AI chatbot cost calculator
Move the slider to the number of answers your site needs in a month and see what that costs here and on the tools people compare us with — including the ones that are cheaper. Prices checked October 2026.
One reply is one answer the bot gives. 100 to 20,000.
| Product | Per month | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| The Biggest Nerd | $49 | Starter: 1,000 replies, lead capture and no branding included. $34.30/mo for the first 3 months. $40.83/mo if paid yearly. |
| Chatbase | $249 | 2,000 credits → Standard ($150) + branding removal ($1,188/yr ≈ $99/mo). |
| Intercom (Fin) | $524 | 500 conversations × $0.99 if every one counts as an outcome, + one $29 seat. Fewer resolved outcomes means a lower bill. |
| Tidio (Lyro) | No published price | 500 conversations is more than the published entry tier (50 for $32.50); larger tiers cost more. |
| Botsonic | $68 | lowest plan ($19) + $49/mo branding removal. |
| SiteGPT (cheaper model) | $98 | lowest plan ($59) + $39/mo branding removal. The better model uses 10× the messages. |
Vendors’ published monthly prices, checked October 2026; yearly discounts are not applied to them. Estimates only — check each vendor’s pricing page before you decide.
Our plans, for reference
- Starter: $49/mo for 1,000 replies
- Growth: $149/mo for 5,000 replies
- Scale: $449/mo for 20,000 replies
Yearly billing is 12 months for the price of 10. New monthly plans get 30% off the first 3 months. Every account starts with a 3-day free trial of every Growth feature, no card. See every alternative compared.
Questions
How much does an AI chatbot cost per month?
For a small business website, published prices run from about $19 to $500 a month, depending on volume and on how the vendor counts usage. The Biggest Nerd is $49 for 1,000 replies, $149 for 5,000 replies, $449 for 20,000 replies. Helpdesks with AI, such as Intercom, charge per seat plus $0.99 per resolved outcome.
Why do credits and replies give different answers?
Some vendors bill in credits, where one reply can cost several credits depending on the AI model, and actions such as lead capture can use more. Others bill per conversation, which can contain several replies. Here one answer is always one reply.
Which assumptions does the calculator make?
Each vendor's cheapest published monthly tier that covers your volume, with no yearly discount. Intercom assumes every conversation counts as a $0.99 outcome, plus one $29 seat, which is an upper bound. Chatbase uses the credits per reply you choose, doubled when lead capture is on, and adds $1,188 a year for branding removal if you turn branding off. Prices checked October 2026.
Is The Biggest Nerd the cheapest option?
Not per message: Botsonic, Chatling and SiteGPT's cheaper model sell more messages per dollar, and the calculator shows Botsonic and SiteGPT. The difference is that lead capture is included and there is no branding fee on any plan — with Botsonic's $49 branding fee counted, 1,000 answers cost less here.