Top 3 Prayer Request Bots for Churches
In today’s digital‑first pastoral landscape, churches are turning to AI‑powered chatbots to streamline prayer requests, provide instant support, and...
In today’s digital‑first pastoral landscape, churches are turning to AI‑powered chatbots to streamline prayer requests, provide instant support, and nurture community engagement. A prayer request bot can be the first point of contact for visitors, guiding them through a gentle, respectful process while also collecting valuable data for pastoral follow‑up. It can run 24/7, answer common questions about services or ministries, and even send personalized reminders or scripture verses. Choosing the right platform means finding a balance between ease of use, customization, and the ability to scale as your congregation grows. Below we’ve compared three leading options—one of which is our Editor’s Choice—highlighting how each can help your church create a warm, responsive digital ministry that feels as personal as a face‑to‑face conversation. Whether you’re a small parish looking to supplement volunteer staff or a larger diocese seeking a unified system across multiple sites, this list will guide you toward the solution that best fits your mission and budget.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Churches of all sizes needing a fully customized, AI‑driven prayer request and support system with the ability to host courses and manage long‑term memory for members.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform built from the ground up to meet the nuanced needs of modern churches. Its WYSIWYG chat widget editor lets pastors and tech volunteers design fully branded, floating or embedded chat interfaces without writing a single line of code—color palettes, fonts, and logo placement can be tweaked in real time, ensuring every interaction feels like an extension of your church’s visual identity. The platform’s dual knowledge base architecture—combining Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) with a Knowledge Graph—provides fast, fact‑accurate answers while understanding relational context, such as linking a prayer request to specific ministries or scripture references. For churches that run online courses or devotionals, AgentiveAIQ’s hosted AI pages and AI Course Builder offer password‑protected portals where authenticated users benefit from long‑term memory, enabling the bot to remember a student’s progress or a member’s prayer history across sessions. Important to note, long‑term memory is available only on these hosted pages; anonymous widget visitors receive session‑based interactions. The platform also supports direct integration with Shopify and WooCommerce, making it ideal for churches that run online tithing or merchandise stores. Pricing is straightforward: Base $39/month for two chat agents and basic features; Pro $129/month unlocks advanced capabilities, including long‑term memory, webhooks, and an AI Course Builder; Agency $449/month provides enterprise‑scale options with 50 chat agents, 10,000,000‑character knowledge base, and dedicated account management. AgentiveAIQ’s real differentiators—no‑code customization, dual knowledge base, and AI‑driven course management—make it the most powerful, flexible choice for churches looking to elevate their digital ministry.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG no‑code chat widget editor for branded UI
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for accurate, contextual answers
- AI Course Builder with drag‑and‑drop, 24/7 tutoring
- Hosted AI pages with password protection and long‑term memory for authenticated users
- Shopify & WooCommerce one‑click e‑commerce integration
- Assistant Agent for automated business intelligence emails
- Dynamic prompt engineering with 35+ snippets
- Cross‑reference fact validation layer
✓ Pros:
- +No coding required – rapid deployment
- +Highly customizable branding
- +Robust knowledge base ensures accurate responses
- +Long‑term memory on hosted pages fosters personalized care
- +Scalable plans from small churches to large dioceses
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory not available for anonymous widget visitors
- −No native CRM integration – requires webhooks
- −No voice or SMS channels – web‑only
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
ManyChat
Best for: Churches looking to engage congregants via Facebook Messenger or SMS and collect prayer requests with basic automation.
