What is the cheapest AI chatbot for a website?

SiteAnswerAI Free (500 messages, 1 agent) and Chatbase Free are the most permissive. Both require zero credit card.

Is per-resolution pricing always bad?

Not always. If you have low-volume high-value conversations (enterprise sales), per-resolution can be fine. For consumer e-commerce or SaaS, flat-rate wins every time.

How much does voice mode cost?

Usually $0 with SiteAnswerAI (included). Otherwise expect $20-$100/mo on Tidio or Intercom. Phone AI adds $0.05-$0.10/min for inbound calls on top.

How Much Does an AI Chatbot Cost? (2026 Pricing Breakdown)

By Arden Talbot·April 25, 2026

AI chatbot pricing in 2026 falls into four shapes: flat-rate, per-resolution, per-seat, and usage-based. Each one hides different costs. This breakdown walks through what a real small-business bill looks like at 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000 messages per month.

The four pricing models

Each has a different worst-case.

Flat-rate

A single monthly price for up to X messages. Predictable. Favored by SiteAnswerAI, Tidio, Chatbase.

Per-resolution

You pay per conversation the AI "resolves". Scales linearly with traffic - dangerous at high volume. Used by Intercom Fin.

Per-seat

A license per human agent. Makes sense for live chat, less for pure AI.

Usage / BYOK

You pay the underlying model provider (OpenAI, Anthropic). Lowest per-message cost but you eat rate-limit risk.

What a real bill looks like

At 1,000 messages/mo: SiteAnswerAI free, Tidio $29, Intercom ~$200. At 10,000 messages/mo: SiteAnswerAI $39, Tidio $59, Intercom ~$1,500+. At 100,000 messages/mo: SiteAnswerAI Agency $399, Intercom $10,000+. The spread is driven entirely by per-resolution vs flat-rate.

Hidden fees to watch for

Voice is usually an upsell. WordPress plugin may be locked to paid tier. Multi-site usually requires the Agency plan. Phone AI is typically per-minute and billed separately.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest AI chatbot for a website?: SiteAnswerAI Free (500 messages, 1 agent) and Chatbase Free are the most permissive. Both require zero credit card.
Is per-resolution pricing always bad?: Not always. If you have low-volume high-value conversations (enterprise sales), per-resolution can be fine. For consumer e-commerce or SaaS, flat-rate wins every time.
How much does voice mode cost?: Usually $0 with SiteAnswerAI (included). Otherwise expect $20-$100/mo on Tidio or Intercom. Phone AI adds $0.05-$0.10/min for inbound calls on top.