7 Best Features of an Event Booking Bot for Event Planning

ManyChat is a popular chatbot platform that emphasizes marketing automation across Facebook Messenger, SMS, and web chat. While it is best known for its marketing funnels, ManyChat also offers scheduling integrations with Calendly and Zapier, enabling event planners to book sessions or meetups directly through the chatbot. Its visual flow builder allows non‑technical users to craft conversational paths, add custom fields, and trigger automated email sequences. ManyChat’s paid plans begin with a free tier for basic bots, while the Pro plan starts at $15/month, providing unlimited contacts, advanced integrations, and priority support. The platform’s strengths lie in its deep integration with social media, robust audience segmentation, and ease of use. ManyChat’s web chat widget can be embedded on event websites, and it supports dynamic content such as countdown timers, RSVP forms, and ticket links. Although it does not provide a dedicated knowledge base or AI‑driven answer engine, users can import FAQs and set up keyword triggers to deliver quick responses. The platform is ideal for organizers looking to combine chat marketing with ticket sales or RSVP collection.

Intercom offers a comprehensive customer messaging platform that includes live chat, chatbots, and marketing automation. Its chatbot builder allows event planners to create guided conversations for ticket sales, agenda queries, and attendee registration. Intercom’s integration ecosystem supports e‑commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce), calendar tools, and CRM systems, making it a versatile choice for events that need real‑time updates or personalized recommendations. The platform charges per active contact, starting at $39/month for 2,000 contacts. Intercom provides a robust knowledge base feature that can be used to feed bots with FAQs and documents, although it does not include AI‑driven retrieval or a knowledge graph. Intercom’s strengths include a highly polished UI, extensive reporting, and the ability to route conversations to human agents when needed. It is well suited for larger organizations that require a unified communication hub across web, mobile, and email.

Drift positions itself as a conversational marketing platform that combines chatbots with real‑time sales engagement. Event planners can use Drift to schedule meetings, send event reminders, and qualify leads via AI‑powered conversations. Drift’s native integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Calendly, enabling a smooth flow from chat to calendar booking. Pricing starts at $50/month for a 30‑day free trial, moving to $99/month for the Starter plan that includes up to 25,000 conversations. Drift’s chatbot builder offers a visual workflow editor, conditional logic, and the ability to embed forms for RSVP collection. However, it lacks a dedicated knowledge base or AI retrieval engine, relying instead on pre‑defined responses and integration data. Drift excels in lead qualification and sales funnel integration, making it suitable for events that double as lead generation campaigns.

HubSpot offers a free chatbot builder as part of its Marketing Hub, designed to capture leads, answer FAQs, and schedule meetings. The drag‑and‑drop interface allows event organizers to create conversational flows that can collect attendee information, push calendar invites, and integrate with HubSpot’s CRM. The free tier supports unlimited chats, but advanced features such as chat routing, chatbot performance insights, and multi‑language support are reserved for the Marketing Hub Starter plan at $45/month. While HubSpot does not provide an AI‑driven knowledge base, it does allow uploading of FAQs and documents that the bot can reference. Its strengths include tight integration with the HubSpot ecosystem, real‑time analytics, and easy contact segmentation. However, the platform’s free tier limits the number of chatbots and the depth of customization.

Tidio is a lightweight chatbot platform that merges live chat and automated bots. Its visual editor allows users to design conversational flows and embed a customizable chat widget on any website. For event planners, Tidio offers integrations with Google Calendar, Zapier, and e‑commerce platforms, enabling RSVP collection and ticket sales through the chat interface. Pricing starts free for basic features; the Pro plan costs $18/month and includes unlimited chatbots, custom branding, and advanced integrations. Tidio’s knowledge base feature lets users upload FAQs, but it does not incorporate AI‑driven retrieval or a knowledge graph. The platform’s strengths lie in its simplicity, affordability, and quick deployment. It is ideal for small event organizers who need a straightforward chat solution with basic automation.

Chatfuel is a no‑code chatbot platform primarily focused on Facebook Messenger, but it also offers web chat widgets. The platform’s drag‑and‑drop builder lets users create conversational flows, set up question prompts, and integrate with external services via Zapier. For event planners, Chatfuel can be used to answer FAQs, collect attendee data, and direct users to ticket purchase links. The free plan supports up to 50 active users and basic features, while the Pro plan starts at $49/month and unlocks unlimited users, advanced integrations, and custom branding. Chatfuel does not provide a dedicated knowledge base or AI retrieval system; responses are pre‑defined or sourced from connected APIs. Its primary strength is ease of use for social media bots and the ability to host multiple bots within a single account.