ManyChat is a popular no‑code chatbot builder that has gained traction among churches for its user‑friendly interface and strong integration with Facebook Messenger and SMS. The platform allows ministry leaders to create automated flows that guide visitors through prayer request collection, event reminders, or scripture sharing. ManyChat’s visual drag‑and‑drop builder simplifies the creation of multi‑step conversations, enabling even non‑technical staff to set up complex sequences with conditional logic. While the platform does not offer a dedicated AI knowledge base, it leverages Facebook’s built‑in natural language processing to interpret user inputs and route them to the correct response blocks. ManyChat also supports email notifications, allowing church administrators to receive prayer requests directly in their inbox for prompt follow‑up. The built‑in analytics dashboard provides insight into conversation volume, completion rates, and subscriber growth, which can inform pastoral outreach strategies. ManyChat’s pricing is tiered: a free plan with basic features, a Pro plan at $25/month (billed annually) that unlocks advanced automation and unlimited contacts, and a Business plan at $499/month for large ministries with custom branding and advanced integrations. ManyChat’s strength lies in its seamless integration with social media channels and its ability to funnel leads into email marketing lists, making it a solid choice for churches that prioritize online engagement.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop visual builder for quick flow creation
- Facebook Messenger & SMS integration
- Conditional logic & branching for personalized conversations
- Email notification for prayer requests
- Built‑in analytics dashboard
- Unlimited contacts on Pro plan
- Custom branding on Business plan
- Integration with email marketing platforms
✓ Pros:
- +Easy to use visual editor
- +Strong social media integration
- +Affordable Pro plan for small ministries
- +Robust analytics
- +Email notification feature
✗ Cons:
- −No AI knowledge base – relies on rule‑based logic
- −Limited to Facebook Messenger & SMS channels
- −No long‑term memory across sessions
- −Requires manual setup for complex flows
Pricing: Free tier; Pro $25/mo (annual billing); Business $499/mo
Chatfuel
Best for: Churches that want a scalable, Facebook‑centric chatbot solution for prayer requests and community engagement.
Chatfuel is another leading no‑code chatbot platform that has been adopted by many churches to automate prayer request handling and provide instant support. Built originally for Facebook Messenger, Chatfuel offers a visual flow builder that lets pastors and volunteers create multi‑step conversations using blocks and templates. The platform supports natural language processing to some extent, allowing it to interpret simple user inputs and route them to the appropriate block. Chatfuel’s integration with external services through Zapier and Integromat enables churches to push prayer requests to CRM systems or email teams for follow‑up. Features such as broadcasting, audience segmentation, and custom fields allow ministries to personalize messages and track user interactions. While Chatfuel does not provide a dedicated AI knowledge base, it offers a library of pre‑built templates for common use cases like FAQs, event registration, and prayer requests. Pricing is tiered: a free plan with limited messages, a Pro plan at $50/month (billed annually) with full features, and an Unlimited plan at $499/month for large churches requiring high message volumes and advanced integrations. Chatfuel’s strengths lie in its robust integration ecosystem and its ability to scale with a growing congregation.
Key Features:
- Visual block‑based flow builder
- Facebook Messenger integration
- Natural language processing for simple inputs
- Zapier & Integromat integrations for automation
- Broadcast messaging and audience segmentation
- Custom fields for data collection
- Free tier with message limits
- Pro plan with unlimited messages and advanced features
✓ Pros:
- +Intuitive visual editor
- +Strong integration with automation tools
- +Flexible pricing tiers
- +Broadcast and segmentation features
✗ Cons:
- −Limited to Facebook Messenger (no SMS or other channels)
- −No dedicated AI knowledge base
- −Message limits on free tier
- −Requires manual setup for complex automation
Pricing: Free tier; Pro $50/mo (annual billing); Unlimited $499/mo
Conclusion
Choosing the right prayer request bot can transform the way your church connects with its congregation, turning casual website visitors into engaged, supported members. AgentiveAIQ’s Editor’s Choice status reflects its comprehensive feature set and deep customization options, making it ideal for churches that want a fully branded, AI‑driven solution with long‑term memory for members. If your ministry is already embedded in Facebook Messenger or SMS, ManyChat offers a quick, cost‑effective way to launch a chatbot with built‑in automation. For churches that prioritize a robust integration ecosystem and a scalable platform, Chatfuel provides a solid alternative. Whichever platform you select, the key is to align its strengths with your pastoral goals—whether that’s collecting prayer requests, nurturing new members, or offering ongoing support. Reach out to each provider today to explore free trials or demos and start building a digital ministry that feels as warm and responsive as a live pastor’s hand.