Chatbot Pricing: Weighing Top 6 Chatbot Software

As conversational AI gained popularity, customers have become accustomed to instantaneous responses. Leveraging the same in your business helps you keep up with customers' expectations while increasing your team’s efficiency. 

But when it comes to choosing the right chatbot software option, you’re welcomed with a lot of confusion. Vendors package their chatbots differently, offering different pricing models and costs. 

This article examines chatbot pricing in detail, doing the groundwork for you in finding the software that will drive the most value.  

Before we conduct an actual analysis, let’s examine what impacts the cost of a chatbot solution. This will help you ask the right questions during demos and conversations with the vendor. 

Chatbot software pricing models 

Chatbots have different pricing models. Some charge based on conversations or sessions, while some platforms expect you to pay a flat monthly subscription fee for a set number of conversations.

You can use this cost comparison to see which chatbot options are more suitable for your business and use case.

Most of these chatbots are AI-enabled and assist sales, customer support, or customer success teams in delivering a personalized customer experience at scale.

Chatbot pricing model and costs 

How transparent is chatbot pricing, and what are the implementation costs? 

Businesses need different customizations for their chatbots. Some are good with basic answering capabilities, while some want more advanced features with conversational AI and workflow automation. Due to these differences in customizations, implementation costs and additional charges apply. 

Some companies are transparent with how they convey the implementation costs. Some of them show upfront costs, while others require direct inquiries. Here’s a quick breakdown:

*Implementation costs are expenses incurred when introducing a new system, policy, or process into the business. These costs might include professional services fees or data migration costs.

Chatbot pricing insights: Factors, unexpected costs, and discounts

On average, a basic chatbot costs between $30 and $150 per month for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It’s an investment worth $800 to $1200 per month for mid-market companies. Similarly, enterprise companies invest $3,000 to over$10,000 per month in their conversational agents, depending on the customization and usage required. 

Below is a deep dive into different chatbot software on the market, covering their pricing, additional costs, and other factors influencing pricing. 

1. Intercom (Fin AI)

• G2 rating: 4.5/5 based on 3,324 reviews
• Pricing plan: With a customer support suite ($29-$132), the chatbot Fin AI agent costs $0.99 per resolution. It can be integrated with supported CRMs for free.
• Top features: Intercom native, seamless human hand-off, drag-and-drop automation with workflows. 
• Factors influencing pricing: The costs will increase if you take up proactive support or copilot add-on. 
• Unexpected costs: There are no additional costs, integration fees, setup fees, or platform charges.
• Benefits: Fin AI personalizes the experience for every customer while offering valuable data to improve performance and quality.   

Insights on Intercom (Fin AI) based on G2 reviews: 

These insights are based on 78 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Intercom between December 2, 2024, and March 17, 2025.

• Pricing: Around 11.54% of users appreciate Intercom's scalable plans, with affordable options for small teams and advanced features for growing businesses. However, 19.23% of users find it expensive and complex, citing high costs for small teams, a confusing pricing structure, and costly add-ons for essential features.
• Who uses it? The platform is popular among small to mid-sized businesses, with 66.66% of users from companies with 11-200 employees and 19.23% from very small teams (2-10 employees.) Larger organizations also use it, but adoption drops beyond 201 employees (14.1%), indicating its strong appeal for growing businesses.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Over 52.56% of users find Intercom (Fin AI) intuitive and user-friendly, with smooth navigation. 20.51% praise its speed and efficiency, while only 1.28% mention reliability, suggesting stability isn’t a major concern.
  

Intercom (Fin AI) is well-priced compared to the average cost of a chatbot on the market. It’s suitable for small businesses and scales as needed when they grow. 

2. Drift 

• G2 rating: 4.4/5 based on 1,251 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Drift is now a part of Salesloft. Before it became a part of Salesloft, the cost for a premium plan started at $2,500/month. Book a call with the sales team for accurate details!
• Top features: Pop-up chat, notifications, targeted emails, and in-app messaging
• Factors influencing pricing: Features like Fastlane, A/B Testing, and advanced routing are locked to costlier plans, which will require you to pay more. 
• Unexpected costs: Some implementation costs apply if you have custom needs. 
• Benefits: Provides a searchable knowledge base, accessible both within the platform and via web search, to help users find answers quickly. It also optimizes the self-service experience on mobile devices.

Insights on Drift based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 147 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Drift between March 1, 2024, and January 23, 2025.

