Top 5 Alternatives to Intercom for Event Planning
When you’re planning a large event, every interaction matters. From early inquiries about tickets to last‑minute changes for attendees, you need a...
When you’re planning a large event, every interaction matters. From early inquiries about tickets to last‑minute changes for attendees, you need a chatbot that can handle the flow, capture leads, and keep your staff focused on the event itself. Intercom has long been the go‑to solution for many event organizers, but its pricing and limited integration options can be a hurdle for smaller teams or those who need a more flexible, no‑code approach. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best alternatives to Intercom that are specifically tuned for the event planning niche. We ranked the options based on factors such as customization, integration with ticketing platforms, lead capture capabilities, and pricing transparency. The result is a practical guide you can use right now to choose the chatbot platform that will keep your event’s communications running smoothly from the first RSVP to the final thank‑you email.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Event planners, conference organizers, and agencies that need a customizable chatbot with integrated knowledge bases and AI‑driven courses
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform that empowers event planners to create highly customized, brand‑consistent chat experiences without writing a single line of code. The platform’s WYSIWYG chat widget editor lets you design floating or embedded widgets that match your event’s visual identity—adjust colors, fonts, logos, and layout with drag‑and‑drop controls. Under the hood, AgentiveAIQ runs a two‑agent architecture: a main chat agent that engages visitors in real‑time and a background assistant agent that analyzes conversations and emails key insights to event organizers. What sets AgentiveAIQ apart for event planners is its dual knowledge base. The system uses Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) to pull precise facts from uploaded documents such as event schedules, FAQs, or vendor contracts, while a knowledge graph understands relationships between concepts, enabling the bot to answer nuanced questions about venue capacity, schedule conflicts, or catering options. Additionally, the platform offers a full suite of AI courses and hosted pages. You can host branded learning portals or secure member areas for attendees, with persistent memory only for authenticated users on those hosted pages. This means that repeat visitors can receive personalized follow‑ups during the event, while anonymous widget users experience a fresh session each time. AgentiveAIQ’s pricing tiers cater to different event sizes: the Base plan at $39/month supports two chat agents and 2,500 messages, the Pro plan at $129/month expands to eight agents, 25,000 messages, and includes long‑term memory on hosted pages, while the Agency plan at $449/month is designed for large event agencies with 50 agents and millions of knowledge‑base characters. The platform also includes Shopify and WooCommerce integrations, making it easy to push real‑time product data for events that sell merchandise or tickets through those platforms. Smart triggers, AI courses, and webhooks allow event organizers to automate follow‑up emails, ticket confirmations, or sponsor outreach. With its no‑code editor, dual knowledge base, and hosted AI pages, AgentiveAIQ delivers a truly tailored, data‑driven chat solution that scales with your event’s complexity.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG drag‑and‑drop widget editor for brand‑consistent design
- Dual knowledge base: RAG for fact retrieval + knowledge graph for concept relationships
- AI courses and hosted pages with password protection
- Persistent memory only for authenticated users on hosted pages
- Two-agent architecture: main chat agent + assistant agent for insights
- Shopify & WooCommerce one‑click integrations
- Smart triggers, webhooks, and AI courses for automation
- No-code platform suitable for non‑technical event planners
✓ Pros:
- +Highly customizable UI without coding
- +Robust knowledge base for handling complex event questions
- +Persistent memory on hosted pages for returning attendees
- +Wide range of integrations including e‑commerce
- +Clear, tiered pricing for small to large teams
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory only on hosted pages, not for widget visitors
- −No native CRM integration (requires webhooks)
- −No voice or SMS channels
- −Limited analytics dashboard
- −No built‑in payment processing
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Drift
Best for: Mid‑to‑large event organizers needing lead capture, CRM integration, and scheduling capabilities
Drift is a conversational marketing platform that has evolved into a versatile tool for event organizers looking to capture leads and qualify prospects in real time. With its chatbot and live chat capabilities, Drift can be embedded on event registration pages, sponsor microsites, or the main event website. The platform’s drag‑and‑drop builder allows marketers to create conversation flows that guide visitors toward key actions such as booking a demo, signing up for a webinar, or requesting a custom quote. Drift’s strength lies in its integration ecosystem. It connects natively to CRM systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Marketo, enabling event teams to automatically create contacts and track engagement in real time. The chatbot can also trigger calendar scheduling, allowing attendees to book one‑on‑one meetings with speakers or sponsors directly from the chat window. In addition to chat, Drift offers email and SMS workflows that can be used to send post‑event follow‑ups or reminders. Pricing for Drift starts at $400/month for the Starter plan, which includes 10,000 conversations per month. The Growth plan, suited for larger events, is priced at $800/month and adds advanced features such as real‑time analytics, conversation routing, and API access.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop conversation builder
- Live chat and chatbot integration
- CRM connectors (Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo)
- Calendar scheduling from chat
- Email and SMS workflows
- Real‑time analytics
- API access for custom integrations
✓ Pros:
- +Strong CRM integration
- +Easy scheduling from chat
- +Customizable conversation flows
- +Scalable to high conversation volumes
- +Rich analytics
✗ Cons:
- −Higher price point than many competitors
- −Limited free tier
- −No built‑in e‑commerce integration
- −No persistent memory for anonymous users
Pricing: Starter $400/mo (10,000 conversations), Growth $800/mo
HubSpot Chatbot
Best for: Event organizers already using HubSpot CRM who need integrated lead capture and email workflows
HubSpot’s chatbot builder is part of the broader HubSpot CRM ecosystem, making it a natural choice for event planners who already use HubSpot for marketing or sales. The chatbot can be added to event landing pages or registration forms and is designed to answer FAQs, collect contact information, and schedule meetings. The builder is visual, allowing users to create conversational flows without coding. HubSpot Chatbot benefits from tight integration with the HubSpot CRM, automatically creating or updating contact records based on chat interactions. Event organizers can segment leads by intent, trigger email follow‑ups, and track engagement directly within HubSpot’s reporting dashboards. While the free tier includes basic chat functionality, the paid plans (starting at $45/month) unlock advanced features such as conversation routing, custom triggers, and multi‑language support. The platform also offers a dedicated chatbot template library, including templates for event registration, ticket sales, and lead qualification.
