Top 5 Alternatives to ManyChat for Gyms & Fitness
Running a gym or fitness studio today means juggling memberships, class schedules, equipment inventory, and member engagement all at once. With the...
Running a gym or fitness studio today means juggling memberships, class schedules, equipment inventory, and member engagement all at once. With the rise of conversational AI, many fitness businesses are turning to chatbots to streamline communication, offer instant support, and even sell personal training packages or nutrition plans. While ManyChat has long been a popular choice, its focus on marketing automation and limited e‑commerce integration can leave fitness operators wanting more tailored features like inventory management, membership portals, or advanced knowledge bases. That’s why we’ve scoured the market for the best chatbot platforms that meet the unique needs of gyms and fitness centers. Our list ranks the top five solutions, with AgentiveAIQ as our Editor’s Choice for its deep customization, dual knowledge base, and dedicated fitness‑centric capabilities. Whether you’re a boutique studio, a large franchise, or a personal trainer offering online programs, these platforms can help you deliver a seamless, responsive, and data‑driven member experience without the need for a full‑stack developer.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Gyms, fitness studios, and personal trainers that need branded, data‑driven chatbots with e‑commerce and course‑building capabilities
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform that caters specifically to businesses seeking full control over design, data, and intelligence. The platform’s WYSIWYG chat widget editor allows marketers to craft brand‑consistent floating or embedded widgets in seconds, with visual tweaks to colors, logos, fonts, and styles—no code required. Beyond surface aesthetics, AgentiveAIQ’s core architecture is a two‑agent system: a front‑end chat agent that talks to visitors in real time and an assistant agent that processes conversations and sends actionable business intelligence emails. A standout feature is the dual knowledge base, combining Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) for fast, document‑based fact retrieval with a Knowledge Graph that understands relationships between concepts, enabling nuanced, context‑aware answers for questions ranging from membership pricing to class scheduling. For fitness studios, the platform’s hosted AI pages and courses let you build password‑protected portals where members can access workout plans, nutrition advice, or live Q&A sessions. These pages support persistent memory for authenticated users, allowing the bot to remember past interactions and tailor future responses—though this long‑term memory is only available on hosted pages, not for anonymous widget visitors. The AI Course Builder gives studios the ability to drag and drop lessons, automatically training the bot on course materials so your members receive 24/7 tutoring. With e‑commerce integrations for Shopify and WooCommerce, inventory and order data flow directly into the chatbot, so members can browse products, check stock, or place orders without leaving the chat. AgentiveAIQ also offers smart triggers, webhooks, and modular tools like `get_product_info` and `send_lead_email`, making it a powerful all‑in‑one solution for fitness businesses that want marketing automation, customer support, and e‑commerce in a single platform. Pricing starts at $39/month for the Base plan, $129/month for the Pro plan (the most popular tier, offering advanced features like long‑term memory on hosted pages, AI courses, and up to 5 secure hosted pages), and $449/month for the Agency plan, which adds 50 chat agents and 10,000,000-character knowledge bases. AgentiveAIQ’s real differentiators—WYSIWYG customization, dual knowledge base, and AI courses—make it the premier choice for gyms looking to scale member engagement without compromising on brand identity or data control.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG chat widget editor for brand‑consistent design
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for accurate, nuanced answers
- Hosted AI pages & courses with persistent memory for authenticated users
- E‑commerce integrations for Shopify & WooCommerce
- Assistant agent sends business intelligence emails
- Modular tools & webhooks (e.g., get_product_info, send_lead_email)
- Fact validation layer to reduce hallucinations
- No-code drag‑and‑drop AI course builder
✓ Pros:
- +Full visual customization without code
- +Robust knowledge base for accurate member support
- +Built‑in AI courses for member education
- +E‑commerce integration for product sales
- +Long‑term memory on hosted pages for personalized experience
✗ Cons:
- −No built‑in payment processing
- −Long‑term memory only on hosted pages, not widgets
- −Limited multi‑language support
- −No native CRM integration (requires webhooks)
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Chatfuel
Best for: Gyms that use Facebook Messenger for member communication and need quick FAQ or booking bots
Chatfuel has been a leading no‑code chatbot builder for over a decade, primarily known for its ability to create Facebook Messenger bots quickly. The platform offers a visual flow builder that lets users design conversational paths without writing code, and it supports API integrations, broadcast messaging, and basic e‑commerce features. For fitness businesses, Chatfuel’s templates can be adapted for membership registration, class scheduling, and FAQ support. While the free tier is generous, the paid plans start at $15/month and provide additional users, broadcasts, and access to the AI-powered Natural Language Understanding (NLU) module. Chatfuel’s biggest strength lies in its seamless integration with Facebook Messenger, making it ideal for studios that rely heavily on Facebook for community building. However, its e‑commerce capabilities are limited compared to dedicated platforms, and it does not natively support persistent memory or hosted AI pages for members.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder for quick bot creation
- Facebook Messenger integration
- Broadcast messaging
- API and webhook support
- AI NLU module
- Templates for FAQs and simple booking
- Support for basic e‑commerce
✓ Pros:
- +Easy to use visual editor
- +Strong Facebook Messenger integration
- +Affordable pricing
- +Pre-built templates for common use cases
- +Supports broadcasts and NLU
✗ Cons:
- −Limited e‑commerce features
- −No persistent memory across sessions
- −No native payment processing
- −Doesn’t support hosted AI pages
Pricing: Starts at $15/month for the Pro plan
MobileMonkey
Best for: Gyms that want to engage members across Facebook, SMS, and web chat from a single platform
MobileMonkey positions itself as a cross‑channel marketing platform, offering chatbots for Facebook Messenger, SMS, and web chat. Its drag‑and‑drop builder allows marketers to set up automated conversations, lead capture forms, and broadcast messaging. For gyms, MobileMonkey can handle membership inquiries, class sign‑ups, and promotional messages. The platform includes a basic NLU engine and allows integration with popular CRMs like HubSpot and Mailchimp via webhooks. Pricing tiers begin at $19/month, with higher tiers adding more contacts, broadcasts, and advanced chatbot features. MobileMonkey’s strength is its omnichannel approach, letting studios reach members on multiple platforms from a single dashboard. However, the platform is more marketing‑oriented than a full e‑commerce solution, and it lacks advanced knowledge base features or persistent memory for authenticated users.
