# The best Chatbase alternatives in 2026 > The best Chatbase alternatives for 2026, compared fairly: what each is best for, prices, free plans and trials, and channels. Checked November 2026. Canonical: https://heykiko.io/alternatives/chatbase Last updated: 2026-11-04 4 November 2026 · prices checked 4 November 2026 · by the HeyKiko team The best Chatbase alternative depends on what you need: SiteGPT for a website-only support bot, Chatling on a small budget, HeyKiko for businesses on WhatsApp and Telegram, Tidio for online stores, Intercom Fin on top of an existing helpdesk, Botpress to build your own and Respond.io across many messaging apps. We make HeyKiko, so we've placed it where it fits rather than at the top, and every price links to the tool's own page. ## The 8 best Chatbase alternatives at a glance This isn't a ranking: each tool is best for something different. We make HeyKiko, so we placed it where it fits. | Tool | Best for | Starts at | Free option | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1. SiteGPT | A website support bot with the most replies per dollar | $59/mo | 7-day trial, card needed | | 2. Chatling | Small budgets that still want WhatsApp and a live-chat inbox | $25/mo | Free plan; 7-day money-back | | 3. HeyKiko | Businesses on WhatsApp, Telegram and their website | $29/mo | 14-day trial, no card | | 4. Tidio | Online stores that want live chat plus AI | $29/mo, AI from $39 | Free plan; 7-day trial, no card | | 5. Intercom Fin | Support teams on Intercom or an existing helpdesk | $0.99 per outcome | 14-day trial, no card | | 6. Botpress | Builders who want a configurable agent platform | $189/mo | Free plan | | 7. Respond.io | Larger teams across many messaging apps | $99/mo | 7-day trial, no card | | 8. DocsBot | Answering from large documentation and ticket histories | $49/mo | Free plan, no card | ## What Chatbase does well Chatbase is a strong product, and for some teams it's still the right choice. Its own pages list: - Many channels: website, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Slack and email, plus AI on regular phone lines from its Basic plan - Integrations with Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Shopify, Stripe and Zapier - A wide choice of models, including GPT, Claude, Gemini and DeepSeek families - SOC 2 Type II, with a HIPAA BAA on Enterprise ## Why people look for a Chatbase alternative - The entry plan is small: Hobby includes 700 message credits for $40 a month - Human takeover (the Helpdesk) starts on Basic, at $150 a month - No Telegram, and booking needs a Cal.com or Calendly account - Each plan includes one agent; another is $25 a month, and removing branding is $99 ## What to look for in an alternative 1. **The channels your customers use**: Website only, or WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and Messenger too? Check which plan each channel needs. 2. **How the AI is billed**: Credits, messages, conversations and resolutions are different units. Price your real monthly volume, not the entry plan. 3. **Human takeover**: Can your team reply in the same chat, and on which plan? Some tools keep it for higher tiers or rely on another helpdesk. 4. **What happens after the answer**: Booking, order lookups, tickets or cases, and campaigns: built in, or through another tool you pay for. 5. **Your security requirements**: If you need SOC 2, ISO 27001 or a HIPAA agreement, check that the tool states it today. ## The alternatives, one by one ### 1. SiteGPT Best for: A website support bot with the most replies per dollar A support chatbot trained on your website, with wide knowledge connectors and Slack, Messenger and Crisp channels from its Growth plan. **Does well:** - 4,000 GPT-4.1 mini messages on its $59 Starter plan - Learns from YouTube, Notion, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box and GitHub - Human takeover on every plan; SOC 2 Type II **Watch for:** - WhatsApp is a $59 a month add-on per number; no Telegram, Instagram or voice - No appointment booking, cases or campaigns; 7-day trial needs a card - Starts at: $59/mo - Free option: 7-day trial, card needed - Channels: Website; WhatsApp add-on; Slack, Messenger, Crisp from Growth Sources: [SiteGPT pricing](https://sitegpt.ai/pricing), [SiteGPT integrations](https://sitegpt.ai/docs/integrations/overview.md) ### 2. Chatling Best for: Small budgets that still want WhatsApp and a live-chat inbox A no-code AI chatbot for websites and messaging apps, with a built-in live chat inbox and booking. **Does well:** - A free plan, then $25 a month for 1,750 AI credits - WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and Messenger from its Starter plan - Live chat on every plan; booking through Cal.com, Calendly or Google Calendar **Watch for:** - Credits per message vary widely by AI model, so costs are harder to predict - No SOC 2 or HIPAA stated; HubSpot and Zendesk from $75 a month - Starts at: $25/mo - Free option: Free plan; 7-day money-back - Channels: