AI chatbots have gone from being simple support widgets to becoming an essential part of modern businesses.
Case in point: IBM reports that chatbots can handle up to 80% of routine inquiries and cut customer support costs by around 30%
This efficiency is why AI chatbots are now often the first interaction customers have with your brand. They handle inquiries, qualify leads, recover abandoned carts, and provide instant support. Done right, they save time, cut costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
The challenge is choosing the right AI chatbot builder. Some platforms focus on accuracy and enterprise compliance. Others emphasize no-code simplicity for small teams. Developer-first tools give maximum flexibility but require technical skills.
In this article, we break down the 8 best AI chatbot builders, highlighting their features, pros, cons, and pricing to help you find the right fit for your business.
Table of Contents
- Best AI Chatbot Builders (AI Agent Platforms) at a Glance
- 8 Best AI Chatbot Builders (Ranked & Compared)
- 1. CustomGPT.ai (Accuracy and Compliance at Scale)
- 2. Botpress (Developer Control with Open Source)
- 3. Landbot (No-Code Simplicity for SMBs)
- 4. Intercom (AI Chatbots for Customer Engagement)
- 5. ManyChat (Social Messaging Automation)
- 6. Tidio (AI and Live Chat in One)
- 7. Big Sur AI (Fast Website Deployment)
- 8. Rasa (Enterprise Control with Open Source)
- Final Thoughts on AI Chatbots
- FAQs on AI Chatbot Builders & AI Agents
Best AI Chatbot Builders (AI Agent Platforms) at a Glance
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick comparison of the top AI chatbot platforms, their starting prices, and links to their official sites. Use this table to find the right tool for your business before diving into the detailed reviews below.
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Official Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| CustomGPT.ai | Accuracy and compliance | $99/month | Try CustomGPT.ai |
| Botpress | Developer customization | Free | Get Botpress |
| Landbot | No-code SMB chatbots | €40/month | Try Landbot |
| Intercom | Customer engagement | $29/month | Explore Intercom |
| ManyChat | Social media automation | Free | Get ManyChat |
| Tidio | SMB support | $29/month | Try Tidio |
| Big Sur AI | Quick website deployment | Free | Try Big Sur AI |
| Rasa | Enterprise control | Custom | Explore Rasa |
8 Best AI Chatbot Builders (Ranked & Compared)
1. CustomGPT.ai (Accuracy and Compliance at Scale)
Most chatbots still make up answers when they lack the right data. For industries like SaaS, eCommerce, or finance, that can be damaging.
CustomGPT.ai is built to avoid this problem. It uses an anti-hallucination approach, grounding every response only in your uploaded or connected documents. This makes it one of the most reliable AI chatbot platforms available today.
Beyond accuracy, CustomGPT.ai is built to serve businesses of all sizes, from startups to global enterprises.
It supports 1,400+ file formats and can scale to 300 million words of data. You can embed the bot in websites, apps, or portals and even white-label it so it feels like part of your product.
With SOC2, GDPR, and HIPAA readiness, plus integrations with tools like HubSpot, Notion, Shopify, and Slack, CustomGPT.ai combines precision with compliance and scale.
Key Features
- Anti-hallucination design for accurate responses
- GPT-4 chatbots trained only on your data
- Supports 1,400+ file types, up to 300M words
- White-labeling and embed options
- Integrations: Slack, HubSpot, Shopify, Notion, Confluence
- SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA-ready, SSO, DPA (security, privacy, and compliance standards)
Pros
- Highly accurate with no hallucinations
- Enterprise-grade compliance
- Strong integrations and scalability
- White-label support for brand control
Cons
- Higher cost than SMB-focused tools
- Setup can feel heavy at first
Pricing
- Standard: $99/month (10 agents, 1k queries/mo, 3 team members)
- Premium: $499/month (25 agents, 5k queries/mo, 5 team members)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
7-day free trial available on Standard and Premium plans
2. Botpress (Developer Control with Open Source)
Botpress is an open-source AI agent platform designed for teams that want complete control over their chatbots. Unlike no-code tools, it offers both a visual builder and the ability to script advanced logic.
Its open-source foundation makes it ideal for companies that need customization without being tied to a vendor.
Botpress also includes built-in NLP, allowing chatbots to recognize intent and maintain context across conversations. It integrates with platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Stripe, making it versatile for customer-facing use cases.
Botpress is not the easiest platform to learn, but for businesses with technical resources, it’s one of the most flexible chatbot builders available.
