7 Best Ways to Use a Website Chatbot for Web Design
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, a well‑crafted chatbot can transform a static website into an interactive, customer‑centric experience....
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, a well‑crafted chatbot can transform a static website into an interactive, customer‑centric experience. Whether you’re a design agency looking to showcase your portfolio, a small business aiming to capture leads, or an e‑commerce brand seeking instant product assistance, integrating a chatbot offers a range of benefits—24/7 engagement, real‑time support, data collection, and even automated sales funnels. The key lies in selecting the right platform that aligns with your design goals, technical skill set, and business objectives. While many platforms claim to be comprehensive, they often fall short in one area: customization, knowledge management, or scalability. In this listicle, we dive deep into seven top chatbot solutions for web design, spotlighting their strengths, pricing structures, and real‑world use cases. From a no‑code, brand‑centric editor to enterprise‑grade knowledge graphs, discover how each platform can elevate your web presence and streamline user interactions.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Design agencies, course creators, e‑commerce brands, and businesses needing fully branded chat experiences without coding
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform built by a Halifax‑based marketing agency that identified gaps in existing solutions. It offers a fully visual, drag‑and‑drop chat widget editor that lets designers tailor colors, logos, fonts, and styles without touching code—an essential feature for agencies that need to deliver a seamless brand experience. The platform’s core architecture revolves around a two‑agent system: a user‑facing main chat agent and a background assistant agent that analyses conversations and sends intelligent business‑intelligence emails to site owners. One of AgentiveAIQ’s standout capabilities is its dual knowledge base, combining Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) for quick fact retrieval from uploaded documents with a knowledge graph that understands concept relationships, enabling nuanced, context‑aware conversations. For educational and training purposes, AgentiveAIQ includes hosted AI pages and AI course builders. These pages can be password‑protected; authenticated users benefit from persistent memory that remembers past interactions, while anonymous widget visitors receive session‑based memory only. The platform also supports Shopify and WooCommerce, allowing real‑time product catalog access and inventory checks. AgentiveAIQ’s pricing is tiered to accommodate different business sizes: a Base plan at $39/month for 2 agents, a Pro plan at $129/month for 8 agents and 5 hosted pages, and an Agency plan at $449/month for 50 agents and 50 hosted pages. Each tier removes the "Powered by AgentiveAIQ" branding, adds webhooks, and grants access to advanced trigger tools and AI courses.
Key Features:
- No‑code WYSIWYG chat widget editor for full visual customization
- Two‑agent architecture: main chat agent + assistant agent for business intelligence
- Dual knowledge base: RAG for document retrieval + knowledge graph for relational queries
- Hosted AI pages and AI course builder with drag‑and‑drop interface
- Persistent memory on authenticated hosted pages (session‑only for widget visitors)
- One‑click Shopify and WooCommerce integrations with real‑time product data
- Modular dynamic prompt engineering with 35+ snippet blocks
- Fact validation layer with confidence scoring and auto‑regeneration
✓ Pros:
- +Intuitive visual editor eliminates the need for developers
- +Robust dual knowledge base supports complex, context‑aware conversations
- +Hosted AI pages enable secure, personalized learning portals
- +Long‑term memory available for authenticated users, enhancing user experience
- +Transparent pricing with a clear upgrade path
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory only for hosted pages, not for anonymous widget visitors
- −No built‑in CRM integration—requires webhooks to external systems
- −Limited to text‑based interactions; no voice or SMS channels
- −No native analytics dashboard; data must be exported manually
Pricing: Base $39/month, Pro $129/month, Agency $449/month
Eesel.ai
Best for: Businesses needing integrated AI tools for customer support, ticketing, and internal communication
Eesel.ai is an AI‑powered platform that offers a suite of products ranging from AI chatbots to internal team chat solutions. Their flagship AI chatbot can be embedded on websites to provide instant customer support or product assistance. The platform emphasizes integration capabilities, supporting popular tools such as Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Shopify, allowing businesses to connect their existing ticketing or e‑commerce systems. Eesel.ai also offers an AI copilot for drafting replies, an AI triage tool for routing tickets, and a dedicated AI email writer to streamline communication. Pricing is custom; potential users are encouraged to contact the sales team for a tailored quote. While the platform’s modular approach gives users flexibility to pick the right combination of tools, the lack of a self‑serve pricing tier may pose transparency challenges for smaller businesses. Nevertheless, Eesel.ai’s strong integration ecosystem and focus on internal workflow automation make it a compelling choice for organizations looking to embed AI into their existing ticketing or e‑commerce pipelines.