• Pricing: The pricing sentiment for Drift is generally slightly positive. About 1.36% of users praise its pricing, describing it as cost-effective or a good value, while only 0.68% consider it expensive or overpriced. Although pricing isn't the main topic of discussion, the overall impression is that Drift is not heavily criticized for being too costly, nor is it particularly noted as a budget-friendly choice.
• Who uses it? Drift shines in mid-market and enterprise settings, with 44.2% of users from companies with 501-5,000 employees and another 12.93% from enterprises with 10,001+ employees. It’s also a solid choice for growing businesses (201-500 employees: 13.61%), while 11.56% of users come from teams with 51-200 employees. Smaller companies and startups make up a smaller share (11-50 employees: 5.44%, 2-10 employees: 2.72%), showing that while Drift scales well for larger teams, it still finds traction across various company sizes.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Drift excels in ease of use, with 20.41% of users appreciating the intuitive and user-friendly design. 11.56% highlight its speed and efficiency, reinforcing its strong performance. While reliability gets fewer direct mentions (0.68%), it’s not flagged as a major issue. Overall, Drift wins users over with its smooth interface and solid performance, making it a go-to for teams that value simplicity and speed.

Drift pricing is higher compared to the average pricing for a chatbot. It’s a more suitable option for enterprise and mid-market companies. 

3. Birdeye

• G2 rating: 4.7/5 based on 3148 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Pricing starts at $300 per user per month and increases as the number of users increases. 
• Top features: Omnichannel support, customer management, and mobile application.
• Factors influencing pricing: There are different add-ons and product bundles like insights AI or competitors AI to consider. As you combine more solutions, the costs will go up. 
• Unexpected costs: The implementation cost is between $1000 and $10,000 based on the complexity. 
• Benefits: An intuitive platform with several automation features helps your team become more efficient. 

Insights on Birdeye based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 281 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Birdeye between December 2, 2024, and March 18, 2025.

• Pricing: Birdeye’s pricing receives mixed feedback, with 2.14% of users highlighting its affordability and 1.78% mentioning it as expensive. While pricing isn’t a dominant theme in user reviews, the small percentage of mentions suggests that opinions vary based on individual business needs and expectations.
• Who uses it? Birdeye is a go-to for mid-sized businesses, with 28.11% of users from companies with 1,001-5,000 employees. Small businesses are also well-represented, including 18.86% from 11-50 employees and 17.08% from 51-200 employees. Mid-market firms (201-1,000 employees) make up 24.91%, while larger enterprises (over 5,001 employees) have a smaller presence. Overall, Birdeye’s appeal spans businesses of all sizes, but it’s especially favored by growing and mid-sized organizations.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Birdeye earns high marks for ease of use, with 24.91% of users praising its intuitive, user-friendly design. 13.17% highlight its speed and efficiency, reinforcing strong performance, while 2.14% mention reliability, suggesting it’s noted but not a primary focus. 

Birdeye's pricing is on the higher side compared to the average cost of a basic chatbot. It’s a comprehensive platform with loads of features that justify the pricing, making it more suitable for mid-market or enterprise companies. 

4. Qualified 

• G2 rating: 4.9,5 based on 1114 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Three plans are available, but only one displays the price, which is $3500 per month.
• Top features: Automatic enrichment, automatic segmentation, advanced routing, reporting, and analytics.
• Factors influencing pricing: Qualified team offers a Full-Service Ongoing Account Optimization, which comes at an additional cost. 
• Unexpected costs: Implementation takes 30-60 days. A whole implementation team is involved, and depending on the complexity of the implementation, some costs might add up.  
• Benefits: Drive sales with real-time engagement to convert high-value prospects. The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Salesforce and automates lead capture to accelerate sales cycles.

Insights on Qualified based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 63 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Qualified between December 4, 2024, and March 17, 2025.

• Pricing: The pricing sentiment leans positive, with 4.76% of users praising its value and only 1.59% finding it expensive. While pricing isn’t a major focus, more users see it as a good investment than a drawback.
• Who uses it? Qualified is a go-to for mid-sized businesses, with 30.16% of users from 201-500 employees and 28.57% from 1,001-5,000 employees. 22.22% come from 51-200 employee companies, while 12.70% fall into the 501-1,000 range. Larger enterprises (over 5,001 employees) and startups (2-50 employees) have a smaller presence, making it clear that Qualified thrives in the mid-market space.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Qualified earns high marks for its intuitive design, with 23.81% of users finding it easy to navigate and user-friendly. 17.46% commend its speed and efficiency, making performance a standout feature. While 7.94% mention reliability, it’s less frequently discussed, suggesting it's dependable but not a defining factor.

Qualified pricing is higher than the average for chatbot software. It’s more suitable for mid-market and enterprise companies. 

