Best Chatbots for your website - May 2024

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Are you looking to boost your website’s engagement and support? Need a simple solution that provides instant responses and personalized assistance to level up your customer support game? Online chatbots can help deliver this for your business. Read on to find out some of the best chatbots to add to your website for May 2024!

Quick takeaway:

1. Jivochat (Best all-around option)
2. Tawk.to (Best free chatbot for simple requirements)
3. Tidiochat
4. Cometchat
5. Hubspot chat
6. Zoho Desk

Chatbots are virtual assistants transforming how businesses interact with website visitors. These intelligent bots can handle various tasks, from providing sales recommendations to offering customer support, all conversationally. They are efficient, scalable, and can significantly enhance the user experience on your website.

Imagine having a virtual assistant that works tirelessly around the clock, providing real-time responses to visitor inquiries, guiding them through your website, and helping them make informed decisions. With the right chatbot, you can enhance customer satisfaction, increase sales, and improve overall website performance.

In this article, we’ll explore the best chatbots for your website. Whether you need a sales bot, a customer service bot, or something in between, we’ve got you covered. Without further ado here is a rundown of all the options we researched with their accompanying pros and cons and background information on each product.

6 Best Chatbot Assistant Software Tools For Website Owners in May 2024

Jivochat

Jivochat is a powerful customer communication platform that consolidates all contact channels into one centralized location, including live chat, social media, messengers, and phone calls. This allows you to seamlessly interact with your customers across multiple channels, providing a unified and consistent experience.

A unique feature of Jivochat is its API for developers, which allows for easy integration with other software, such as CRMs or other business tools.

This integration capability empowers you to streamline customer communication processes and manage all interactions from a single platform, enhancing efficiency and productivity.

Jivochat also offers robust chatbot capabilities that can be integrated with websites, messengers, and social media platforms. This allows you to automate repetitive tasks and provide quick responses to customer inquiries, freeing up your team’s time and resources for more complex interactions.

Users can start with a free trial to test out the platform, and there is also a free plan available with basic features at no cost. For businesses looking for more advanced features, Jivochat offers a Professional Plan at $10 per agent per month, which includes access to additional functionalities such as proactive invitations, integrations, and voice services. Jivochat’s flexible and scalable pricing plans make it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.

Feature of Jivochat

• Track Visitors: Real-time tracking of website visitors to better understand their behavior and needs.
• Proactive Invitations: Smart triggers that allow you to initiate chat conversations with visitors based on custom bots criteria, increasing engagement.
• The JivoChat Mobile App: Mobile app for iOS and Android devices, enabling you to manage customer communication on the go.
• Integrations: Easy integration with other software, such as CRMs, for streamlined communication processes.
• Voice Services: Callback feature that allows customers to request a callback from your team for seamless communication.

Benefits of Jivochat

• Multiple channels of communication
• Great UI (User Interface)
• Team Email integration
• ChatBot integration (still missing Continually chatbot)
• Mobile and Desktop Apps

Drawbacks of Jivochat

• To ensure optimal performance, this application requires a significant number of candidates to be present simultaneously.
• A stable and reliable internet connection is essential for the accurate functioning of the application.

Website screenshot:

Tawk.to

Tawk.to is a popular AI chatbot platform utilized by approximately 35% of websites worldwide. It offers a range of powerful features that enhance customer interactions and improve overall user experience.

Businesses can provide real-time assistance to users, addressing their inquiries and resolving issues promptly. Moreover, Tawk.to’s personalized recommendation feature helps boost sales by providing tailored suggestions and guidance during the buying process, ultimately driving conversions.

Setting up Tawk.to is a breeze, and the platform is free chatbot to use, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes. However, Tawk.to offers paid plans starting at $19/month for those looking for additional customization options.

This also allows businesses to remove branding from their products, ensuring a seamless and professional customer experience.

In addition to its user-friendly interface and affordability, Tawk.to offers a plethora of features that cater to businesses’ diverse needs.

Key Features

• Real-time Visitor Monitoring: Stay one step ahead with real-time monitoring of website visitors, allowing you to reach out and provide personalized assistance proactively.
• Automated Triggers: Chatbot automation capabilities for creating automated responses, greetings, and triggers based on user behavior or other criteria.
• Canned Responses: Pre-defined canned responses to handle frequently asked questions and provide quick responses to common inquiries.
• GEO IP Tracking: Gain insights into your visitors’ locations with GEO IP tracking, helping you tailor your interactions to their geographical preferences.
• Built-in Ticketing: Keep track of customer inquiries and issues with Tawk. to’s built-in ticketing system, ensuring no customer concern falls through the cracks.
• Customization Galore: Personalize your chat widget to match your brand’s look and feel, making it an integrated part of your website’s design.
• Language Flexibility: Tawk.to supports over 100 languages, making it a versatile solution for businesses catering to international audiences.
• Mobile Apps: Mobile apps for iOS and Android for managing chat interactions on the go and staying connected with customers anytime, anywhere.