Key Features
- Open-source framework
- Visual flow editor and scripting support
- Built-in NLP for intent and context
- Integrations with WhatsApp, Messenger, Stripe, Zapier
Pros
- Extremely customizable
- No vendor lock-in
- Strong developer community
Cons
- Requires technical expertise
- Ongoing maintenance effort
Pricing
- Free: Visual building studio, free monthly AI credit
- Plus: $89/month (Live agent handoff, visual knowledge base indexing)
- Team: $489/month (RBAC, real-time collaboration)
- Enterprise: $2000/month (Custom workspace limits, dedicated support manager)
3. Landbot (No-Code Simplicity for SMBs)
Landbot is a chatbot builder built for ease of use. Its drag-and-drop interface allows businesses to design conversational flows without writing a single line of code.
It supports deployment across websites, WhatsApp, and Messenger, making it a popular choice for small businesses and agencies that need to engage customers quickly. Landbot also offers GPT-enhanced blocks, so you can add AI responses inside structured flows.
While it’s not built for highly complex enterprise workflows, Landbot strikes a balance between simplicity and functionality that appeals to non-technical teams.
Key Features
- Drag-and-drop chatbot builder
- Multi-channel deployment: Web, Messenger, WhatsApp
- GPT-enhanced conversation blocks
- GDPR-compliant hosting
Pros
- Easy to use for non-technical teams
- Quick setup across platforms
- Strong WhatsApp automation
Cons
- Limited scalability for advanced use cases
- Pricing rises with heavy use
Pricing
- Free Forever: 100 chats/month, 1 seat
- Starter: €40/month (500 Web & Messenger chats, 100 AI chats, 2 seats)
- Pro: €100/month (2.5k Web & Messenger chats, 300 AI chats, 3 seats)
- WhatsApp Pro: €200/month (2.5k Web & Messenger chats, 500 AI chats, 10k WhatsApp messages, 3 seats)
- Business: €200/month (Unlimited Web & Messenger chats, 1k AI chats, unlimited WhatsApp messages, 5 seats)
Free trial available on Starter, Pro, and WhatsApp Pro plans
4. Intercom (AI Chatbots for Customer Engagement)
Intercom is one of the most established customer communication platforms on the market. Its strength lies in combining live chat, help desk, and proactive messaging with powerful AI capabilities.
The highlight is Fin, Intercom’s AI agent trained on your support content. Fin can resolve customer questions instantly, escalate complex issues to agents, and reduce support workload.
Intercom is a good fit for SaaS and B2B companies that want more than just a chatbot. It’s a full customer engagement platform, offering email campaigns, product tours, and in-app messaging.
While it’s on the higher end in terms of pricing, Intercom delivers a polished solution for companies looking to unify support and engagement.
Key Features
- Fin, Intercom’s AI-powered support bot
- Unified platform with live chat, email, and in-app messaging
- Proactive campaigns for onboarding and retention
- Integrations with CRMs, analytics, and help desk tools
Pros
- Mature, feature-rich platform
- AI chatbot plus live chat in one system
- Strong SaaS/B2B adoption
- Great for customer onboarding and engagement
Cons
- Pricing is higher than SMB-focused tools
- May be too complex for very small teams
Pricing
- Essential: $29 per seat/month (includes Fin AI agent)
- Advanced: $85 per seat/month (includes Fin AI agent)
- Expert: $132 per seat/month (includes Fin AI agent)
14-day free trial available on all plans
ManyChat dominates social messaging automation. It’s widely used by eCommerce brands to run campaigns on Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
ManyChat helps businesses recover abandoned carts, send promotional broadcasts, and handle customer support directly in chat apps.
Its visual campaign builder makes it accessible for marketers without technical skills. Integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce connect campaigns directly to online stores.
While it’s limited outside social channels, ManyChat is the clear leader for businesses that depend on Instagram and Messenger to reach customers.
Key Features
- Automation for Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, WhatsApp, SMS, email
- Visual campaign builder
- Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- Broadcast and drip campaigns
Pros
- Affordable entry point
- Best tool for social-first strategies
- Easy campaign setup
Cons
- Limited outside Meta platforms
- Not for enterprise knowledge bases
Pricing
- Free: 1,000 contacts
- Pro: $15/month (Unlimited contacts)
- Elite: Customized to your business goals
Sign up for ManyChat’s free plan
6. Tidio (AI and Live Chat in One)
Tidio combines automation with live chat, making it a practical choice for small businesses. Its chatbots handle common questions, while human agents can step in for complex issues.
The platform is easy to install and integrates with websites quickly.
Tidio is particularly useful for startups and SMBs that want to provide instant support without hiring more staff. Its affordability and hybrid model make it one of the most approachable chatbot builders for growing teams.
