business: $15/month (500 conversations)
• WhatsApp Business: $29/month (1,000 conversations)
• Enterprise: $400/month (dedicated manager, custom builds)

11. Kommunicate

Best for: Companies needing AI support with native mobile app integration and multilingual capabilities

Kommunicate combines AI chatbots with live chat for customer support. The platform trains generative AI on your knowledge base in under 60 seconds by pointing it at your URL or uploading a PDF.

The platform offers iOS and Android SDKs, making it a good fit for companies that want to embed chat inside their own mobile applications. It supports websites, mobile apps, WhatsApp, and Facebook.

The platform routes chats based on agent workload or expertise. Real-time translation handles over 100 languages automatically between customers and agents.

Pros:

• Fast AI training from URL or PDF
• Mobile app SDKs for iOS and Android
• Real-time translation for 100+ languages
• Predictable pricing without per-resolution fees

Cons:

• No marketing automation or broadcast features
• Dashboard can feel overwhelming with features
• Extra agents cost $20/month each beyond plan limits

Pricing:

• Lite: $40/month (2 agents, 1,000 bot conversations)
• Advanced: $100/month (3 agents, 5,000 bot conversations)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing
• 30-day free trial available

Best Practices for Implementing Chatbot Software

Getting your chatbot up and running is just the start. Here's how to make sure it actually delivers results.

Start with Clear Goals

Don't deploy a chatbot for business just because everyone else has one. Define what you want it to do.

• Are you trying to reduce support tickets?
• Capture more leads?
• Qualify prospects before they talk to sales?

Your goal determines which platform you choose and how you train it.

Train Your Bot on Real Customer Questions

Train your chatbot on actual conversations, not what you think customers will ask. Review your support tickets, emails, and chat logs.

What questions come up repeatedly?

What confuses people?

Use this data to train your bot so it handles real problems.

Set Up Smart Escalation Rules

Your business chatbot won't handle everything perfectly. That's fine. The key is knowing when to hand off to humans.

Set clear rules: complex issues go to agents immediately, simple questions get resolved by the bot, and anything in between gets escalated if the customer seems frustrated.

Keep It Simple at First

Start with basic use cases.

• Answer FAQs
• Collect contact information
• Handle appointment bookings

Once those work smoothly, expand to more complex workflows. You'll likely fail if you try automating everything on day one.

Monitor and Improve

Check your analytics weekly.

• Which questions does your chatbot handle well?
• Where does it struggle?
• What makes customers ask for a human agent?

Use this feedback to refine responses, add new training data, and improve conversation flows. The right solution depends on your specific needs, so focus on what actually helps your customers.

Conclusion

You've just reviewed 11 best chatbot software platforms. You know what each one does, where it fits, and what it costs.

The right chatbot depends on what you're actually trying to solve.

Need instant customer support? Go with platforms strong in automation.

Running social media campaigns?

Pick tools built for Instagram and Facebook. Managing enterprise-level support?

Look at comprehensive suites with advanced features.

Focus on three things: your chatbot should understand your business, set up quickly, and scale as you grow. Powerful tools often cost more. Affordable options may limit your growth.

The best approach? Start with your specific needs:

• Budget-conscious teams can find solid options under $50/month
• Social media focused businesses need Instagram and WhatsApp integration
• Enterprise teams require advanced security and unlimited scaling
• Quick setup matters if you want to go live this week, not next quarter

Whether you need chatbots for business automation or a simple chatbot for website support, focus on platforms that deliver actual results, not just features you'll never use.

Test the free trials most platforms offer. Test a few, see which one your team actually uses, and go with that.

If you want a chatbot that trains on your actual business content and goes live in minutes, start with Chatbase's free plan. Upload your docs, embed the widget, and you're ready. No credit card required.