Benefits of Tawk.to:

• Free usage
• Simple installation and customization
• Multilingual support
• Mobile apps for on-the-go access

Drawbacks of Tawk.to:

• Free version comes with limited reporting and analytics features
• Users reported occasional issues with the chat widget not appearing on the website.

Website screenshot:

Tidiochat

Tidio stands out as a cutting-edge chat widget that empowers businesses to establish timely communication with their customers. With its innovative chatbot features, Tidio Chats enables businesses to provide personalized and timely support, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Tidio Chats are designed to enhance customer support, engagement, and conversion rates by enabling businesses to communicate with their website visitors quickly and conveniently.

One of the key features of Tidio Chats is its ease of use. The AI chatbot software offers a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for businesses to set up and manage live chats on their websites. Tidio Chats can be customized to match the branding and aesthetics of a business’s website, ensuring a seamless and cohesive user experience for visitors.

When it comes to pricing, Tidio provides a variety of options to suit different business needs. For those just starting out, Tidio offers a free chat widget that allows up to 3 team members to engage with website visitors and provides basic functionality to get businesses up and running.

However, for more advanced features and capabilities, Tidio offers paid plans starting at $15.82 per month. These paid plans offer additional functionalities to help businesses enhance their live chat experience further.

Features

• Businesses can track website visitors in real time and initiate chats with them for proactive engagement.
• Businesses can customize the appearance of the chat widget to match their brand, ensuring a seamless user experience.
• Tidio allows businesses to set up predefined messages to greet visitors, making it easy to start conversations automatically.
• Tidio supports multiple communication channels, including chat, email, and Facebook Messenger chatbot, allowing businesses flexibility in interacting with customers.
• Businesses can view past chat transcripts and customer data to gain insights and improve future interactions.
• Tidio offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, allowing businesses to stay connected with their customers on the go.
• Tidio provides advanced automation features such as form-filling and personalized messages, streamlining customer interactions, and improving efficiency.

Benefits of Tidio:

• Consolidates interactions from live chat, messenger, and email on one page for easy tracking
• Real-time communication with visitors through customizable chat widgets
• Automation of frequently asked questions to save time for agents
• Integrations with popular business applications
• Customizable chatbots for eCommerce sites
• Provides information about current promotions and services to customers
Drawbacks of Tidio:
• No capability to manage client chats through messaging apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, or Twitter
• Lack of quick alerts for new conversations leading to delayed responses
• Inability to handle multiple chats simultaneously

Website screenshot:

Cometchat

Cometchat is a messaging solution that offers flexible and user-friendly SDKs, APIs, and UI Kits. It’s designed to be easy to use, with a no-code widget for non-developers to install and configure direct messaging, group chat, calling, and more on their website or mobile app.

The intuitive messaging experience allows users to communicate seamlessly within the platform, enhancing the user experience.

Cometchat offers integrations, flexible deployment options, and build options for different developer skill sets, allowing teams to implement chat functionality while focusing on their core product.

What makes Cometchat unique is its emphasis on usability and accessibility, making it easy for both developers and non-developers to enhance their communication capabilities without extensive technical expertise.
Starting at $109 per month, Cometchat provides options for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

The pricing plans come with different features and capabilities, including support for various messaging channels, customization options, integrations, and more. Cometchat also offers discounted annual billing and enterprise plans for businesses with specific needs.

Features

• Provides real-time messaging capabilities
• Supports one-on-one messaging between users, enabling private conversations.
• No-code widget allows non-developers to easily install and configure messaging features without coding knowledge.
• Allows users to create and participate in group chats
• Offers SDKs and APIs for integrating various platforms, including iOS, Android, and the web.
• Build options for different developer skill sets, including APIs, SDKs, UI Kits, and more.
• Allows chat UI/UX customization, including themes, colors, fonts, and more, to match the app’s branding and design.

Benefits of Cometchat

• Integrates really well with the WordPress site and Buddy Press
• Gateways for various platforms to be tied in.
• With available SDKs and customization options, users can tailor their chat solutions to fit their needs perfectly.

Drawbacks of Cometchat

• It’s expensive, and support is slow. They also need a better dashboard.

