BOTPENGUIN VS CHATBOT
Looking for a ChatBot Alternative? Here is Why BotPenguin Wins
ChatBot by Text is a capable AI chatbot platform, but its Essential plan includes only 10 AI resolutions per month. Most teams hit that cap in days, triggering automatic overage packs at $0.99 per resolution. Add per-user seat costs, no WhatsApp or Instagram, and no free plan, and the real monthly cost looks very different from the $19/month headline. BotPenguin includes AI from the free Baby plan with no resolution meter, flat-rate plans not billed per agent, and WhatsApp and Instagram from the same dashboard. 80,000+ businesses across 193 countries use BotPenguin.
5 Reasons BotPenguin Is the Best ChatBot Alternative
Switch to BotPenguin if you want AI without a resolution cap, WhatsApp or Instagram alongside your website chatbot, flat-rate pricing that does not compound per user and per resolution, or a free plan. ChatBot may still suit you if you are already in the LiveChat and Text ecosystem, your use case is website and Messenger automation only, and the per-resolution billing model suits your expected volume. Its proprietary AI engine and deep LiveChat integration are genuine strengths for teams already on that stack.
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BotPenguin vs ChatBot: Full Comparison
BotPenguin
ChatBot by Text
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ChatBot vs BotPenguin: Pricing
ChatBot's headline price is lower, but it is billed per user and per AI resolution. BotPenguin Little is a flat monthly plan with 3,000 messages, 5 chatbots, 10 team members, and AI included.
BotPenguin
Little $29/month
3,000 messages · 5 chatbots · AI included
- Free forever - 1,000 messages, 1 chatbot
- Little - $29/month, 3,000 messages, 5 chatbots
- King - $99/month, 12,000 messages, unlimited chatbots
- AI included on every plan
ChatBot by Text
$79/user/month billed annually
Growth plan · 10 AI agents · 200 AI resolutions
- No free plan, 14-day trial only
- Growth is the closest published plan in the screenshot
- 10 AI agents with 200 AI resolutions
- 50 AI text edits, 50 reply suggestions, and 400 live visitors tracked
- Website, Messenger, Shopify only
- Pricing is still per user
Free
plan available vs ChatBot’s trial-only access
$79
per-user Growth price billed annually
200
AI resolutions on Growth per month
* Data is based on publicly available information and may not reflect the latest updates.
No Credit Card Required.
Why Are Businesses Looking for ChatBot Alternatives in 2026?
The resolution allowance runs out before the month does.
The Essential plan's 10 AI resolutions per month is not enough for any real customer-facing deployment. Most teams hit the cap within days, triggering auto-refill at $49.50 per 50 resolutions, billed at renewal with no mid-cycle opt-out.
Per-user billing that stacks on top of per-resolution billing.
A 3-agent team on Essential pays $57/month base, then adds auto-refill overage packs on top. As team size and AI usage both grow, cost compounds from two axes.
No WhatsApp, Instagram, or Telegram.
ChatBot supports website chat, Messenger, and Shopify. Businesses that need WhatsApp or Instagram must run a different platform alongside ChatBot.
No free plan after the trial ends.
After the 14-day trial there is no reduced free tier. BotPenguin's Baby plan stays free permanently after signup.
What Is ChatBot?
ChatBot by Text is a no-code AI chatbot platform from the same company as LiveChat, HelpDesk, and KnowledgeBase. It serves over 35,000 businesses and is used primarily by e-commerce and customer support teams running website chat, Messenger, and Shopify automation. The platform uses a proprietary AI engine and integrates natively with LiveChat.
Where it shines
- Natural extension for LiveChat teams: native integration, shared product family, same Text account
- Proprietary AI engine delivers fast responses without third-party API latency
- Shopify integration handles e-commerce use cases including product recommendations and order status well
Where it falls short
- Per-resolution billing model is the biggest friction point, especially the 10-resolution allowance on Essential
- WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram are not supported on any plan
- No free plan; per-user pricing adds cost as teams grow
Switch from ChatBot to BotPenguin in 3 Steps
No disruption. No lost data. Your dedicated migration engineer handles everything.
Book a Call
Share your current ChatBot setup, active channels, and requirements. We will map out your migration plan in the first session.
We Configure Everything
Your dedicated migration engineer sets up your chatbot, recreates your flows, connects your integrations, and tests everything before go-live.
Go Live
Launch BotPenguin across all your channels without any downtime. Your conversations continue without interruption.
AI from day one with no resolution cap. WhatsApp, Instagram, and website in one plan. Flat-rate pricing that does not compound per user and per resolution. A free Baby plan to start. Join 80,000+ businesses on BotPenguin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free ChatBot.com alternative?
Yes. BotPenguin's Baby plan is permanently free with 1,000 messages, one chatbot, and AI included. ChatBot by Text has no free plan; billing begins at $19/user/month after the 14-day trial.
What is ChatBot used for?
ChatBot by Text is a no-code AI chatbot platform used by over 35,000 businesses for website chat, Facebook Messenger, and Shopify automation. It uses a proprietary AI engine and integrates natively with LiveChat.
How does ChatBot pricing compare to BotPenguin?
ChatBot charges per user ($19/user Essential, $79/user Growth, annual) plus per-resolution overages (auto-refill at $49.50/50 resolutions). A 5-agent team on Growth costs $395/month. BotPenguin King is $99/month for up to 10 team members with no resolution meter.
Can BotPenguin replace ChatBot.com?
Yes. BotPenguin covers website chatbots, Shopify integration, lead qualification, FAQ handling, and human handover. BotPenguin adds WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, AI voice agents, and a free plan, with no per-resolution billing and LLM choice across GPT-5, Claude 4, and Gemini.
Does ChatBot support WhatsApp?
No. ChatBot by Text supports website chat, Facebook Messenger, and Shopify. WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and SMS are not available on any ChatBot plan. BotPenguin includes WhatsApp from the Baby free plan with zero markup on Meta rates.
What is the difference between ChatBot and LiveChat?
ChatBot and LiveChat are separate products from the same company (Text). LiveChat is a human-agent live chat platform; ChatBot is an automated AI chatbot builder. They are sold and priced separately. BotPenguin includes both live chat with human handover and AI chatbot automation in a single plan.