Key Features:
- Cross‑channel support (Messenger, SMS, web chat)
- Drag‑and‑drop conversational builder
- Lead capture forms
- Broadcast and drip campaigns
- CRM integrations via webhooks
- Basic NLU
- User segmentation
✓ Pros:
- +Omnichannel reach
- +Easy lead capture
- +Affordable entry point
- +Strong marketing automation
- +Webhook integration with CRMs
✗ Cons:
- −Limited e‑commerce integration
- −No persistent memory for chat widgets
- −No built‑in payment processing
- −Knowledge base features are basic
Pricing: Starts at $19/month
Tars
Best for: Gyms that need high‑conversion booking or lead capture chatbots on their website
Tars offers a conversational landing page builder that focuses on high‑conversion chatbot forms. Its visual editor allows users to design interactive chat flows that guide visitors through booking, lead capture, or survey processes. For fitness studios, Tars can be used to create a booking flow for classes, a membership sign‑up funnel, or a nutrition plan questionnaire. The platform supports integrations with Zapier, Google Sheets, and popular CRMs, and it provides basic analytics for conversation performance. While Tars excels at turning website visitors into leads, it doesn’t have native e‑commerce capabilities, does not support persistent memory beyond the current session, and offers limited customization of the chat widget’s appearance. Pricing starts at $49/month for the Starter plan, with higher tiers adding more chats and advanced features.
Key Features:
- Visual chatbot builder for high‑conversion flows
- Lead capture and booking forms
- Zapier, Google Sheets, and CRM integrations
- Conversation analytics
- Template library for sales funnels
- Web widget customization options
- Support for multiple pages
✓ Pros:
- +Intuitive visual editor
- +Focus on conversions
- +Easy integration with Zapier and CRMs
- +Provides analytics
- +Affordable for small teams
✗ Cons:
- −Limited e‑commerce support
- −No persistent memory across sessions
- −Widget appearance customization is basic
- −Knowledge base features are minimal
Pricing: Starts at $49/month
Botsify
Best for: Gyms that need AI‑driven FAQs and basic lead qualification across multiple messaging channels
Botsify is a no‑code chatbot platform that emphasizes AI-powered conversations and human hand‑off. It offers a visual flow builder, AI NLU, and the ability to add live chat support. For gyms, Botsify can automate FAQs, class schedule queries, and basic lead qualification. The platform supports integrations with Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp Business, and web chat, and it includes a knowledge base feature that lets users upload documents for the bot to reference. Botsify’s pricing structure begins at $50/month for the Starter plan, adding more chat contacts and advanced AI features in higher tiers. While the platform provides solid conversational AI, it lacks dedicated e‑commerce integrations and persistent memory for authenticated users.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder
- AI NLU and text‑to‑speech
- Live chat hand‑off
- Knowledge base document uploads
- WhatsApp and Messenger integration
- Webhook support
- Analytics dashboard
✓ Pros:
- +Robust AI NLU
- +Live chat hand‑off to humans
- +Supports multiple messaging platforms
- +Knowledge base uploads
- +Reasonable pricing
✗ Cons:
- −No e‑commerce integration
- −Limited persistent memory in chat widget
- −Basic customization of widget appearance
- −No built‑in payment processing
Pricing: Starts at $50/month
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform can dramatically streamline your gym’s operations, improve member engagement, and boost revenue. AgentiveAIQ stands out as the most comprehensive solution for fitness businesses that need brand‑consistent design, advanced knowledge bases, and online course hosting—all without writing code. However, if your studio focuses primarily on Facebook marketing or high‑conversion landing pages, platforms like Chatfuel, MobileMonkey, or Tars offer specialized tools that may fit your workflow better. Evaluate each platform against your specific needs—whether that’s e‑commerce, omnichannel reach, or simple lead capture—and take advantage of free trials or demos to see which one feels most intuitive. Once you’ve identified your best fit, it’s time to build a chatbot that keeps your members engaged, answers their questions instantly, and frees your staff to focus on delivering top‑notch fitness experiences.