Best Chatbot Builders
Automate conversations without coding—qualify leads and support customers 24/7
By Toolradar Editorial Team · Updated
Intercom Fin leads for AI-powered customer support chatbots with deep help center integration. Drift excels at B2B sales chatbots for lead qualification. ManyChat dominates social media (Instagram, Messenger) marketing automation. For simple website chatbots, Tidio offers excellent value.
Chatbots have evolved from frustrating decision trees to genuinely useful AI assistants. Modern chatbots handle common support questions, qualify leads, book meetings, and escalate to humans when needed. The key is choosing the right type: AI-powered support bots, sales qualification bots, or marketing automation bots. Each has different platforms.
What are Chatbot Builders?
Chatbot builders create automated conversational experiences for websites, apps, and social platforms. They range from simple rule-based flows (if user says X, respond with Y) to sophisticated AI chatbots that understand intent and generate responses. Modern platforms integrate with your knowledge base, CRM, and support tools.
Why Chatbots Matter
Customers expect instant responses—67% expect replies within 10 minutes. Human support can't scale to this without massive cost. Chatbots provide 24/7 instant response, handle common questions automatically (often 30-50% of volume), and qualify leads while you sleep. Done well, they improve customer experience while reducing cost.
Key Features to Look For
Drag-and-drop conversation flow design
Natural language understanding for intent detection
Seamless transfer to human agents when needed
Connect with CRM, help desk, calendars, and other tools
Deploy across website, messaging apps, social platforms
Pull answers from existing help content
Track conversations, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction
Gather information and route leads to sales
Key Factors to Consider
Evaluation Checklist
Pricing Overview
ManyChat free (1,000 contacts), Tidio free, Tidio Starter $29/mo
Intercom Essential $39/seat + $0.99/resolution, ManyChat Pro $15/mo, Tidio Growth $59/mo
Intercom Advanced $99/seat, Drift ~$2,500/mo, custom plans
Top Picks
Based on features, user feedback, and value for money.
Support teams wanting AI to handle 30-50% of common questions automatically
B2B sales teams wanting to qualify website visitors and book meetings automatically
Brands automating Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp conversations
Mistakes to Avoid
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Building complex flows before testing simple ones — Start with 5-10 most common questions and nail those before adding complexity. A bot that answers 10 questions perfectly beats one that answers 50 poorly
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No clear human handoff — The #1 chatbot complaint is getting stuck in a loop with no escape. Always provide a visible 'Talk to a human' button. Intercom and Tidio handle this well; custom-built bots often forget it
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Pretending bots are human — Customers are fine talking to bots when disclosed. Customers who discover they've been fooled are angry. Always identify the bot clearly. Studies show transparent bots get equal or better satisfaction scores
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Measuring deflection without quality — A 60% deflection rate means nothing if customers just gave up. Measure CSAT on bot-resolved conversations separately. Intercom Fin tracks resolution quality—require this metric from any platform
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Deploying AI without quality knowledge base — AI chatbots are only as good as their training data. Fin needs comprehensive, accurate help center articles. Invest in content before investing in AI
Expert Tips
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Start with the top 10 support questions — Analyze your last 500 support tickets. The top 10 question types probably represent 40-60% of volume. Build bot responses for these first—maximum ROI with minimum effort
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Use ManyChat for social, Intercom for website — Don't force one tool to do both. ManyChat at $15/month handles Instagram/Messenger brilliantly. Intercom handles website support. Together they're cheaper and better than either alone
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Set up fallback to human during business hours, email after hours — Bot + human handoff during 9-5, bot + email ticket after hours. This provides 24/7 response while keeping costs manageable
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Monitor failed conversations weekly — Review every conversation where the bot couldn't help. These reveal knowledge base gaps, misunderstood intents, and product issues. Each failed conversation is a training opportunity
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A/B test bot greeting messages — The opening message has a huge impact on engagement. Test proactive ('Hi! Need help?') vs reactive (widget that waits for click) vs contextual ('I see you're on our pricing page—any questions?'). Contextual typically performs best
Red Flags to Watch For
- !No easy escape to human agent—chatbot loops that trap frustrated customers increase support ticket escalation severity and destroy CSAT scores
- !Per-resolution pricing without quality metrics—if the bot marks conversations as 'resolved' when customers give up, you're paying for bad experiences
- !Claims 90%+ resolution rate without proof—most AI chatbots genuinely resolve 30-50% of queries. Higher claims usually mean the definition of 'resolution' is generous
- !No analytics on failed conversations—you need to see what the bot couldn't answer to improve your knowledge base and training data
The Bottom Line
Intercom Fin ($39/seat + $0.99/resolution) leads for AI-powered support chatbots that genuinely resolve issues—worth the premium if support volume justifies it. Drift (~$2,500/month) dominates B2B sales chatbots for lead qualification and meeting booking. ManyChat (free to $15/month) is essential for social media marketing automation on Instagram and Messenger. Tidio (free to $59/month) offers the best value for small businesses wanting simple website chat with basic AI. Start with clear use case—support, sales, or marketing—and choose accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many support tickets can chatbots actually resolve?
Well-implemented AI chatbots resolve 30-50% of conversations without human involvement. This requires good knowledge base content and realistic expectations. Complex or emotional issues still need humans.
Should I use AI or rule-based chatbots?
Rule-based works for: simple, predictable conversations like meeting booking. AI works for: varied questions with multiple phrasings, like support. AI needs training data and good content to draw from.
Will chatbots annoy my customers?
Poorly implemented ones, yes. Keys to success: clear bot identity (don't pretend to be human), easy access to humans, actually helpful responses, and not being intrusive. Chatbots that solve problems are appreciated; ones that block access to humans are hated.
Related Guides
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