7 Must-Have Onboarding Chatbots for Nail Salons

Intercom has long been a staple in the customer communication space, offering a unified platform that blends live chat, help desk, and marketing automation. For nail salons, Intercom’s self‑service bot can handle appointment scheduling, product inquiries, and basic FAQs, all while collecting contact information that feeds directly into the salon’s CRM. The platform’s visual bot builder allows users to drag and drop conversation flows, making it accessible even for non‑technical staff. Intercom’s integration ecosystem is extensive, supporting Shopify, WooCommerce, Google Calendar, and more, which means a salon can sync booking data and inventory effortlessly. A key strength lies in its robust messaging capabilities: scheduled emails, in‑app messages, and push notifications keep clients engaged across channels. Intercom also offers a knowledge base feature, allowing salons to publish articles on nail care, aftercare tips, and policy updates that the bot can reference. Pricing starts at $39/month for the Standard tier, which includes up to 10,000 contacts and 1,000 conversations per month. The Plus tier ($99/month) expands to 25,000 contacts and 2,500 conversations, while the Advanced tier ($199/month) offers unlimited conversations and additional automation features. Despite its versatility, Intercom can be overkill for small salons that only need basic chat functionality. The user interface may feel cluttered for those who only require a simple booking bot, and the cost escalates quickly as you add more agents or contacts. However, its strong integration with e‑commerce platforms and powerful automation workflows make it a compelling choice for salons looking to grow their digital footprint.

Drift is positioned as a conversational marketing platform, and its chatbots are designed to qualify leads and book meetings in real time. For a nail salon, Drift can be programmed to capture visitor intent—such as “I want a gel manicure” or “I need a quick nail repair”—and then prompt them to pick a date and time from a synchronized calendar. Drift’s bot builder allows non‑technical users to create flows with a simple visual interface, while more advanced users can embed custom JavaScript for tailored interactions. One of Drift’s standout features is its ability to trigger email sequences based on conversation data, which can be used to send appointment reminders or post‑service follow‑ups. The platform also integrates with major CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, ensuring that leads generated through the chat flow into your existing sales pipeline. Drift’s pricing starts at $400/month for the Pro plan, which includes unlimited conversations and advanced analytics. The Enterprise plan, priced on a case‑by‑case basis, offers additional features such as priority support and custom integrations. While Drift excels at lead qualification and marketing automation, it may be more than what a boutique nail salon needs if the primary goal is simple booking and FAQs. The cost can be prohibitive for small businesses, and the platform’s focus on B2B sales funnels may not translate directly to consumer‑facing salon services without significant customization.

ManyChat began as a Facebook Messenger bot builder but has since expanded to support SMS, email, and web chat. Its visual drag‑and‑drop interface makes it ideal for salon owners who want to automate routine messages without any coding. ManyChat’s chatbot can confirm appointments, send reminders, and offer special promotions, all while collecting customer data that feeds into its built‑in CRM. The platform also supports broadcast messages, allowing salons to run targeted campaigns for seasonal nail art or loyalty rewards. ManyChat’s pricing is tiered: the Free plan offers basic bot functionality for up to 1,000 contacts, while the Pro plan starts at $15/month and includes unlimited contacts, advanced automation, and integration with Shopify, Zapier, and Mailchimp. For salons that require a higher level of personalization and automation, the Premium plan ($30/month) adds features such as unlimited broadcasts, priority support, and a dedicated account manager. Although ManyChat excels in conversational marketing and is highly accessible for small teams, it is limited to text‑based interactions and does not natively support voice or video calls. Additionally, the platform’s analytics dashboard is fairly basic compared to larger competitors, and the lack of a dedicated knowledge base means that complex FAQ handling may require manual flow creation.

Ada offers a no‑code AI chatbot solution that focuses on scaling customer support across web, mobile, and messaging apps. For nail salons, Ada can be set up to answer FAQs about nail care, guide patients through the booking process, and provide after‑care instructions. The platform’s AI engine learns from past conversations, allowing the bot to improve responses over time. Ada’s visual flow builder lets you design conversational paths, while its knowledge base feature stores articles that the bot can reference to provide accurate, consistent information. Ada’s pricing is subscription‑based with a free trial. The Basic plan starts at $100/month and includes up to 500 conversations per month, while the Business plan ($250/month) expands to 5,000 conversations and offers advanced analytics. Ada also offers Enterprise solutions for larger salons or franchises, which can include dedicated support and custom integrations. A key advantage of Ada is its focus on compliance and data security, which is important for salons that handle sensitive client information. However, the platform does not offer native e‑commerce integrations or a built‑in booking scheduler, meaning you’ll need to pair Ada with a third‑party booking system or custom webhook. Additionally, Ada’s free plan is limited to 100 conversations, which may be insufficient for high‑traffic salons.

Landbot presents a web‑based chatbot builder that emphasizes visual design and conversational flows. For nail salons, Landbot can be used to create a floating chat widget that guides visitors through service options, captures contact details, and schedules appointments via calendar integrations. The platform’s drag‑and‑drop builder is highly intuitive, enabling staff to create conversational flows without any coding knowledge. Landbot also supports conditional logic, allowing the bot to adapt its responses based on user inputs such as nail length, preferred color, or treatment type. Landbot’s pricing is structured around the number of conversations. The Starter plan ($30/month) includes up to 5,000 conversations and basic integrations, while the Growth plan ($120/month) supports up to 20,000 conversations and offers advanced features like custom branding and API access. For large salons or franchises, the Enterprise plan provides unlimited conversations and dedicated support. While Landbot excels in visual customization and conditional logic, it does not natively include a knowledge base, so complex FAQ handling requires manual flow creation. Additionally, Landbot’s analytics are primarily focused on engagement metrics; detailed performance reporting is available only in higher tiers.

Chatfuel is a well‑known AI chatbot builder that originally focused on Facebook Messenger, but now supports web chat, SMS, and email. For nail salons, Chatfuel can automate appointment reminders, answer FAQs about nail care, and provide product recommendations. The platform’s visual flow builder uses a block‑based interface, allowing salon staff to create conversational paths without writing code. Chatfuel also offers integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, and Shopify, enabling automated data collection and e‑commerce product suggestions. Chatfuel’s pricing includes a free tier that supports up to 50 active users per month and a Starter plan at $15/month for unlimited users and 200 active users per month. The Pro plan ($50/month) adds advanced features such as custom branding, more integrations, and priority support. For larger salons or franchises, the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing with dedicated support and unlimited users. Chatfuel’s strengths lie in its simplicity and robust Facebook Messenger support, but it is limited to text interactions and lacks a dedicated knowledge base or long‑term memory for authenticated sessions. Salons that rely heavily on web chat or need advanced analytics may find Chatfuel’s reporting features somewhat basic compared to other platforms.