AI chatbot pricing in 2026: per resolution, chat, or free

Short answer: most AI chatbots for websites charge in one of four ways: per resolution (you pay when the bot solves a question, about $0.90 to $1.00 each), per conversation (a monthly bundle of chats), per message credit (a monthly bundle of individual replies), or nothing, for tools bundled into a platform or with a small free plan. For a small store answering a few hundred questions a month, the model matters more than the headline price.

All prices below were checked on each company's own pricing page on October 18, 2026. Prices change often, so check the linked page before you buy.

Try it with your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your store. The table updates with what each tool would cost in a month.

Questions a month 300Messages per chat 3

Intercom Fin	$326	1 seat at $29 + $0.99 per outcome
Gorgias AI Agent	$310	Starter $10 + $1.00 per interaction (monthly contract)
Chatbase	$80	900 message credits: 700 included, then $40 per 1,000
Tidio Lyro	Ask	From $32.50; Tidio doesn't publish prices above 50
Shopify Inbox	$0	Free, Shopify stores only
Chatbait	$19	Starter, up to 2,000 messages (coming soon)

Rough estimate from public prices checked October 18, 2026. Assumes every question the AI handles is billable and leaves out add-ons, taxes and annual discounts.

The four pricing models at a glance

Per resolution: Intercom Fin and Gorgias

You pay each time the AI handles a customer's question.

• Intercom Fin costs $0.99 per outcome. Intercom counts an outcome when the customer confirms the issue is solved, doesn't ask for more help after Fin answers, or Fin completes a workflow. Intercom's own plans start at $29 per seat a month (billed monthly), and Fin can also run on other help desks with no Intercom seats, with a monthly minimum.
• Gorgias AI Agent costs $0.90 per interaction on an annual contract or $1.00 monthly, with overage at $1.50. Gorgias itself starts at $10 a month for 50 tickets.

What it means for a small store: 300 handled questions a month comes to roughly $270 to $300, on top of the help desk plan. Fair if each answer saves a sale or a support hour; expensive if most questions are "do you ship to Canada?".

Per conversation: Tidio Lyro

Tidio sells AI conversations in monthly bundles.

• The free plan includes 50 Lyro AI conversations, one time (not every month).
• Lyro on its own starts at $32.50 a month for 50 AI conversations, and you can raise the limit from 50 to 1,000.
• The Growth plan starts at $49.17 a month and includes 100 Lyro conversations.

What it means: easy to budget, but a busy month can hit the limit, and every chat counts whether the AI solved it or not.

Per message credit: Chatbase

Chatbase charges for AI replies rather than whole conversations.

• The cheapest plan, Hobby, is $40 a month ($32 a month billed yearly) with 700 message credits a month.
• Extra credits cost $40 per 1,000.
• There is no free plan.

What it means: a five-message conversation uses five credits, so long back-and-forth chats cost more than quick answers. Chatbase's pricing page doesn't say exactly what counts as one credit, so ask before you commit.

Free: Shopify Inbox and Chatbait

• Shopify Inbox is free for Shopify stores and includes an "AI-powered sales associate" that answers with product recommendations, FAQs and quick replies. It also sees a customer's purchase history. Shopify rates it 4.6 out of 5 from over 5,800 reviews.
• Chatbait is free for up to 300 messages a month (a message is one reply Chatbait sends to a visitor). Paid plans are coming soon: $19 a month for 2,000 messages, $49 for 10,000, and Business from $199. It reads your website and answers only from your own pages, on any site (Shopify, WordPress, Webflow, Wix, Framer or plain HTML). It doesn't yet do order lookup, lead capture or handoff to a person.

What it means: free tools are the cheapest way to learn what your customers actually ask. If you're on Shopify, start with Inbox. If you're not on Shopify, or want answers drawn strictly from your own pages, a chatbot that reads your website fits better. See Shopify Inbox vs a dedicated AI chatbot.

How to pick

1. Count your questions first. Look at a month of emails and DMs. Under about 200 product and policy questions a month, a free tool is usually enough.
2. Check what you're charged for. "Resolution", "interaction", "conversation" and "message credit" are all measured differently.
3. Decide whether you need order lookups. Questions like "where's my order?" need an order-connected tool (Gorgias, Intercom, Shopify Inbox). Questions about sizing, shipping and ingredients don't.
4. Set a monthly cap on any pay-per-use tool, so a busy month can't surprise you.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a resolution in Intercom Fin?

Intercom counts an outcome when a customer confirms their issue is resolved, doesn't ask for more help after Fin responds, or Fin completes a workflow. Each one costs $0.99.

Is there a free AI chatbot for a website?

Yes. Shopify Inbox is free for Shopify stores and includes AI answers. Tidio's free plan includes 50 AI conversations, once. Chatbait is free for up to 300 messages a month and works on any website.

Is per resolution pricing cheaper than a monthly plan?

For low volumes it often is, because you only pay when the AI helps. At a few hundred questions a month, per resolution pricing (about $0.90 to $1.00 each) can cost more than a monthly bundle, so compare using your own numbers.

How often do these prices change?

Often. Every price here was checked on October 18, 2026, and links go to each company's pricing page. We update this guide when prices change.