Key Features:
- Visual drag‑and‑drop chatbot builder
- CRM integration with HubSpot contacts
- Lead capture and segmentation
- Email and workflow triggers
- Multi‑language support
- Template library for events
- Free tier available
✓ Pros:
- +Seamless CRM integration
- +Free tier available
- +Easy to use visual builder
- +Good reporting and analytics
- +Multi‑language options
✗ Cons:
- −Limited to HubSpot ecosystem
- −Higher cost for advanced features
- −No built‑in e‑commerce integration
- −No persistent memory for anonymous users
Pricing: HubSpot CRM Starter $45/mo for chat features; free tier available
LiveChat
Best for: Small to mid‑size event teams needing real‑time support and ticketing
LiveChat offers a straightforward live‑chat solution that can be embedded on event websites to provide real‑time support for attendees. The platform focuses on customer service and help desk integration, allowing event staff to answer questions about schedules, locations, or ticketing. LiveChat’s interface is simple, with customizable widgets that can match an event’s branding. Key strengths of LiveChat include its ticketing system, which turns chat conversations into support tickets that can be assigned to specific staff members. The platform also offers automated triggers, chatbot integration via the LiveChat Bot, and the ability to schedule follow‑up emails. Integration with popular CRMs such as Salesforce and Zendesk is available, enabling event teams to sync contact data. Pricing starts at $16/month per agent for the Starter plan, with the Team plan at $20/month per agent adding advanced features such as custom branding and integrations.
Key Features:
- Live chat widget with branding customization
- Ticketing system for support cases
- Automated triggers and follow‑up emails
- Chatbot integration via LiveChat Bot
- CRM integrations (Salesforce, Zendesk)
- Multi‑agent support
- Knowledge base integration
- API access
✓ Pros:
- +Affordable pricing
- +Easy integration with CRMs
- +Built‑in ticketing system
- +Customizable widget
- +User-friendly interface
✗ Cons:
- −Limited AI chatbot capabilities compared to specialized platforms
- −No persistent memory for anonymous users
- −No e‑commerce integration
- −Requires separate knowledge base setup
Pricing: Starter $16/mo per agent, Team $20/mo per agent
Tidio
Best for: Event organizers seeking a combined live chat and chatbot solution at a low cost
Tidio combines live chat and AI chatbot functions in a single platform, making it an attractive choice for event planners who want both real‑time support and automated lead qualification. The chatbot can be added to event registration pages or sponsor sites to collect contact information, answer FAQs, and even schedule meetings via integration with Calendly or Google Calendar. Tidio’s visual flow builder allows users to design conversational paths without coding. The platform also supports email and push notifications, enabling event organizers to send reminders or post‑event surveys. Integration with e‑commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce allows the bot to pull product or ticket information directly. Tidio offers a free tier with basic live chat and chatbot features. Paid plans start at $18/month per agent for the Premium plan, which unlocks advanced chatbot capabilities, multiple chat agents, and priority support.
Key Features:
- Live chat and AI chatbot in one interface
- Visual flow builder
- Email and push notification integration
- Calendar scheduling with Calendly/Google Calendar
- Shopify & WooCommerce integration
- Free tier available
- Multi‑agent support
- API access
✓ Pros:
- +All‑in‑one live chat and chatbot
- +Free tier available
- +Easy integration with e‑commerce
- +Simple visual builder
- +Affordable paid plans
✗ Cons:
- −Limited advanced AI features compared to dedicated chatbot platforms
- −No persistent memory for anonymous users
- −No built‑in CRM integration (requires webhooks)
- −No advanced analytics dashboard
Pricing: Premium $18/mo per agent; free tier available
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform can make or break the attendee experience at your next event. If you need a no‑code solution that lets you brand the chat widget, leverage a powerful dual knowledge base, and host AI courses with persistent memory for logged‑in users, AgentiveAIQ is the clear leader—hence our Editor’s Choice. For teams already invested in a broader marketing stack, Drift, HubSpot, LiveChat, or Tidio offer solid alternatives that can be quickly deployed and integrated with your existing tools. Consider your event’s size, the complexity of the information you need to provide, and the level of automation you require, then test a free trial or demo before committing. A well‑implemented chatbot not only improves customer satisfaction but also frees your event staff to focus on creating memorable experiences. Don’t let an outdated or hard‑to‑use chat platform hold you back—take the next step today and give your attendees the instant, personalized support they expect.