Website screenshot:

HubSpot

Elevate your marketing, sales, and customer service game with HubSpot’s innovative software. Say goodbye to missed opportunities and hello to real-time communication with a powerful chat widget that seamlessly connects website visitors and customer service reps. Customize it with your own branding and messaging, and effortlessly integrate it with CRM or helpdesk software for a seamless customer experience.

But that’s not all – HubSpot goes beyond chat. With live chat, deal pipeline management, ad management, email marketing, and analytics features, it’s a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to supercharge their growth. Need advanced automation and self-service?

HubSpot covers you with paid plans starting at $20/month at the time of writing. The chat widget is absolutely free with HubSpot CRM and integrates very well if you use other Hubspot apps as part of your technology stack. It can be used or purchased separately however its real value is in a bundle when it is paired with the other Hubspot applications.

Feature of HubSpot

• Lead generation through customizable form prompts for website visitors
• Personalized chatbot creation for automated customer service and sales
• Performance tracking and optimization with google analytics for chatbots
• Global reach with multi-language support for businesses with international customers
• Seamless customer interactions with integration across multiple communication channels (email, phone, social media)

Benefits of HubSpot

• Empower your team with advanced automation and comprehensive reporting features.
• Seamless customer support across multiple channels for a streamlined experience
• Accessible on the go with mobile apps for convenient communication
• Quick and hassle-free installation with easy customization options

Drawbacks of HubSpot

• Some advanced features may require a paid plan and are not available in the free version.
• Reporting tools may not provide all the desired insights for in-depth analysis.

• Focuses a lot on marketing automation functionality and may be slightly overwhelming for those wanting a simple solution

Website screenshot:

Zoho Desk

Experience seamless customer service with Zoho Desk, powerful software that brings all your interactions together in one place. Zoho Desk simplifies your customer support processes from a customizable chat widget and efficient ticketing system to a comprehensive call center and email management.

In addition, Zoho Desk offers a self-service portal, knowledge base, and community platform, empowering your customers to find answers and solutions on their own. The chat widget can be seamlessly embedded on your website, personalized with your brand and messaging, and integrated with your CRM or helpdesk software.

Effortlessly track customer requests, manage calls and emails, and provide self-service options with Zoho Desk. Choose from a free plan or affordable paid plans, packed with additional features to elevate your customer service to new heights.

Feature of Zoho Desk

• Automates repetitive tasks assigns inquiries to the right team, and manages help desk essentials for streamlined customer support.
• Boost productivity and organization with Zoho Desk’s innovative Work Modes system.
• Cost-effective Light Agent seat count option for non-support professionals, optimizing overall expenses.

Benefits of Zoho Desk

• Communicating with customers across multiple channels
• Team collaboration across departments
• Managing tiny gears and cogs
• Assigning tickets automatically

Drawbacks of Zoho Desk

• Bit of a clunky user interface that isnt quite as polished as the other options
• Not necessary a great option if your just after a feature rich chatbot and don’t use any of the apps from Zoho such as their CRM

Website screenshot:

What are Chatbots?

Chatbots are virtual assistants designed to interact with users conversationally. They use artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies to understand and respond to user queries and requests.

Chatbots can be implemented on websites, messaging apps, and other digital platforms. They can serve various purposes, from customer support and sales assistance to information retrieval and transaction processing.

One of the key features of chatbots is their ability to provide instant responses and assistance 24/7. They can handle repetitive tasks, answer frequently asked customer questions, and guide users through complex processes.

Chatbot technology offers numerous benefits for small businesses. They can enhance customer satisfaction by providing prompt and convenient support and reducing response times. This can improve the overall user experience on websites and other digital platforms.

They can also help businesses save time and resources by automating routine tasks, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex inquiries. Additionally, chatbots can increase sales by providing personalized recommendations and guiding users through the purchasing process.

Why are chatbots a great tool for strategically using marketing automation and AI?

Chatbots have become a popular tool for businesses to automate their marketing efforts. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots are now more advanced than ever before, making them excellent tools for strategic marketing automation.

Here’s why:

First of all, chatbots are fast. They’re able to respond instantly to customer inquiries, which means that your customers don’t have to wait around for a human representative to get back to them. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced world, where people don’t want to waste time waiting on hold or sifting through automated menus.

Chatbot platforms can help businesses save time and money by automating customer interactions. Instead of having a team of customer service representatives answering repetitive questions all day, an AI chatbot can handle these inquiries quickly and efficiently.

AI Chatbots provide enterprise businesses with valuable data insights that they can use to target their customers more effectively. By analyzing customer interactions with the answer bot, businesses can learn about what products or services are most in demand and how customers prefer to engage with them.