Key Features
- AI chatbot templates for sales and support
- Real-time live chat with visitor tracking
- Multi-channel: web, email, Messenger
- Analytics and reporting
Pros
- Affordable and beginner-friendly
- Balance of automation and human support
- Quick deployment
Cons
- Limited NLP capabilities
- Not designed for enterprise workloads
Pricing
- Starter: $29/month (100 billable conversations)
- Growth: $59/month (250 billable conversations)
- Plus: $749/mo (Custom billable conversations)
7-day free trial available on Starter and Growth plans
7. Big Sur AI (Fast Website Deployment)
Big Sur AI is focused on speed. Instead of manually uploading data, it crawls your website and creates a chatbot in minutes. For solo founders and small businesses, this is one of the fastest ways to get a working chatbot online.
It’s not as customizable as other platforms, but it offers personalization features and budget-friendly pricing.
For companies that value simplicity and quick setup over advanced workflows, Big Sur AI is an appealing option.
Key Features
- Auto-crawls websites to train the chatbot
- Personalized AI agents for engagement
- Supports up to 15,000 pages on Pro plan
- Multi-user collaboration
Pros
- Very fast setup
- Low cost
- Built-in personalization
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Less flexibility for advanced use cases
Pricing
- Free: 1k visitors/mo, 100 web pages
- Pro: $99/month (10k visitors/mo, 15k web pages)
30-day free trial available on the Pro plan
8. Rasa (Enterprise Control with Open Source)
Rasa is the open-source chatbot framework for organizations that need complete control. It allows self-hosting, custom NLP pipelines, and deep integrations with internal systems.
Enterprises in regulated industries often choose Rasa because it gives them ownership of data and workflows without depending on a vendor.
The tradeoff is complexity. Rasa requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance, but for companies with development resources, it provides flexibility unmatched by most no-code tools.
Key Features
- Open-source, self-hosted framework
- Customizable NLP pipeline
- Enterprise connectors and integrations
- Developer community support
Pros
- Complete control of data and logic
- No vendor lock-in
- Strong fit for compliance-heavy industries
Cons
- Requires developer resources
- Demanding setup and maintenance
Pricing
- Free open-source core
- Custom enterprise pricing
Final Thoughts on AI Chatbots
AI chatbots (or AI agent platforms) have become essential to modern businesses, but no single tool is right for everyone. The best choice depends on your priorities:
- CustomGPT.ai if accuracy, compliance, and scale are critical.
- Botpress or Rasa if you want full developer control.
- Landbot or Tidio for affordable, simple deployment.
- Intercom if you want a robust customer engagement platform.
- ManyChat if your focus is on social platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Big Sur AI if you need a fast, low-effort chatbot for your website.
Your chatbot is often the first point of contact with customers, which makes it a direct reflection of your brand. Choosing wisely can save your team hours of repetitive work, reduce costs, and most importantly, deliver a better customer experience that builds trust over time.
FAQs on AI Chatbot Builders & AI Agents
How to build an AI chatbot from scratch?
Building an AI chatbot from scratch involves four main steps:
- Define the purpose: Decide what you want the chatbot to do: customer support, lead qualification, sales, or internal knowledge sharing. The clearer the use case, the easier the build.
- Choose an AI chatbot builder: Developers often use AI chatbot builders like Rasa or Botpress for maximum control, while non-technical teams prefer no-code platforms like Landbot or Tidio. For enterprise-grade accuracy, tools like CustomGPT.ai can eliminate hallucinations by grounding bots in your data.
- Prepare your data: Upload documents, FAQs, or connect your CRM/website so the chatbot has reliable information to work with. This step determines how accurate your chatbot will be.
- Design and test conversations: Map conversation flows, add AI prompts, and run tests. Make sure the bot can handle common queries, gracefully escalate to a human when needed, and integrate with the tools you already use (HubSpot, Slack, Shopify, etc.).
While building a chatbot entirely from scratch is possible, most businesses save time and reduce complexity by using AI chatbot builders or AI agent platforms, which provide ready-made infrastructure, integrations, and deployment options.
Which AI chatbot builder is most accurate?
Based on our tests, CustomGPT.ai is the most accurate AI chatbot builder. It’s designed to prevent hallucinations, ensuring every response is grounded in your data. Unlike most platforms that sometimes generate answers outside your data, CustomGPT.ai grounds every response strictly in your uploaded documents or connected sources. This means the chatbot won’t “make things up,” which is critical for industries like SaaS, eCommerce, healthcare, or finance where accuracy and compliance matter.
Are free AI chatbot builders useful?
Free AI chatbot builders can be useful, but only for testing and very small use cases. A free plan is a good way to get familiar with a platform, try out basic features, and see how the chatbot fits into your workflow. For example, you can test integrations, build a simple FAQ bot, or experiment with different conversation flows.
The limitations become obvious once you start relying on the chatbot for real customer interactions. Free tiers usually cap the number of conversations, restrict integrations, and exclude advanced features like analytics, white-labeling, and compliance options. If you plan to use a chatbot for customer support, lead generation, or eCommerce, you’ll almost always need to upgrade to a paid plan to scale effectively.
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