Your website visitors expect instant answers—especially when they're ready to buy. Without an AI chatbot, you're losing customers to competitors who respond faster.
I tested the top 7 AI chatbot plugins for WordPress over three weeks. Here's what actually works in 2025.
Testing methodology: I evaluated setup time, AI accuracy, real support scenarios, multi-channel capabilities, pricing transparency, and lead generation performance.
The best AI chatbot for WordPress is Boei, which offers GPT-5.1 and Claude AI models, automatic website training up to 1,000 pages, and live chat escalation. It starts at $15/month for 2,000 AI messages and includes the full widget with 50+ contact channels.
For budget options, WPBot offers WordPress-native AI starting at $39/year with unlimited messages (you provide your own API key).
| Feature | Boei | Tidio | WPBot | Tawk.to | IBM Watson | Jotform AI | LiveChat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes | 30 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
| AI Model | GPT-5.1/Claude | Lyro AI | Multiple | Apollo AI | IBM Watson | Custom AI | Custom |
| Website Training | 1,000 pages | Manual | Yes | 500 pages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Messages/Month | 2,000 | 50-1,000 | Unlimited* | 1,000 | Limited | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Live Chat Escalation | With context | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Multi-Channel | 50+ channels | Limited | Limited | No | No | No | Limited |
| Starting Price | $15/month | $39/month | $39/year | $29/month | Free tier | $34/month | $76/month |
*Uses your own API key - you pay AI provider directly
Top Pick: For most sites, AI-powered solutions with automatic training and live chat escalation deliver the best ROI.
WordPress AI chatbot costs range from:
$15/month: Boei (2,000 AI messages, 1,000 pages, + 50+ contact channels included)
$29/month: Tawk.to AI Assist (1,000 AI messages, 500 pages)
$34/month: Jotform AI Chatbot (1,000 AI messages)
$39/month: Tidio with Lyro AI (50 renewable conversations - scales to $700/month for 1,000)
$39/year: WPBot (unlimited AI messages using your own API key)
$76/month: LiveChat + ChatBot ($24 LiveChat + $52 ChatBot = 1,000 chats/month)
You need an AI chatbot if you're losing leads outside business hours, spending excessive time answering repetitive questions, or your competitors respond faster than you do.
Modern AI chatbots resolve 70-85% of customer inquiries automatically while escalating complex questions to human agents.
AI chatbots work 24/7 and handle unlimited conversations simultaneously, while live chat requires human agents to be online. The best solution combines both—AI handles routine questions while escalating complex issues to humans.
Hybrid solutions like Boei offer both AI automation and live chat escalation with full conversation context.
Free AI chatbots like Tawk.to's basic live chat and WPBot's basic version offer limited AI responses, manual knowledge base setup, and basic features. They work for small sites with simple questions.
Paid AI chatbots ($15-76/month) provide advanced AI models like GPT-5.1, automatic website training, multi-channel support, live chat escalation, and higher message limits. Worth it for businesses serious about conversion.
If you specifically need WhatsApp integration, check out our WordPress WhatsApp plugins comparison.
Best Comprehensive AI Chatbot Solution
Boei is a comprehensive AI chatbot solution for WordPress trusted by 10,000+ businesses with 160+ five-star reviews. Unlike single-purpose chatbots, it combines latest AI models with multi-channel support and live chat escalation.
Key features:
GPT-5.1 and Anthropic Claude AI models
2,000 AI messages per month (vs 1,000 for Tawk.to at $29/month)
Website crawling up to 1,000 pages (vs 500 for Tawk.to)
Zero hallucinations—only answers based on your actual content
Live chat escalation with full conversation context
50+ communication channels included (WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS, Telegram, email)
Lead qualification that converts support into sales opportunities
5-minute, no-code setup
Auto-translation to 95+ languages
White-label options and agency pricing
GDPR compliant with Amsterdam-based servers
What sets it apart: At $15/month, you get double the AI messages and double the page training compared to Tawk.to's $29/month plan—plus the full widget with 50+ contact channels is included. The AI resolves 70-85% of inquiries without human intervention. For complex questions, live chat escalation ensures no customer gets stuck.
Best for: Growing businesses, e-commerce stores, SaaS companies, agencies managing multiple clients.
Pricing: 7-day free trial (250 AI messages) | From $15/month (2,000 AI messages, 1,000 pages) | Agency pricing available
Read more about this AI chatbot solution
Popular WordPress Option with Good AI
Tidio has built a solid reputation in WordPress, and their Lyro AI brings genuine artificial intelligence to live chat. Straightforward implementation with decent AI performance.