5. Tidio (Lyro AI)

• G2 rating: 4.7/5 based on 1616 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Tidio’s Starter plan with Lyro AI agent costs $68 monthly. The annual plan gives you two months for free.
• Top features: 1-second handoff, Lyro answers, and Integrations.
• Factors influencing pricing: As the number of handled conversations increases with more flows, the cost of the software will increase. Handled conversation refers to any live chat, ticket, email, or social media channel conversation that includes a message from you. 
• Unexpected costs: If it’s a complex implementation, you might need to engage in-house developers. Integrations with tools like Zapier cost extra. 
• Benefits: Lyro delivers human-like answers in seconds and provides 24/7 support. It increases team efficiency by handling common queries and freeing agents from complex issues. 

Insights on Tidio (Lyro AI) based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 56 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Tidio between December 2, 2024, and March 13, 2025.

• Pricing: Pricing is a mixed bag for Tidio users. While 8.93% of reviewers appreciate its affordability or value, a much larger 26.79% find it to be a drawback. The negative mentions outweigh the positives, suggesting that cost, subscription structure, or perceived value might be concerns for users.
• Who uses it? Tidio is a go-to tool for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs, with over 50% of users coming from companies with 2-10 employees. Another 28% are independent professionals, showing strong adoption among freelancers and solopreneurs. Mid-sized businesses (11-50 employees) make up 12.5% of users, while 5.36% come from slightly larger teams (51-200 employees.) Even a few large enterprises (1,001-5,000 employees) use Tidio, though they represent a smaller slice.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Tidio excels in ease of use, with 48.21% of users praising its intuitive and user-friendly design, making it accessible for all skill levels. 12.5% of users highlight its speed and efficiency, reinforcing its reputation as a smooth and responsive platform. While reliability isn’t frequently mentioned, this could indicate that users find it stable enough not to call it out.

Tidio (Lyro AI) is reasonably priced compared to the average price for basic chatbot software. It’s more suitable for small businesses.

6. Kore.AI

• G2 rating: 4.7/5 based on 379 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Follows a pay-as-you-go model with session-based billing. Every 15 minutes of interaction with a user is counted as one session. There are two types of plans available: the standard plan and the enterprise plan. 
• Top features: Omnichannel experience, efficient routing, real-time guidance, and conversation designer.
• Factors influencing pricing: Standard support costs $1000 per month extra. You get free credits worth $500 with the plan; you must top up when required with a minimum value of $100. As you scale, these top-ups can add up to extra costs quickly. 
• Unexpected costs: Billing is based on sessions, proactive notifications, and alert notifications. It’s usage-based billing, and the costs increase as the usage increases.
• Benefits: Task automation increases efficiency. The guided success program in the enterprise plan ensures that customers get the most from Kore.AI. 

Insights on Kore.AI based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 59 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Kore.AI between November 07, 2024, and March 12, 2025.

• Pricing: The pricing sentiment is largely neutral, with 1.69% of users mentioning affordability or good value, while no users explicitly called it expensive. Pricing isn’t a dominant topic in user feedback, suggesting most users focus more on its features and functionality rather than cost.
• Who uses it? Kore.AI is primarily used by large enterprises, with 42.37% of users coming from companies with 10,001+ employees. Smaller businesses also have a presence, including 15.25% from 11-50 employees and 10.17% from mid-market firms (501-1,000 employees.) While 8.47% are solo users and 6.78% belong to companies with 1,001-5,000 employees, the data suggests Kore.AI is heavily enterprise-focused, though it sees adoption across businesses of all sizes.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: The platform is highly rated for ease of use, with 30.51% of users praising its intuitive and user-friendly interface. 11.86% commend its performance, highlighting speed and efficiency, while only 1.69% of users mention reliability, suggesting it’s less frequently discussed.

Since it’s usage-based pricing, it serves different business segments. However, based on how the product is packaged, Kore.AI is more suitable for mid and large-scale companies. 

Chatbot pricing: How do top solutions compare overall?

This comparison gives an overview of how soon you can expect your implementation to deliver ROI after initial setup. The table below compares the software on other factors such as how much time it takes to implement and how easy it is to set up the tool. 

Get maximum value from chatbot investment 

Use this guide to inform your negotiations with the vendor. Consider the ROI factor and implementation time as crucial factors in making informed decisions about purchasing a chatbot. If you’re just starting out, start with chatbots that offer flexible and smaller plans for SMBs. Chatbots that cater to a large scale will add more costs without you driving a real ROI from it. 

The chatbots covered in this article are designed for business use. If you’re looking for an AI chatbot that you can use for personal or business work, consider the best options on the market.

My colleague tried and tested the best AI chatbots and shared her experience. Read her complete review.