5 Best ManyChat Alternatives for CrossFit Gyms
CrossFit gyms thrive on community, accountability, and personalized training programs. When it comes to engaging members online—whether it’s...
CrossFit gyms thrive on community, accountability, and personalized training programs. When it comes to engaging members online—whether it’s answering FAQs about class schedules, booking sessions, or sending motivational reminders—a reliable chatbot can save staff time and keep members motivated. ManyChat has long been a go‑to platform for fitness businesses, but its pricing and limited customization options can push some gyms to look elsewhere. In this listicle, we’ve sifted through the most popular alternatives to ManyChat that deliver strong chatbot features, affordable tiers, and a smooth user experience. From visual builders that let coaches craft brand‑aligned widgets with zero code, to AI‑powered knowledge bases that keep answers accurate and up‑to‑date, these solutions can help CrossFit gyms automate routine tasks while preserving a personal touch. Whether you’re a solo owner, a multi‑location franchise, or a franchisee looking to standardize your digital outreach, the following options provide the tools you need to elevate member engagement without breaking the bank.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: CrossFit gyms looking for a fully branded, AI‑driven chatbot that supports courses, knowledge bases, and e‑commerce without coding.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code, AI‑powered chat platform that was born out of a marketing agency’s frustration with rigid, outdated chatbot solutions. Designed with fitness businesses in mind, it lets CrossFit gyms create fully customized chat widgets without writing a single line of code, thanks to its WYSIWYG editor. The visual builder lets you match colors, logos, fonts, and styles to your brand, ensuring a seamless look whether the widget floats on the corner of a landing page or embeds within a class schedule page. At the heart of AgentiveAIQ is a dual knowledge base that combines Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and a Knowledge Graph. RAG ensures fast, precise fact retrieval from uploaded documents—think class schedules, nutrition guides, or injury prevention tips—while the Knowledge Graph understands relationships between concepts, allowing the bot to answer nuanced questions about training plans or gear recommendations. This combination reduces hallucinations and increases confidence in the answers. Beyond chat widgets, AgentiveAIQ offers hosted AI pages and AI course builders. You can host branded, password‑protected pages that act as virtual portals for members. These pages support long‑term memory, but only for authenticated users—anonymous visitors receive session‑based memory, which aligns with privacy best practices. The AI Course Builder is a drag‑and‑drop interface that turns your training modules or nutrition programs into interactive tutorials, with the chatbot serving as a 24/7 tutor. AgentiveAIQ’s pricing is transparent: a Base plan starts at $39/month (2 chat agents, 2,500 messages/month, 100,000 characters in the knowledge base, with “Powered by AgentiveAIQ” branding); the Pro plan is $129/month (8 chat agents, 25,000 messages, 1,000,000 characters, 5 hosted pages, no branding, long‑term memory for hosted pages, Assistant Agent, webhooks, and e-commerce integrations); and the Agency plan is $449/month (50 chat agents, 100,000 messages, 10,000,000 characters, 50 hosted pages, and full pro features). All plans are no‑code, making it easy for non‑technical staff to onboard quickly. AgentiveAIQ stands out because it blends advanced AI with practical features that fitness gyms need: a visual editor, a sophisticated knowledge base, AI‑driven courses, and e‑commerce integration for Shopify and WooCommerce. It is especially suited for gyms that want to maintain brand consistency, provide accurate information, and scale their digital outreach without hiring developers.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG chat widget editor – drag & drop, brand‑matching colors & fonts
- Dual Knowledge Base: RAG for fact retrieval + Knowledge Graph for nuanced queries
- AI Course Builder – turn training modules into interactive tutorials
- Hosted AI pages with password protection and long‑term memory for logged‑in users only
- Assistant Agent – background AI that analyzes conversations and emails business intelligence
- E‑commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce) – real‑time product catalog access
- Smart Triggers & MCP tools for goal‑oriented flows
- No‑code platform – easy to set up for non‑technical staff
✓ Pros:
- +Full visual customization without code
- +Accurate answers with dual knowledge base
- +Long‑term memory for authenticated users
- +Flexible pricing tiers
- +E‑commerce integration
- +AI courses for training modules
✗ Cons:
- −No native CRM integration – relies on webhooks
- −No built‑in payment processing
- −No voice or SMS channels
- −No multi‑language support
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Chatfuel
Best for: Gyms seeking a straightforward, budget-friendly chatbot for basic booking and FAQ automation on Facebook Messenger.
Chatfuel is one of the most well‑known alternatives to ManyChat, especially in the fitness industry where quick, automated responses to common questions are essential. The platform offers a user‑friendly visual interface that lets gym owners build conversational flows without coding. It supports multiple messaging platforms, including Facebook Messenger and Telegram, and offers pre‑built templates for booking, FAQ, and marketing automation. Key to Chatfuel’s appeal is its integration with Google Sheets and Zapier, allowing gyms to pull data from spreadsheets for personalized member experiences or push booking information to a central system. The platform also offers AI-powered natural language processing, which can interpret user intent and route conversations to the appropriate answer or human agent. While Chatfuel’s free plan is generous, it limits the number of users and certain advanced features. Paid plans start at $15/month for the Pro tier, which unlocks unlimited broadcasts, AI capabilities, and priority support. Overall, Chatfuel is ideal for gyms that need a simple, cost‑effective chatbot that can handle basic booking and FAQ tasks, especially if they already rely on Facebook Messenger for member communication.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop flow builder
- Pre‑built templates for booking & FAQs
- AI intent recognition
- Zapier & Google Sheets integration
- Broadcast messages
- Multiple platform support (Messenger, Telegram)
- Free plan with limits
- Pro plan at $15/mo
✓ Pros:
- +No-code interface
- +Affordable pricing
- +Easy integrations
- +AI intent recognition
✗ Cons:
- −Limited multi‑channel support beyond Messenger/Telegram
- −Free tier has strict limits
- −No native e‑commerce or payment processing
Pricing: Free tier available; Pro plan starts at $15/month
MobileMonkey
Best for: Gyms looking to engage members across multiple messaging channels, especially those who rely on SMS reminders and Instagram DMs.