Key features:
Lyro AI Agent resolves 67% of questions automatically
Natural language processing that understands intent
Knowledge base integration for accurate responses
Unified inbox combining live chat, email, Messenger, Instagram
WordPress plugin that installs in minutes
Multi-language support
Mobile apps for iOS and Android
Limitations: Conversation-based pricing gets expensive fast. $39/month gets you only 50 renewable conversations, scaling to $700/month for 1,000 conversations. Compare to Boei at $15/month for 2,000 AI messages. Limited to 10 agents maximum on most plans.
Best for: Very small businesses with under 50 conversations/month.
Pricing: Free (50 one-time AI conversations) | $39/month (50 conversations) | $75/month (100) | $700/month (1,000)
Versatile WordPress-Native Solution
WPBot is WordPress-native with support for multiple AI providers including OpenAI ChatGPT, DialogFlow, and various models through OpenRouter (GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Cohere, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama).
Key features:
Multiple AI provider support—use OpenAI, DialogFlow, or OpenRouter
No-code plug-and-play installation
Multilingual support with translation
WooCommerce integration with shopping assistant
Conversational forms for lead capture
Messenger and WhatsApp integration (Pro)
24/7 automated support
Important: WPBot uses your own API key, so conversations are unlimited—you pay your AI provider (OpenAI, Dialogflow, etc.) directly per API call. This gives you flexibility but requires managing API costs separately.
Drawbacks: Some users report resource-intensive performance. Security concerns mentioned in reviews including SQL injection vulnerabilities requiring frequent updates.
Best for: WordPress developers, agencies managing multiple sites, businesses wanting AI provider flexibility and control over API costs.
Pricing: Free version | $39/year (1 site, unlimited AI with your API key) | $99/year (2 sites) | Lifetime deals available
AI Chat Starting at $29/Month
Tawk.to offers live chat with AI capabilities through their Apollo AI Assist. Their Growth plan with AI costs $29/month.
AI Assist features:
Apollo AI Bot answers based on your data
Knowledge base integration
1,000 AI messages per month
500 pages of website training
24/7 automated availability
Plain text training
Visitor tracking showing who's on your site
Custom triggers based on user behavior
Mobile apps for iOS and Android
Important: At $29/month, Tawk.to AI Assist provides 1,000 AI messages and 500 pages training. Compare this to Boei at $15/month which includes 2,000 AI messages (double), 1,000 pages (double), and the full widget with 50+ contact channels—all for nearly half the price.
Best for: Businesses already using Tawk.to for live chat who want to add AI capabilities.
Pricing: AI Assist Growth: $29/month (1,000 AI messages, 500 pages)
Enterprise AI Technology for WordPress
IBM Watson brings enterprise-grade AI to WordPress through watsonx Assistant. Serious AI technology from one of the industry leaders in machine learning and NLP.
Key features:
IBM Watson's sophisticated NLP capabilities
Rich response support including images and clickable buttons
Full customization of appearance and behavior
Shortcode embedding to place chatbot inline
Personalization using customer account data
24/7 real-time support powered by Watson
IBM Cloud Lite account allows free usage
Challenges: Requires more technical knowledge than plug-and-play solutions. Steeper learning curve for setup and training.
Best for: Enterprise websites, technically sophisticated teams, businesses needing advanced NLP.
Pricing: Free with IBM Cloud Lite | Paid IBM Cloud tiers for higher volume
AI-Powered Forms and Chat
Jotform AI Chatbot combines conversational AI with form-building capabilities, allowing you to create intelligent chatbots that collect information and answer questions.
Key features:
AI-powered conversations with 1,000 monthly AI messages
Conversational form builder with drag-and-drop
Pre-built templates for common use cases
Lead capture and qualification
Integration with Jotform's form ecosystem
Payment collection capabilities
Analytics for measuring performance
What sets it apart: Unlike pure form tools, Jotform includes actual AI to answer questions, not just collect data. The AI can provide information while also gathering leads.
Best for: Businesses wanting both AI chat and form functionality, lead generation campaigns, appointment booking.
Pricing: $34/month (1,000 AI conversations)
Live Chat + Automation Combo
LiveChat combines human live chat with ChatBot.com for both automated and human support. Designed for businesses wanting balance between AI automation and human touchpoints.
