For most small businesses, Tidio is the best Chatbase alternative: it pairs an AI agent with free live chat, so a person can step in when the bot gets stuck. Pick Intercom Fin if you already run a helpdesk and want to pay only when the AI resolves a conversation, and Help Scout if you want a simple shared inbox with AI answers at $0.75 per resolution.
- AI plus live chat for small websitesTidioFree plan; Starter lists at $24.17/month [4]
- Paying only when the AI resolves a ticketFin by IntercomFrom $0.99 per outcome, 50 outcome monthly minimum [5]
- A simple shared inbox with AI answersHelp ScoutFree plan; Standard starts at $25/user/month [8]
- Flat workspace pricing with WhatsApp and InstagramCrispFree plan; Mini starts at $45/month per workspace [9]
Why people look for alternatives to Chatbase
Chatbase lets you build an AI agent from your own content and put it on your website, WhatsApp, Meta apps, Slack, email and voice Chatbase features ↗. The free plan gives 50 message credits a month, one agent, one member and limited model access, and agents are deleted after 14 days of inactivity Chatbase pricing ↗. Paid plans start at $40 a month for 700 message credits on Hobby, then $150 for 4,000 on Standard and $500 for 15,000 on Pro Chatbase pricing ↗. Extra credits cost $40 per 1,000, extra agents $25 a month each, and removing the Powered By Chatbase label costs $99 a month Chatbase pricing ↗. The helpdesk, voice and API access start on Standard Chatbase pricing ↗. On Trustpilot, Chatbase scores 4.0 out of 5 from 68 reviews, with praise for support and ease of use but complaints about billing, wrong answers and difficulty reaching a human Trustpilot Chatbase ↗. People look for alternatives that include live chat, cost less at volume or bill only for results.
The best Chatbase alternatives
- 1Free plan; Starter lists at $24.17/month [4]
Tidio
AI plus live chat for small websites
Tidio's free plan includes live chat, ticketing, a visual Flows builder, 50 billable conversations and 10 seats, and your first 50 Lyro AI conversations are free Tidio pricing ↗. Paid plans add more conversations, and Lyro can also be bought on its own from $32.50 a month for 50 AI conversations Tidio pricing ↗.
- 2From $0.99 per outcome, 50 outcome monthly minimum [5]
Fin by Intercom
Paying only when the AI resolves a ticket
Fin costs $0.99 per outcome with a 50 outcome monthly minimum, and it works with helpdesks such as Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot and Freshdesk without Intercom seats Fin pricing ↗ Fin features ↗. Intercom says Fin averages a 76 percent resolution rate across 12,000+ customers Fin features ↗. The trial runs 14 days with unlimited outcomes and no card Fin pricing ↗. If you also want Intercom's own helpdesk, seats start at $29 a month Intercom pricing ↗.
- 3Free plan; Standard starts at $25/user/month [8]
Help Scout
A simple shared inbox with AI answers
Help Scout's AI Answers costs $0.75 per resolution with a monthly spending cap you set, and new accounts get 3 months of free unlimited resolutions Help Scout pricing ↗. The free plan covers 5 users, 1 inbox and 100 contacts a month, though AI Answers is a paid add on Help Scout pricing ↗.
- 4Free plan; Mini starts at $45/month per workspace [9]
Crisp
Flat workspace pricing with WhatsApp and Instagram
Crisp prices per workspace, not per seat: Mini is $45 a month for 4 seats and $5 of AI credits, and Essentials is $95 for 10 seats, $25 of AI credits, an omnichannel AI chatbot and a knowledge base Crisp pricing ↗. Essentials also brings WhatsApp Business, Instagram DMs and SMS into one inbox Crisp pricing ↗.
- 5Suite Team starts at $55/agent/month billed yearly [10]
Zendesk
Growing support teams that need phone, chat and email
Zendesk Suite Team includes AI agents, a knowledge base, messaging, live chat and telephony, with 5 automated resolutions per agent each month Zendesk pricing ↗. Extra resolutions cost $1.50 each committed or $2.00 pay as you go, and there is a 14 day trial Zendesk pricing ↗.
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tidio | AI plus live chat for small websites | Free plan; Starter lists at $24.17/month [4] | Yes |
| Fin by Intercom | Paying only when the AI resolves a ticket | From $0.99 per outcome, 50 outcome monthly minimum [5] | No |
| Help Scout | A simple shared inbox with AI answers | Free plan; Standard starts at $25/user/month [8] | Yes |
| Crisp | Flat workspace pricing with WhatsApp and Instagram | Free plan; Mini starts at $45/month per workspace [9] | Yes |
| Zendesk | Growing support teams that need phone, chat and email | Suite Team starts at $55/agent/month billed yearly [10] | No |
Prices checked Oct 9, 2026. See the full price index.
How to choose a Chatbase alternative
First, decide whether you need people in the loop. Chatbase is built around the AI agent, with a helpdesk view added on Standard and up Chatbase pricing ↗. If you want a person to take over a chat in real time, Tidio, Crisp and Help Scout all include a live chat or shared inbox on their entry plans Tidio pricing ↗ Crisp pricing ↗ Help Scout pricing ↗.
Second, pick a pricing model you can predict. Chatbase sells message credits Chatbase pricing ↗. Tidio counts billable and Lyro conversations Tidio pricing ↗. Fin, Help Scout and Zendesk charge per AI resolution, from $0.75 to $2.00 depending on the tool and plan Fin pricing ↗ Help Scout pricing ↗ Zendesk pricing ↗. Crisp gives each plan a set amount of AI credits Crisp pricing ↗. Per resolution pricing means you pay less when the bot fails, but your bill rises with success.