MobileMonkey positions itself as a cross‑channel chatbot platform that can engage members across web chat, SMS, Facebook Messenger, and even Instagram. For CrossFit gyms, this means reaching members wherever they prefer to communicate—whether through a website widget or a text message reminder. The platform’s visual builder is intuitive, and it offers a range of automation tools such as drip campaigns, surveys, and lead capture forms. MobileMonkey also includes AI-powered intent detection, allowing the bot to understand user intent and provide relevant responses. Pricing is tiered: the free plan allows up to 500 contacts and basic features, while the Pro plan starts at $19/month for 2,000 contacts, and the Growth plan at $49/month for 10,000 contacts, each providing additional automation, integrations, and analytics. MobileMonkey also offers a dedicated Customer Success Manager for its Enterprise tier. Gyms that need to maintain a presence across multiple messaging platforms, or want to combine chat with SMS reminders, will find MobileMonkey’s cross‑channel capabilities particularly useful.
Key Features:
- Cross‑channel support (web chat, SMS, Messenger, Instagram)
- Visual flow builder
- AI intent detection
- Drip campaigns
- Lead capture forms
- Zapier & API integrations
- Analytics dashboard
- Tiered pricing with free plan
✓ Pros:
- +Multi‑channel reach
- +Intuitive builder
- +Affordable entry tier
- +Robust automation tools
✗ Cons:
- −Limited free tier limits contacts
- −No native e‑commerce integration
- −Requires separate SMS provider for texting
Pricing: Free tier (500 contacts); Pro $19/mo (2,000 contacts); Growth $49/mo (10,000 contacts); Enterprise custom pricing
Landbot
Best for: Gyms needing a customizable web chat that can collect data and turn conversations into leads, especially those who prefer a visual design interface.
Landbot offers a no‑code chatbot builder that turns web forms into conversational experiences. Its visual designer lets gym owners craft interactive flows that can guide members through class schedules, membership sign‑ups, or even post‑class feedback collection. One of Landbot’s standout features is its ability to embed chatbots directly into website pages or convert them into standalone web apps. The platform supports integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, and other SaaS tools, enabling real‑time data collection and workflow automation. Landbot’s pricing starts with a free plan that supports up to 100 chats per month, while the Creator plan at $30/month unlocks unlimited chats, advanced widgets, and more integrations. The Pro plan at $70/month adds additional features such as custom domains and priority support. For CrossFit gyms that want a highly customizable web chat experience and the ability to convert interactions into actionable leads or data entries, Landbot provides a solid foundation.
Key Features:
- No‑code visual builder
- Embedded web chat & standalone web app
- Custom widgets
- Google Sheets & Zapier integration
- Data collection & lead capture
- Free plan (100 chats/month)
- Creator $30/mo plan
- Pro $70/mo plan
✓ Pros:
- +Visual builder
- +Embedded & standalone options
- +Affordable plans
- +Good integration options
✗ Cons:
- −Limited free plan traffic
- −No SMS or native messaging platform support
- −Requires manual setup for some integrations
Pricing: Free plan (100 chats/month); Creator $30/month; Pro $70/month
Intercom
Best for: Gyms that require a comprehensive customer engagement suite, including chat, email, and help desk features.
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that blends live chat, help desk, and marketing automation into one suite. For CrossFit gyms, Intercom can be used to answer FAQs, schedule classes, and push targeted marketing messages. The platform’s visual chatbot builder allows non‑technical staff to create conversation flows, and it supports product tours, in‑app messages, and email automation. Intercom’s AI features include intent recognition and automated responses, while its help desk capabilities let team members hand off conversations for human support. Pricing is tiered with the Essential plan at $39/month (includes a limited number of active users and messages), the Pro plan at $99/month (adds more users and advanced automation), and the Premium plan at $199/month (unlimited users and advanced features). Intercom also offers a dedicated support team for higher tiers. Gyms that need a unified platform for chat, email, and in‑app messaging will find Intercom’s breadth of features appealing, though the cost may be higher compared to other alternatives.
Key Features:
- Visual chatbot builder
- Live chat & help desk
- In‑app messages & product tours
- Email automation
- AI intent recognition
- Multi‑channel messaging
- Tiered pricing with Essential, Pro, Premium
✓ Pros:
- +All‑in‑one engagement platform
- +Robust automation
- +Strong support for human hand‑off
- +AI intent recognition
✗ Cons:
- −Higher price point
- −Complexity may overwhelm small teams
- −Limited free tier
Pricing: Essential $39/month; Pro $99/month; Premium $199/month
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform can transform the way a CrossFit gym interacts with its community. Whether you need a simple FAQ bot, a cross‑channel engagement tool, or a fully‑customized, AI‑powered assistant that can host courses and manage e‑commerce, the alternatives above cover every need. AgentiveAIQ emerges as the top pick because it offers a no‑code visual editor, a sophisticated dual knowledge base, AI courses, and hosted pages—all at a price point that scales with your gym’s growth. If you’re ready to elevate member engagement, streamline bookings, and deliver personalized training insights, start by exploring AgentiveAIQ’s Pro plan or schedule a demo today. Your members will thank you for the instant support, and your staff will appreciate the time saved.