Our Pick: Best Chatbot Software tools

For all-round functionality and integration we like the Jivochat application as its simple to use and has built-in support for Facebook, Whatsapp, Telegram and Instagram DMs to name a few. Second we have Tawkto for those wanting a very basic simple to use chatbot application.

For more advanced features and AI integrations we also like Tidiochat and Cometchat they offer a range of advanced chatbot features for all types of businesses. Tidiochat is known for its user-friendly interface, allowing businesses to create chatbots for websites, emails, and social media platforms using a drag-and-drop builder. It also offers pre-built templates, chatbot scenarios, real-time monitoring, analytics, and CRM integration.

On the other hand, Cometchat is recognized for its comprehensive features and integrations, providing chatbot solutions for websites, mobile apps, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack. It offers an intuitive chatbot builder with advanced NLP capabilities, customization options, and analytics for tracking chatbot performance.

Lastly for those already using  applications and services in the Hubspot and Zoho ecosystems their respective chatbots are well suited however in our opinion fall short as standalone options without the integrations to their wider ecosystem of services.

If you made it to the end thank you and we hope this article was helpful and you found some high quality chatbotbots for your website. Be sure to follow us on social media for more updates and sharing this article with anyone you think would benefit from a chatbot assistant.

Best chatbot options according to Redditors

Here is a summary of some different opinions around chatbot platforms from the popular social networking website/forum Reddit.com :

Tidio is also working flawlessly for us. (Paraphrased)

In terms of CS time savings and higher revenue, Intercom is absolutely worth the investment. If that’s too expensive for you right now, try the $59/month “start” plan. (Paraphrased)

Tawk.to is completely free. Use it frequently. (Paraphrased)

I’ve been using RumbleTalk, which is really efficient, simple to use, customizable, and embeddable on your HTML/WordPress site. (Paraphrased)

Crisp.chat is sufficient for us. (Paraphrased)

Tryswivl.com has NLP (also allows you to design your own but probably only for corporate clients), live chat features (SMS as well), and drag and drop workflows.  (Paraphrased)

Visit chatshape.com. It transformed one of my clients’ websites. (Paraphrased)

Crisp is my go-to for a free chatbot. Excellent freebie. Other choices are available, depending on your requirements. (Paraphrased)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do chatbots function?

Chatbots interpret and reply to user inquiries or commands using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms.

What are the most prevalent applications for online chatbots?

Chatbots are used for customer service, lead generation, e-commerce, virtual assistants, and other purposes.

Is AI used in all chatbots?

No, not all chatbots are driven by AI. Some are rule-based and follow predefined scripts, while others employ artificial intelligence for more dynamic interactions.

What is the distinction between a rule-based and an AI chatbot?

A rule-based chatbot follows predefined rules and decision trees, whereas an AI chatbot can learn and adapt via machine learning and natural language comprehension.

Can chatbots understand and communicate in various languages?

Yes, many chatbots are built to support many languages, and their linguistic capabilities can be enhanced using training data with language models.

How do chatbots deal with sensitive or confidential data?

To protect sensitive information, chatbots can be created with security features including data encryption. Compliance with data privacy laws is critical.

What are chatbots’ limitations?

Chatbots may struggle with sophisticated or contextually sensitive conversations, and often require human oversight for very complex or technical topics however are very well suited to automate basic questions and answers and direct end-users to existing documentation such as blog posts or support threads.

Are chatbots taking the place of human customer service representatives?

Chatbots may answer simple questions, but for more difficult issues, they frequently collaborate with human agents to provide support and improve efficiency. Nonetheless chatbots help save lots of time and reduce overall customer support costs and can speed up the process for users to get answers they are looking for.

QR Code for mobile users:

Source(s) cited / Bibliography:

Reddit [Online]. Dive into anything. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/webdev/comments/osjv46/can_anyone_recommend_a_chatbot_that_isnt_going_to/?rdt=40583 (Accessed: 6 November 2023).

“Reddit” Dive into anything, www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/comments/16mwzm0/chatbot_for_wordpress_site_sites/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.

“Reddit” Dive into anything, www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/comments/uy394p/live_chat_on_wp/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.

Reddit. Dive into anything. https://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/comments/zvmxc2/chatbot_plugin_recommendations/. Accessed November 6, 2023.

Alessio

Alessio Rigoli is the founder of AGR Technology and got his start working in the IT space originally in Education and then in the private sector helping businesses in various industries. Alessio maintains the blog and is interested in a number of different topics emerging and current such as Digital marketing, Software development, Cryptocurrency/Blockchain, Cyber security, Linux and more.

Alessio Rigoli, AGR Technology