Key features:
Dual approach—AI automation when appropriate, humans when needed
Pre-built templates for common scenarios
Seamless switching between bot and human
WordPress integration via official plugin
60-day to unlimited chat history depending on plan
Agent groups for routing conversations
Pricing structure: ChatBot ($52/month billed annually) is separate from LiveChat ($24/month per agent). Minimum total cost is $76/month for 1 agent + ChatBot. The ChatBot plan includes unlimited AI replies within fair use (1,000 chats/month).
Pricing catch: You need both subscriptions. 1 agent + AI = $76/month. 5 agents + AI = $172/month ($120 LiveChat + $52 ChatBot).
Best for: Teams already using LiveChat who want to add AI automation.
Pricing: $24/agent/month (LiveChat) + $52/month (ChatBot) = $76/month minimum | 1,000 chats/month
Choose Boei. Combination of latest AI models, automatic website training, multi-channel support, live chat escalation, and transparent pricing delivers best overall value.
WPBot at $39/year for basic AI. Understand the limitations—you're trading features for cost.
Boei for AI-powered lead qualification, or Jotform AI Chatbot if you specifically need AI combined with form-building.
Boei with white-label options, subaccounts, and agency pricing. WPBot lifetime deals also work for many sites.
IBM Watson provides most sophisticated NLP. Requires technical expertise but delivers enterprise-grade results.
Boei is the only solution offering 50+ channels (WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, SMS, email) with unified AI intelligence.
Here's what your visitors will actually experience:
Visitor: "Does this laptop support Linux?"
AI Chatbot: "Yes! The XPS 15 fully supports Linux. Customers commonly install Ubuntu, Fedora, and other distributions. The hardware drivers are well-supported. Would you like me to send you our Linux installation guide?"
The AI answers based on your product documentation—providing accurate information that moves customers toward purchase.
Visitor: "I'm getting an error code E-4492 when trying to export data."
AI Chatbot: "I don't have specific information about error code E-4492. This needs investigation from our technical team. Let me connect you with a support specialist who can help. They'll have access to our full conversation so you won't need to repeat anything."
[Transfers to human agent with full context]
This is where AI shines—handling what it can, escalating what it can't, and ensuring humans receive full context.
Upload FAQs, product documentation, support articles, and policy pages. Better trained AI = fewer "I don't know" responses. Boei's automatic 1,000-page crawling handles this; manual solutions require upfront work.
First message should clarify capabilities: "Hi! I'm your AI assistant. I can answer questions about our products, pricing, shipping, and policies. How can I help?"
Don't leave customers stuck. Configure clear escalation paths for complex questions. Ensure human agents receive full conversation context.
Review analytics weekly. Which questions work well? Which fail? Use data to improve training content.
Over 65% of interactions happen on mobile. Test the entire flow on your phone before launch.
Launching a new business website: Boei (7-day trial, then $15/month for 2,000 AI messages + 50+ channels)
Running an e-commerce store: Boei for WooCommerce with multi-channel support
Managing an agency: Boei Agency with white-label features and subaccounts
Very tight budget: WPBot free version, accepting limitations
Enterprise NLP needs: IBM Watson for sophisticated language understanding
Learn more about AI chatbot benefits and how to build an AI chatbot for your business.
The best AI chatbot plugin isn't the one with the longest feature list—it's the one that actually converts visitors into customers while reducing support workload.
Start with a free trial or free version. Test with real traffic for 1-2 weeks. Pay attention to AI accuracy, conversation completion rates, lead quality, and customer feedback.
AI chatbots should enhance human support, not replace authentic relationships. Handle routine questions instantly, escalate complex situations to humans seamlessly.
Today's AI chatbots powered by GPT-5.1 and Claude are genuinely helpful—not the frustrating bots from five years ago. Choose a solution with modern AI models, transparent pricing, and room to grow.
For most WordPress sites in 2025, start with Boei's 7-day free trial (250 AI messages)—test latest AI models, multi-channel support, and live chat escalation with your real traffic. At $15/month for 2,000 AI messages and 50+ contact channels, it delivers double the AI messages of Tawk.to ($29/month for 1,000) at half the price.
Check out our AI chatbot pricing comparison and explore 18 proven AI chatbot use cases.
Article by
Ruben, the founder of Boei, leverages over a decade of consultancy experience at Ernst & Young to optimize lead generation. Boei specializes in converting website visitors into qualified leads. Outside of work, Ruben is passionate about crossfit and enjoys gaming occasionally.
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