Answering the same greeting and the same questions to each visitor to your website tires out any small team. The best AI chatbots for business solve this. In addition, they answer repeated queries on their own, and only pass on to a person the cases that really require it. This guide on AI chatbots summarizes the criteria that should be reviewed before choosing.
AI chatbots allow you to compare functions, limits and context before deciding. AI chatbots allow you to compare functions, limits and context before deciding.
AI chatbots require comparing features, limits, and context before deciding. AI chatbots require comparing features, limits, and context before deciding.
AI chatbots: criteria and guide
Official source: Tidio official site.
Before choosing one, define how often your clients write to you
Before choosing one, define how often your customers write to you and through what channel. Therefore, a business that receives a few messages a day may not need to pay upfront. If you've already reviewed our guide on The best AI tools to automate repetitive tasks, you already know how the free plans work. Usually, almost all of these platforms offer a limited one to start with. In short, choosing one of these AI chatbots for business starts with knowing your own volume of messages.
Free tool: Operational Tasks and Projects
Before paying for a platform, define tasks, responsible parties and dates. A simple flow allows you to evaluate software with a real process, not just a list of features.
Tidio: free to start, with AI chatbot Lyro as an add-on
Tidio offers a free plan with fifty billable conversations and ten seats for your team. Its artificial intelligence chatbot, called Lyro, is contracted separately. It costs from $32.50 per month for fifty AI conversations, according to the official website verified today. Plus, every new account gets fifty free Lyro conversations to try before paying.
ManyChat: designed for Instagram and WhatsApp
ManyChat, for its part, focuses on automating Instagram and WhatsApp. Its free plan allows up to twenty-five active contacts, enough to test basic operation. However, the AI features are only available from the Pro plan. This costs $29 per month for 2,500 active contacts, according to its official site.
Intercom: for businesses that are already scaling, with Fin AI as a result
Intercom targets businesses that already receive a high volume of inquiries. Your Fin AI assistant charges $0.99 for each query resolved, instead of charging per seat. Therefore, this model is best suited when you already know how many automated queries you need to resolve each month. So it is a good idea to calculate your monthly volume of queries before hiring. Even so, for a business just starting out, this scheme can be more expensive than expected.
Comparison table: chatbots with AI for business
| Tool | Free plan | Plan paid from | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tidio | 50 conversations, 10 seats | 32.50 USD/month (Lyro AI, 50 conversations) | Businesses that receive inquiries through their website |
| ManyChat | 25 active contacts | $29/month (Pro, with AI) | Businesses that sell through Instagram or WhatsApp |
| Intercom | Does not have a free plan | 0.99 USD per resolved query (Fin AI) | Businesses with high and constant volume |
What to look at besides the price
Price is not the only thing that matters before choosing. Also check which channel your clients write on, because not all platforms cover WhatsApp, Instagram and the web equally. On the other hand, confirm how many AI conversations each plan includes. They sell out quickly if your business receives a lot of messages. Ultimately, the best option combines the right channel with a realistic budget.
What this looks like in practice
A business that receives few messages on its website gains time almost immediately with Tidio's free plan. A store that sells mainly on Instagram, on the other hand, makes better use of ManyChat automations. No chatbot completely replaces a person. In fact, they all need human review for the most delicate cases. Therefore, no business should automate 100 percent of its conversations.
How to choose according to the channel where they write to you the most
If most of your queries come through WhatsApp or social networks, ManyChat tends to be a better fit for that channel. If, on the other hand, you receive more queries through your website or email, also check our guide on how to use ChatGPT for automated customer support. That option, in fact, offers more flexibility to customize complex responses.
Frequently asked questions about using chatbots with artificial intelligence
Do these chatbots understand complicated questions? It depends on each one. Lyro and Fin AI, in fact, handle natural language better than a chatbot with fixed responses.
Do I need to program to configure them? No. All three are configured with visual panels, without writing code.
What happens if the chatbot doesn't understand a query? For this reason, they all allow the conversation to be escalated to a person when the bot does not find a clear answer.
Which one is best for a business that is just starting? Tidio or ManyChat, for their free plans. Intercom is best suited when you already handle a high and constant volume of queries.
Chatbots with AI for Business: in summary
Choosing between these chatbots with AI for business depends on the channel where your customers write to you most. It also depends on how many conversations you need to automate each month. Tidio wins in simplicity, ManyChat in social networks, and Intercom in scale. If you're looking for something more customizable, also check out our guide on how to use ChatGPT for automated customer support.