Website; WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger from Starter Sources: [Chatling pricing](https://chatling.ai/pricing), [Chatling docs](https://docs.chatling.ai) ### 3. HeyKiko Best for: Businesses on WhatsApp, Telegram and their website One AI agent for your website, WhatsApp and Telegram, trained on your own pages and files, that books into Google Calendar, hands chats to your team and answers WhatsApp calls. We make HeyKiko, so read this entry with that in mind. **Does well:** - WhatsApp and Telegram on every plan, with a shared inbox and human takeover - Books appointments into Google Calendar itself, and opens cases with approvals - AI that answers WhatsApp voice calls (Pro and up), plus WhatsApp and email campaigns **Watch for:** - No Instagram, Messenger, Slack or email as chat channels - No helpdesk or CRM integrations yet, and no published SOC 2 report - Starts at: $29/mo - Free option: 14-day trial, no card - Channels: Website, WhatsApp, Telegram, WhatsApp calls Sources: [HeyKiko pricing](https://heykiko.io/pricing) ### 4. Tidio Best for: Online stores that want live chat plus AI A live chat tool for online stores with the Lyro AI agent, bringing website chat, email, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp into one inbox. **Does well:** - A free plan, and a 7-day trial with no card - Shopify order lookups and other Smart Actions; mobile apps for your team - SOC 2, GDPR and CCPA **Watch for:** - Lyro AI is priced per AI conversation: $39 for 50, up to $700 for 1,000 - Telegram only on Plus and Premium; no booking or campaigns that we found - Starts at: $29/mo, AI from $39 - Free option: Free plan; 7-day trial, no card - Channels: Website, email, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp; Telegram on Plus Sources: [Tidio pricing](https://www.tidio.com/pricing/), [Tidio Lyro](https://www.tidio.com/lyro/) ### 5. Intercom Fin Best for: Support teams on Intercom or an existing helpdesk Intercom's AI agent, billed per outcome. It runs inside Intercom, or on top of Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot or Freshdesk. **Does well:** - Works on top of Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot and Freshdesk - $0.99 per outcome, and nothing for a chat handed to your team without one - SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and HIPAA, with hosting in the US, EU or Australia **Watch for:** - Spend grows with outcomes, plus Intercom seats from $39 a month, or a 50-outcome monthly minimum on another helpdesk - No Telegram; Fin Voice is only for select customers through sales - Starts at: $0.99 per outcome - Free option: 14-day trial, no card - Channels: Website, email, WhatsApp, SMS, Messenger, Instagram, Slack Sources: [Fin pricing](https://fin.ai/pricing), [Intercom seats](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8205716-seats), [Intercom security](https://www.intercom.com/security) ### 6. Botpress Best for: Builders who want a configurable agent platform An AI agent platform with a builder, a built-in helpdesk, and the widest set of channels and integrations on this list. **Does well:** - Webchat, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, Slack, SMS and email - A built-in helpdesk with hot handoff, or handoff to Zendesk, Intercom or HubSpot - AI usage included in each conversation; SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR **Watch for:** - A big jump from the free plan to Plus at $189 a month for 250 conversations, and overage packs are added automatically - WhatsApp from Plus and voice only on Enterprise; self-hosting only on the older v12 - Starts at: $189/mo - Free option: Free plan - Channels: Web, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, Slack, SMS, email Sources: [Botpress pricing](https://botpress.com/pricing), [Botpress integrations](https://botpress.com/integrations) ### 7. Respond.io Best for: Larger teams across many messaging apps A customer conversation platform for mid-market teams, with nearly every messaging app in one inbox and AI agents from its Growth plan. **Does well:** - WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Viber, LINE, WeChat, SMS and email - Calls on phone numbers and WhatsApp, with AI voice agents on Advanced - Broadcasts, booking and HubSpot from Growth; mobile apps; ISO 27001 **Watch for:** - AI agents and knowledge start on Growth, at $199 a month - Priced for teams: $99 a month to start, with contact-based charges on higher plans - Starts at: $99/mo - Free option: 7-day trial, no card - Channels: WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, SMS, email and more Sources: [Respond.io pricing](https://respond.io/pricing), [Respond.io integrations](https://respond.io/integrations) ### 8. DocsBot Best for: Answering from large documentation and ticket histories An AI agent for documentation-heavy support that learns from more than 30 source types, including Confluence, Notion and helpdesk tickets. **Does well:** - 30+ knowledge sources, with the sources shown on answers by default - Messenger, WhatsApp and Telegram from $49 a month; voice agents in beta - A free plan with no card, and a 14-day money-back guarantee **Watch for:** - No built-in live chat inbox: handoff goes to Zendesk or Help Scout - SOC 2 and removing branding come with the Business plan at $499 - Starts at: $49/mo - Free option: Free plan, no card - Channels: Website, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack Sources: [DocsBot pricing](https://docsbot.ai/pricing), [DocsBot AI credits](https://docsbot.ai/documentation/doc/ai-credits-faq) ## Which Chatbase alternative should you choose? | If you need | Choose | | --- | --- | | A website-only support bot, most replies for the money | SiteGPT | | The lowest price, with WhatsApp and a live-chat inbox | Chatling | | WhatsApp and Telegram, with booking, cases and campaigns | HeyKiko | | An online store with live chat, Instagram and Messenger | Tidio | | AI on top of Zendesk, Salesforce or HubSpot | Intercom Fin | | Building your own agent with many integrations | Botpress | | A larger team on many messaging apps | Respond.io | | Answers from large documentation and ticket histories | DocsBot | | Many channels, integrations and AI on phone lines in one tool | Chatbase itself | ## How we chose We included tools that train an AI agent on your own content and talk to your customers, and read each one's own pricing, product and docs pages on 4 November 2026. Prices are monthly billing in USD before tax; each tool counts AI use differently (credits, messages or conversations), so compare at your own volume. We make HeyKiko, so we aren't neutral: we placed it where it fits and listed its limits too. If something here is out of date, [tell us](/contact). ## Chatbase alternatives: questions ### What is the best Chatbase alternative? It depends on what you need. SiteGPT is the closest like-for-like website support bot, Chatling is the cheapest with WhatsApp and live chat, HeyKiko suits businesses on WhatsApp and Telegram, Tidio suits online stores, Intercom Fin runs on top of an existing helpdesk, Botpress suits builders, Respond.io suits larger teams across many messaging apps, and DocsBot suits documentation-heavy support. ### Is there a free Chatbase alternative? Tidio, Chatling, Botpress and DocsBot have free plans with small allowances. HeyKiko, SiteGPT, Intercom Fin and Respond.io offer free trials instead. ### What is the cheapest Chatbase alternative? Chatling starts at $25 a month for 1,750 AI credits, and Tidio at $29 a month before its AI add-on. HeyKiko starts at $29 a month for 2,000 AI credits, with WhatsApp and Telegram included. Prices as of 4 November 2026. ### Which Chatbase alternative works best on WhatsApp? HeyKiko and Tidio include WhatsApp on every plan; Chatling and DocsBot from their first paid plan; Botpress from Plus; SiteGPT as a $59 a month add-on per number. HeyKiko also answers WhatsApp voice calls (Pro and up). ### Which Chatbase alternative works on Telegram? HeyKiko and Respond.io include Telegram on every plan, Chatling and DocsBot from their first paid plan, and Botpress through its Telegram integration; Tidio has it on Plus and Premium. Chatbase, SiteGPT and Intercom Fin don't offer Telegram. ### Is there an open-source Chatbase alternative? Not among these. Botpress's older v12 can be self-hosted under the AGPL licence, but its current platform is cloud-only, and DocsBot offers self-hosting on Enterprise only. ### Which Chatbase alternative can book appointments? HeyKiko books into Google Calendar itself. Chatling, Botpress, DocsBot and Respond.io book through Google Calendar, Calendly or Cal.com integrations; Chatbase uses Cal.com or Calendly actions. ### How did you choose these tools? We looked for tools that train an AI agent on your own content and talk to customers, read each one's own pricing, product and docs pages on 4 November 2026, and wrote what each is best for. We make HeyKiko, so we placed it where it fits rather than first. ## Related - [HeyKiko vs Chatbase](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-chatbase) - [HeyKiko vs SiteGPT](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-sitegpt) - [HeyKiko vs Tidio](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-tidio) - [HeyKiko vs Respond.io](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-respondio) - [HeyKiko vs Intercom Fin](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-intercom-fin) - [HeyKiko vs Botpress](https://heykiko.io/compare/heykiko-vs-botpress) - [Best SiteGPT alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/sitegpt) - [Best Tidio alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/tidio) - [Best Intercom Fin alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/intercom-fin) - [Best Respond.io alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/respondio) - [Best Botpress alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/botpress) - [Best Wati alternatives](https://heykiko.io/alternatives/wati) - [HeyKiko pricing](https://heykiko.io/pricing)