
Let's be honest, your website visitors have questions at all hours, and your team can't be everywhere at once. A chatbot seems like the easy answer, right? But then you start looking, and the market is a sea of options, from simple widgets to complicated enterprise platforms. How are you supposed to choose the right one without getting stuck in weeks of sales demos?
We've been there. We rolled up our sleeves and waded through dozens of options to find the tools that actually deliver without the usual headaches. This guide skips the fluff and gives you a straight-up comparison of the 6 best chatbots for your website, looking at the things that really matter to a modern support or marketing team.
What defines the best chatbot for website?
You know those chatbots that live in the corner of a website? They're AI tools meant to mimic human conversation to help you out. We've all been stuck in a loop with an old-school, rule-based bot that just keeps saying, "Sorry, I don't understand." It's incredibly frustrating.
Thankfully, today's best chatbot for website builders are much smarter. They use conversational AI to understand what people are actually asking, even if they use slang or have a typo. Instead of just following a script, they can fetch info from a knowledge base or look up order details. The idea isn't just to block tickets, but to give visitors a fast, helpful experience so your human agents can focus on the trickier problems.
How we chose the best chatbot for website
So, how did we pick our top 6? We skipped the shiny marketing brochures and focused on what actually matters when you're a busy team trying to get things done.
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Easy setup: How fast can someone who isn't a developer get it up and running? We gave bonus points to platforms you can actually sign up for and use without a mandatory demo.
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Plays well with others: Does it connect to the tools you already use, or does it force you to move everything over? We looked for chatbots that plug right into systems like Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Intercom.
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Smart knowledge sources: Can it learn from more than just a public FAQ page? The best bots can connect to your internal docs in Confluence or Google Docs to give much more accurate answers.
An infographic showing how the best chatbot for website integrates with various knowledge sources.
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You're in control: Can you tweak the bot's personality and decide when and how it interacts with visitors? We wanted tools that let you call the shots.
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No-surprise pricing: Is the cost clear from the start, or are there hidden fees that punish you for successfully resolving more questions? We prefer predictable pricing.
Quick comparison of the best chatbot for website platforms
| Tool | Best For | Starts At | Key Differentiator | Ideal User |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eesel AI | Integrating with your existing helpdesk | $239/mo | No-code setup that trains on past tickets | Teams that want to automate support without replacing their tools. |
| Intercom | All-in-one enterprise communication | $39/seat/mo | Polished, unified platform for support & marketing | Large teams willing to migrate their entire customer comms stack. |
| Drift | B2B sales and lead conversion | $2,500/mo | Proactively identifying and engaging sales leads | Marketing and sales teams with a large budget focused on conversion. |
| Tidio | Small businesses needing simple automation | $29/mo | Combines live chat, chatbots, and email in one tool | SMBs and solopreneurs looking for an affordable, easy-to-use solution. |
| Botpress | Developers needing deep customization | Free / Pay-as-you-go | Open-source and highly extensible workflow engine | Technical teams building complex, custom conversational AI experiences. |
| Manychat | Social media marketing automation | $15/mo (+ AI Add-on) | Deep automation for Instagram and Facebook DMs | E-commerce brands and creators focused on social engagement. |
The 6 best chatbot for website choices for 2025
1. eesel AI
A screenshot of the eesel AI landing page, an example of the best chatbot for website.
eesel AI acts like a smart layer that plugs right into the support tools you already have. Instead of making you ditch Zendesk, Freshdesk, or Confluence, it connects to them in minutes to handle your frontline support. This approach lets you skip the massive pain of moving everything to a new system.
Why it's on the list: What makes eesel stand out is how fast and smart it is right out of the box. You can sign up and build a bot that learns from your actual past support tickets and internal docs, so its answers are spot-on from day one. Its simulation mode is also incredibly useful, letting you test the bot on thousands of old tickets to see exactly how it will perform before you let it talk to customers.
The eesel AI simulation mode, a key feature for the best chatbot for website.
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Pros: Super simple self-serve setup, learns from all your scattered knowledge, and lets you test everything risk-free for a confident launch. The pricing is also predictable, with no weird per-resolution fees.
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Cons: It's focused on being great at support automation and integrations, so it doesn't try to be an all-in-one marketing suite.
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Pricing: eesel AI's pricing is transparent and based on interactions.
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Team: $299/month ($239/mo if billed annually) for up to 1,000 interactions/mo.
