Top 5 Ways to Use a Website Chatbot for Web Design

DeepAI offers a suite of AI tools, including a general-purpose chat interface that can be embedded on websites. The chat feature is powered by OpenAI’s GPT models, accessible through a simple API endpoint that returns conversational responses. DeepAI’s platform emphasizes accessibility and openness, providing developers with a free tier that allows up to 1,000 requests per day, and a paid tier for higher usage. Users can customize the chatbot’s behavior by supplying a prompt template—although the platform does not provide a visual editor; developers must write code to integrate the widget. The chat widget is lightweight and can be added with a single line of JavaScript, making it compatible with any website. While DeepAI’s core focus is on delivering cutting‑edge AI capabilities, the chat product lacks many of the specialized features that designers often need. There is no built‑in knowledge base or content management system, and the platform does not offer persistent memory beyond the session. Additionally, DeepAI does not provide an AI course builder or hosted pages; users must build those components themselves. However, the platform’s open‑source ethos and straightforward pricing make it a compelling option for developers who want to prototype conversational AI quickly without a steep learning curve. DeepAI’s pricing is structured around API usage: the free tier allows 1,000 requests per day, while the paid plan starts at $0.01 per 1,000 tokens. The platform does not offer a dedicated chatbot hosting service or a visual editor, so users must rely on external tools for widget customization. Overall, DeepAI Chat is a solid choice for developers looking for a low‑cost, easy‑to‑integrate conversational AI, but it falls short for designers who need visual customization, knowledge management, or an out‑of‑the‑box learning experience.

Google Gemini, the next‑generation AI conversational model from Google, is positioned as a versatile chatbot platform that can be integrated into websites, apps, and other digital products. Gemini builds on Google’s extensive data infrastructure and leverages multimodal capabilities, allowing it to handle text, images, and other media within a single conversation. The platform offers a no‑code widget that developers can embed with a simple JavaScript snippet, and Google provides a suite of tools for prompt engineering and customization. Gemini’s strengths lie in its advanced language understanding and the ability to incorporate contextual information from external sources. Developers can supply structured data or web links, and Gemini will retrieve relevant facts to support its responses. The model also supports context retention across multiple turns, enabling more natural, flowing conversations. However, Gemini does not offer a visual editor for customizing the appearance of the chat widget; designers must modify CSS or use third‑party libraries to align the widget with brand guidelines. In terms of pricing, Google offers a free tier that allows a modest number of requests, and a paid tier that scales with usage. The paid plans are priced per 1,000 tokens processed, with rates that vary depending on the chosen model and usage volume. Google also provides a free trial with a generous token allotment, allowing developers to evaluate the platform before committing. Google Gemini is ideal for teams that need a powerful, multimodal conversational AI with strong data integration capabilities. Its lack of a visual editor and limited out‑of‑the‑box knowledge base features mean that organizations that require extensive customization or a fully managed chatbot solution may need to pair Gemini with additional tools. Key takeaways: Gemini offers cutting‑edge AI, flexible data integration, and a scalable pricing model, but it requires developers to build the UI and knowledge infrastructure themselves.

Intercom is a widely used customer messaging platform that offers chatbot functionality as part of its suite of live chat, help desk, and marketing automation tools. The platform provides a built‑in chatbot editor that allows non‑technical users to create scripted conversations using a visual flow builder. Intercom’s chat widget can be embedded on any website with a single line of JavaScript, and it offers a range of customization options such as colors, positioning, and greeting messages. Key strengths of Intercom include its deep integration with popular CRMs, robust automation capabilities, and real‑time analytics dashboards that track conversation metrics and user engagement. The platform also supports a knowledge base feature, allowing developers to create searchable help articles that the chatbot can reference. However, Intercom’s knowledge base is primarily a content repository rather than a retrieval‑augmented or graph‑based system, which means it may lack the nuanced understanding of complex queries. Pricing for Intercom is tiered: the Essentials plan starts at $39/month, the Pro plan at $99/month, and the Premium plan at $199/month, each offering incremental features such as increased conversation volume, advanced automation, and priority support. Intercom also offers a pay‑as‑you‑go option for smaller teams. For web designers, Intercom can serve as a quick way to add conversational support to a site, gather customer feedback, and automate lead qualification. Its visual flow builder lowers the barrier to entry, but the absence of advanced knowledge‑graph capabilities and limited customization of the widget’s visual appearance beyond basic settings may be a drawback for designers seeking a fully branded experience. Overall, Intercom strikes a balance between ease of use and robust functionality, making it suitable for businesses that need an all‑in‑one messaging platform with chatbot support.

Drift is a conversational marketing platform that emphasizes proactive chat and qualified lead generation. Its chatbot can be embedded on any website with a simple script, and the platform offers a visual builder that lets users design conversational flows without coding. Drift’s chat widget is highly customizable in terms of color, size, and placement, and it can be set to trigger based on visitor behavior, such as scrolling or time on page. One of Drift’s standout features is its ability to score and route leads in real time. The chatbot can ask qualifying questions, assign a lead score, and then hand off the conversation to a sales representative or trigger a follow‑up email. Drift also integrates with major CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, allowing the lead data to flow seamlessly into existing sales pipelines. Pricing for Drift starts at $400/month for the Essentials plan, which includes unlimited chat sessions and basic lead qualification tools. The Growth plan is priced at $800/month and adds advanced automation, multi‑user collaboration, and additional integrations. Finally, the Enterprise plan is custom‑priced and offers dedicated support and enterprise‑grade features. For web designers, Drift can help create a branded conversational experience that drives sales and collects visitor data. However, the platform is more focused on marketing and sales than on knowledge management or educational content, and it does not offer a built‑in AI course builder or knowledge‑graph capabilities. Drift’s strengths lie in its lead‑generation focus and deep CRM integration, while its lack of advanced AI knowledge handling and limited customization beyond visual settings may be a limitation for designers seeking a full‑blown AI chatbot.