Third, check where your customers write to you. Chatbase covers the website, WhatsApp, Meta apps, Slack, email and voice Chatbase features ↗. Fin covers chat, email, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack, Instagram and Facebook Messenger, with voice on custom pricing Fin pricing ↗. Crisp Essentials adds WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS Crisp pricing ↗.
Finally, think about what you already pay for. If you run Zendesk or Freshdesk, Fin plugs into it without moving your team Fin pricing ↗ Fin features ↗.
- Best all round for small sites: Tidio
- Already have a helpdesk: Intercom Fin
- Simple inbox plus AI: Help Scout
- Flat price, social channels: Crisp
- Full support suite with phone: Zendesk
Free plans compared
Chatbase Free gives 50 message credits a month and deletes agents after 14 days of inactivity Chatbase pricing ↗. Tidio Free includes 50 billable conversations, 10 seats and 50 lifetime Lyro AI conversations Tidio pricing ↗. Crisp Free includes the chat widget, a shared inbox and mobile apps for 2 seats, but no AI credits Crisp pricing ↗. Help Scout Free covers 5 users and 100 contacts a month, with AI Answers as a paid add on Help Scout pricing ↗. Fin and Zendesk have trials, not free plans: 14 days each Fin pricing ↗ Zendesk pricing ↗.
If you want to test an AI agent at no cost, Tidio's 50 free Lyro conversations or Help Scout's 3 month AI Answers trial give you more room than Chatbase's 50 credits Tidio pricing ↗ Help Scout pricing ↗ Chatbase pricing ↗.
What 200 AI resolved conversations a month might cost
These use list prices and assume the AI fully resolves 200 conversations a month. Real bills depend on how many conversations need a human.
- Help Scout: 200 x $0.75 = $150 for AI Answers, plus $25 per user for Standard Help Scout pricing ↗.
- Intercom Fin: 200 x $0.99 = $198, with no seat cost if you use another helpdesk Fin pricing ↗.
- Zendesk Suite Team with 2 agents: 10 included resolutions, then 190 x $2.00 = $380 pay as you go, plus $110 for seats on yearly billing Zendesk pricing ↗.
- Chatbase: depends on how many message credits each conversation uses; Standard at $150 includes 4,000 credits a month Chatbase pricing ↗.
- Crisp Essentials: $95 a month, which Crisp says covers around 450 automated conversations Crisp pricing ↗.
Keeping answers accurate
Every AI chatbot can give a wrong answer, and some Chatbase reviewers on Trustpilot mention incorrect or repetitive replies Trustpilot Chatbase ↗. Whatever you choose, start with a clean help center or FAQ, test the questions customers ask most, and make the hand off to a human easy to find.
Look for guardrails. Chatbase lets you set rules such as sending refund questions to a person Chatbase features ↗. Fin uses written procedures for multi step tasks Fin features ↗. Help Scout only bills a resolution when the customer does not escalate or ask for more help Help Scout pricing ↗.
When to stay with Chatbase
Chatbase is still a good fit if you want to choose your AI model, since it offers models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others Chatbase features ↗. It also claims SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and HIPAA support and says customer data is not used to train models Chatbase features ↗. If you mainly want a trained bot on your site and do not need a full helpdesk, its Hobby plan at $40 a month is a simple start Chatbase pricing ↗.
How we picked
We looked for tools a small business could use instead of Chatbase to answer customer questions with AI. We compared free plans, pricing models, channels, live chat hand off and published resolution data, using each vendor's pricing and product pages checked October 10, 2026, plus Trustpilot and G2 reviews Chatbase pricing ↗ Trustpilot Chatbase ↗ Tidio pricing ↗ Fin pricing ↗ Help Scout pricing ↗ Crisp pricing ↗ Zendesk pricing ↗ G2 Fin ↗. On G2, Fin holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating G2 Fin ↗. We have not tested these tools hands on for this page. Hands on testing is in progress; we'll update this page with results.
Questions people ask
What is the best free alternative to Chatbase?
Tidio. Its free plan includes live chat, 50 billable conversations, 10 seats and 50 lifetime Lyro AI conversations Tidio pricing ↗.
Is Intercom Fin better than Chatbase?
For teams with a helpdesk and steady volume, Fin is the stronger product: it works with Zendesk, Salesforce and others and Intercom reports a 76 percent average resolution rate Fin features ↗. Chatbase is cheaper to start and has a free plan Chatbase pricing ↗.
How much does Chatbase cost?
Free gives 50 message credits a month. Hobby is $40 for 700 credits, Standard $150 for 4,000 and Pro $500 for 15,000, with 20 percent off yearly Chatbase pricing ↗.
Can I remove Chatbase branding?
Yes, but it is a $99 a month add on on top of your plan Chatbase pricing ↗.
Which Chatbase alternative charges per resolution?
Intercom Fin at $0.99 per outcome Fin pricing ↗, Help Scout AI Answers at $0.75 per resolution Help Scout pricing ↗, and Zendesk at $1.50 to $2.00 per extra automated resolution Zendesk pricing ↗.
Which alternative works on WhatsApp and Instagram?
Intercom Fin supports WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger Fin pricing ↗, and Crisp Essentials adds WhatsApp Business and Instagram DMs Crisp pricing ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. We have not tested these tools hands on yet.
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