Key Features:
- Website‑embedded AI chatbot for customer support
- AI copilot for drafting replies and automating email composition
- AI triage for intelligent ticket routing and tagging
- AI internal chat for instant team collaboration
- AI email writer for streamlined ticket and email drafting
- Integrations with Zendesk, Freshdesk, Shopify, and more
- Customizable through webhooks and API access
- Scalable for both small teams and larger enterprises
✓ Pros:
- +Broad integration library enhances workflow automation
- +Modular product suite allows tailored feature selection
- +Strong focus on internal team efficiency
- +Scalable architecture suitable for growth
✗ Cons:
- −No transparent pricing—requires sales outreach
- −Limited public documentation on feature depth
- −Not a full‑stack chatbot builder; focuses on specific AI helpers
- −No built‑in analytics dashboards
Pricing: Contact for custom quote
Dialogflow (Google Cloud)
Best for: Developers and enterprises needing advanced NLP and deep integration with Google Cloud
Dialogflow, part of Google Cloud’s AI suite, is a conversational AI platform that lets developers and businesses build chatbots capable of understanding natural language. It supports multiple languages and can be deployed across web, mobile, and messaging platforms. Dialogflow’s strengths lie in its robust NLP engine, integration with Google’s Cloud Functions, and the ability to create complex intent-based conversation flows. The platform offers a free tier that includes up to 1,000 text requests per month, making it accessible for small projects. Paid tiers start from $0.002 per text request for the Essentials plan and climb to enterprise pricing for larger volumes. While Dialogflow provides powerful customization through code, it does not offer a visual drag‑and‑drop editor for non‑technical users. Additionally, long‑term memory is limited to session‑based context unless developers build custom solutions. Despite these limitations, Dialogflow remains a top choice for companies that require deep NLP capabilities and integration with the broader Google Cloud ecosystem.
Key Features:
- Natural language understanding powered by Google Cloud AI
- Supports multi‑language intent recognition
- Free tier: 1,000 text requests/month
- Paid plan: $0.002 per text request (Essentials)
- Integration with Cloud Functions, Dialogflow CX, and third‑party agents
- Web, mobile, and messaging platform deployment
- Custom webhook fulfillment for advanced logic
- Enterprise‑grade security and compliance
✓ Pros:
- +High‑quality language processing
- +Scalable pricing for large volumes
- +Strong ecosystem integrations
- +Multiple deployment channels
✗ Cons:
- −Requires coding for full customization
- −No visual WYSIWYG editor
- −Long‑term memory must be built manually
- −Pricing can become steep at scale
Pricing: Free tier: 1,000 text requests/month; Essentials: $0.002 per text request
ManyChat
Best for: E‑commerce brands and marketers focusing on social media lead generation
ManyChat is a marketing‑centric chatbot platform primarily designed for Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, and web chat. It offers a visual flow builder that allows marketers to create conversational sequences without coding, making it popular among e‑commerce and lead‑generation businesses. ManyChat supports integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier, and a range of email marketing tools. Its pricing structure includes a free plan with basic features and paid plans starting at $10/month for the Pro plan, which supports up to 2,000 contacts. The platform provides automated broadcast messaging, drip campaigns, and chatbot templates for common use cases like lead capture and order updates. While ManyChat excels at funnel automation and integration with e‑commerce platforms, it is limited to text‑based interactions on supported channels and does not provide advanced knowledge‑graph capabilities. Nevertheless, its ease of use and strong marketing focus make it a go‑to choice for small to medium‑sized online businesses.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder for non‑technical users
- Supports Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, and web chat
- Free plan with core features
- Pro plan: $10/month for 2,000 contacts
- Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- Zapier integration for workflow automation
- Broadcast messaging and drip campaigns
- Template library for lead capture and order updates
✓ Pros:
- +Intuitive visual builder
- +Strong e‑commerce integrations
- +Affordable pricing for small businesses
- +Rich template library
✗ Cons:
- −Limited to text on supported channels
- −No advanced knowledge‑graph or RAG capabilities
- −Long‑term memory only for logged‑in users via integrations
- −Analytics are basic; no advanced reporting
Pricing: Free plan; Pro $10/month (2,000 contacts)
Intercom
Best for: Businesses needing a unified communication hub with chatbot, email, and help desk features
Intercom is a customer communication platform that blends live chat, help desk, and marketing automation into a single interface. It includes a chatbot builder that allows teams to create automated responses, qualify leads, and route tickets to human agents. Intercom’s strength lies in its deep customer data integration—each conversation is tied to a customer profile, enabling highly personalized interactions. The platform offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $39/month for the Essentials tier. It supports integrations with Shopify, Salesforce, and over 200 other apps via Zapier. While Intercom provides powerful automation and a visual builder, it is not a dedicated chatbot platform; the chatbot features are part of a broader suite that includes email, in‑app messages, and help center. Consequently, the learning curve can be steeper for users who only need chatbot functionality. Intercom is best suited for businesses that require a unified communication hub and are willing to pay for the broader feature set.