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Business: $799/month ($639/mo if billed annually) for up to 3,000 interactions/mo, which adds training on past tickets and AI Actions.
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Custom: For unlimited interactions and other advanced features.
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All plans come with a 7-day free trial.
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2. Intercom
A screenshot of the Intercom landing page, one of the best chatbot for website options.
Intercom is a big name in the customer communication world. It offers a powerful, polished platform that includes a helpdesk, live chat, and a very advanced AI chatbot named Fin. It’s a complete solution for teams who want to handle every single customer interaction in one place.
Why it's on the list: Intercom is popular for a reason. Its feature list is massive, covering everything from support to marketing campaigns. Its AI agent, Fin, can handle pretty complex conversations and solve a lot of different issues.
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Pros: The AI is powerful and accurate, it has tons of features for different teams, and the user experience is beautifully designed.
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Cons: It's expensive. The all-in-one approach often means you have to move your entire support and messaging setup to their platform. The pricing model, which charges per resolution, can also get complicated and hard to predict, especially if your support volume grows.
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Pricing: Intercom's pricing is based on seats, plus a per-resolution fee for the AI.
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Essential: Starts at $29/seat/month (billed annually) + $0.99 per Fin resolution.
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Advanced: Starts at $85/seat/month (billed annually) + $0.99 per Fin resolution.
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Expert: Starts at $132/seat/month (billed annually) + $0.99 per Fin resolution.
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A 14-day free trial is available.
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3. Drift
A screenshot of the Drift landing page, a top contender for the best chatbot for website.
Drift is the tool that basically invented conversational marketing. Its AI is all about one thing: engaging website visitors and turning them into qualified sales leads. It’s great at spotting high-intent buyers, asking the right questions, and connecting them to a sales rep or booking a meeting on the spot.
Why it's on the list: For B2B companies whose main goal is filling the sales pipeline, Drift is hard to beat. It’s built from the ground up for sales, from identifying anonymous visitors to routing chats based on account data.
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Pros: Fantastic for sales funnels, intelligently routes qualified leads, and connects deeply with CRMs and sales tools.
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Cons: The price tag is steep and will be out of reach for many. It's also way more than you need if your main goal is customer support, not sales. You have to book a demo to even see the full pricing.
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Pricing: Starts at $2,500/month (billed annually). You have to talk to their sales team for a full quote.
4. Tidio
A screenshot of the Tidio landing page, often considered the best chatbot for website for small businesses.
Tidio offers an easy-to-use platform that bundles live chat, chatbots, and some basic marketing automation into one affordable package. It’s a great starting point for small businesses that need a simple way to talk to website visitors without a big budget or a steep learning curve.
Why it's on the list: The big draw for Tidio is its simplicity and its very generous free plan. You can get a chat widget and some simple bots running on your site in a few minutes, so you can start capturing leads and answering common questions right away.
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Pros: Very affordable with an excellent free plan, super easy to use, and nicely combines live chat with basic bots.
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Cons: Just a heads-up, its AI (called Lyro) and flow builder aren't as heavy-duty as some of the other platforms. The pricing is also broken into different products, which can be a bit confusing.
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Pricing: Tidio offers several products with separate pricing.
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Lyro AI Agent: Starts at $32.50/month for 50 AI conversations.
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Flows: Starts at $24.17/month for 2,000 visitors reached.
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Customer Service Suite: Starts at $24.17/month for 100 live chat conversations. A limited free plan is available.
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5. Botpress
A screenshot of the Botpress landing page, the best chatbot for website for developers.
Botpress is an open-source platform made for developers and technical teams who need to build powerful, highly customized AI agents. It gives you a visual workflow builder but also lets you dive into the code for full control over the bot's logic, integrations, and user experience.
Why it's on the list: If you need a chatbot to do something really specific or connect with a custom-built system, Botpress provides a level of flexibility that most pre-built tools just can't offer.
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Pros: Extremely powerful and can be extended to do almost anything. It's open-source with a solid community, and the pay-as-you-go pricing is fair.
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Cons: The learning curve is high. Let's be clear: this isn't a tool for your support manager to set up on a Tuesday afternoon. You'll need developers to build and maintain it. Costs can also creep up with various add-ons.
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Pricing: Botpress uses a usage-based model.
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Pay-as-you-go: Free to start, with 500 messages/mo included.