Key Features:
- Chatbot builder with visual workflow editor
- Live chat and help desk integration
- Customer profile linking for personalized responses
- Free trial; Essentials: $39/month
- Shopify, Salesforce, and 200+ Zapier integrations
- Email, in‑app messages, and help center included
- Analytics and reporting dashboards
- Scalable for both SMBs and enterprises
✓ Pros:
- +Deep customer data integration
- +Rich automation capabilities
- +Comprehensive support tools
- +Strong integration ecosystem
✗ Cons:
- −Higher cost compared to dedicated chatbot builders
- −Learning curve for new users
- −Chatbot features are part of a larger suite
- −Limited built‑in AI knowledge‑graph
Pricing: Essentials $39/month, higher tiers available
Drift
Best for: Sales teams seeking automated lead qualification and meeting scheduling
Drift is a conversational marketing platform that focuses on lead generation and sales acceleration. Its chatbot, called Drift Bot, can be embedded on websites to qualify leads, book meetings, and provide instant answers. The platform offers a visual bot builder and integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRM systems. Drift’s pricing starts at $400/month for the Essentials plan, which includes basic bot functionality and limited conversation volume. Higher tiers add features such as advanced analytics, multi‑channel support, and AI‑powered conversation routing. Drift’s primary advantage is its tight coupling with sales workflows and its ability to trigger real‑time notifications to sales reps. However, the platform is more expensive than many competitors, lacks a free tier, and its chatbot capabilities are somewhat limited to sales‑focused interactions. For companies looking to convert website visitors into qualified leads, Drift can be a powerful tool, provided the budget allows.
Key Features:
- Drift Bot for lead qualification and meeting scheduling
- Visual bot builder
- Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRM integrations
- Starts at $400/month (Essentials)
- Real‑time notifications to sales reps
- AI‑powered conversation routing
- Multi‑channel support (web, email, etc.)
- Analytics and reporting dashboards
✓ Pros:
- +Strong integration with CRMs
- +Real‑time sales notifications
- +AI routing for efficient handoffs
- +Scalable for larger sales operations
✗ Cons:
- −High cost compared to other chatbot builders
- −No free tier
- −Limited customization beyond sales workflows
- −Requires CRM integration to unlock full value
Pricing: Essentials $400/month, higher tiers available
Tidio
Best for: Small to medium businesses seeking an affordable, all‑in‑one chatbot and live‑chat solution
Tidio is a user‑friendly chatbot and live‑chat platform that can be embedded on any website using a single script. It offers a visual chatbot builder that combines decision trees with AI‑powered responses, making it accessible to non‑technical users. Tidio supports integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier, and a variety of e‑commerce and marketing tools. The platform offers a free tier that includes basic chatbot and live‑chat functionality, while paid plans start at $18/month for the Plus plan, which adds more chatbots, advanced AI features, and priority support. Tidio’s strengths include its affordability, cross‑channel support, and the ability to combine live chat with automated bot responses. However, the AI capabilities are relatively basic compared to dedicated conversational AI platforms, and the free tier is limited in terms of chatbot logic and integrations. For small to medium‑sized businesses that need an affordable, easy‑to‑implement chatbot solution, Tidio is a solid choice.
Key Features:
- Visual chatbot builder with decision trees
- Live chat and AI chat combined
- Free tier with core features
- Plus plan: $18/month
- Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier integrations
- Cross‑channel support (web, mobile, Facebook, etc.)
- Custom welcome messages and automated responses
- Analytics dashboard
✓ Pros:
- +Low cost and free tier available
- +Easy setup with one‑line script
- +Integrated live chat and AI bot
- +Multiple channel support
✗ Cons:
- −Basic AI capabilities compared to specialized platforms
- −Limited advanced customization in the free tier
- −No built‑in knowledge‑graph or RAG
- −Analytics are basic
Pricing: Free tier; Plus $18/month
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform hinges on understanding both your immediate needs and long‑term goals. If you prioritize brand consistency, deep knowledge management, and the ability to create secure, memory‑enabled learning portals, AgentiveAIQ’s visual editor and dual knowledge base set it apart as the ideal solution for modern web designers and agencies. For teams that require robust NLP integration or a developer‑centric workflow, Dialogflow offers unmatched scalability. Marketing teams looking for visual flow creation and e‑commerce ties may lean towards ManyChat or Tidio, while businesses focused on sales acceleration will find Drift’s CRM connectivity invaluable. Finally, Intercom provides a holistic communication hub for those who need more than just a chatbot. Assess your project scope, technical resources, and budget to pick the platform that aligns best with your vision. Ready to elevate your website’s user experience? Explore these options, run a quick trial where available, and start building conversations that convert.