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Plus: $89/month ($79/mo annually) for 5,000 messages/mo and features like agent handoff.
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Team: $495/month ($445/mo annually) for 50,000 messages/mo and collaboration tools.
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There are extra costs for messages, storage, and other add-ons.
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6. Manychat
A screenshot of the Manychat landing page, a great choice for a social media-focused chatbot for a website.
While most tools here live on your website, Manychat's home turf is social media. It's the top platform for automating conversations on Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. It’s built for marketing and is a favorite among e-commerce brands and online creators.
Why it's on the list: It has incredibly deep connections with Meta's platforms, letting you create powerful automations like replying to post comments or sending DMs to people who engage with your stories.
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Pros: Unbeatable automation for Instagram and Facebook, great for running marketing campaigns, and helps you capture leads right from your social channels.
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Cons: Its main focus is social media, so it's not the best chatbot for website support. The conversational AI is also a paid add-on, so the starting price can be a bit misleading if you need real AI capabilities.
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Pricing: Manychat's pricing is based on how many contacts you have.
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Free: Up to 1,000 contacts with basic features.
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Pro: Starts at $15/month for 500 contacts and goes up from there.
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Manychat AI: Is a separate add-on that costs an extra $29/month.
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A few tips for choosing the best chatbot for website
Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Use this quick checklist to narrow things down.
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1. Figure out your main goal. Are you trying to generate sales leads (Drift), automate customer support (eesel AI), or just have a simple way to engage visitors (Tidio)? Your top priority will filter out a lot of options.
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2. Look at the tools you already use (and like). If you love your current helpdesk, pick a chatbot that integrates with it, like eesel AI, instead of one that makes you start from scratch like Intercom.
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3. Know where your knowledge lives. The best answers come from the best sources. Make sure the tool you choose can connect to your help center articles, internal docs, and especially your past support tickets.
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4. Be realistic about your team's skills. Do you have developers on hand to build a system like Botpress, or do you need a no-code tool that your head of support can manage on their own?
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5. Don't just watch a demo, try it yourself. Never buy a tool based on a sales pitch. Use a free trial or, even better, a platform with a simulation mode to see how the bot actually works with your own data before a customer ever talks to it.
This video provides an honest review of the top 10 chatbots to help you find the best fit for your business.
Get started with the best chatbot for website in minutes
The right chatbot doesn't just add another widget to your site, it should make your whole team's life easier. It should work with the tools you already have and be simple enough for anyone on your team to manage.
Ready to see how an AI chatbot can automate your support without the pain of switching platforms? eesel AI plugs right into your existing helpdesk and knowledge bases, and you can set it up yourself in minutes. Start your free trial and run a simulation on your past tickets today.
Frequently asked questions
For small businesses, Tidio is highlighted as the best chatbot for website due to its affordability, generous free plan, and ease of use, combining live chat with basic bots and marketing automation. It allows you to quickly get a chat widget running and start capturing leads and answering common questions without a big budget.
When looking for the best chatbot for website integration, prioritize tools that plug directly into systems you already use, such as Zendesk or Freshdesk. eesel AI is specifically designed to act as a smart layer that integrates seamlessly with your existing support tools and knowledge bases.
Yes, the best chatbot for website solutions, like eesel AI, are designed to learn from your actual past support tickets and internal documents from sources like Confluence or Google Docs. This capability ensures that the bot provides accurate and contextually relevant answers from day one.
The best chatbot for website choices often have different primary goals. Tools like eesel AI and Intercom excel at customer support automation, resolving queries and offloading human agents. In contrast, Drift is specifically designed for B2B sales and lead generation, proactively engaging visitors to qualify leads and book meetings.
Yes, some of the best chatbot for website platforms offer advanced testing capabilities. eesel AI, for example, includes a simulation mode that allows you to test the bot on thousands of old tickets to see exactly how it will perform with your data before it interacts with live customers.
The best chatbot for website solutions utilize conversational AI, enabling them to understand natural language, including slang or typos, rather than just following rigid scripts. They can fetch information from a knowledge base or look up order details, providing a more helpful and less frustrating experience for visitors.
Pricing for the best chatbot for website platforms varies, with some offering predictable monthly rates (like eesel AI) and others using per-resolution fees (like Intercom). It's important to look for transparent pricing models without hidden fees, as some can become complicated or costly as your support volume grows.






