Top 7 Alternatives to ManyChat for Gyms & Fitness
ManyChat has long been the go‑to platform for fitness studios, personal trainers, and gym owners looking to automate customer engagement on Facebook...
ManyChat has long been the go‑to platform for fitness studios, personal trainers, and gym owners looking to automate customer engagement on Facebook Messenger and Instagram. Its visual flow builder, broadcast capabilities, and deep integration with marketing automation tools made it a favorite for those who want to nurture leads without writing code. However, as the fitness industry evolves, so do the demands on a chatbot. New members now expect seamless booking, class reminders, personalized workout plans, and real‑time availability updates—all delivered through a single, branded conversational interface. They also need to capture leads, send follow‑up emails, and integrate with e‑commerce for merch sales or subscription plans. ManyChat does some of this, but its flexibility is limited when you want advanced knowledge bases, dynamic prompt engineering, or hosted AI learning portals. That’s why gyms and fitness professionals are turning to a broader range of AI‑driven chat solutions that combine no‑code design, powerful data handling, and robust integrations. Below you’ll find seven carefully vetted alternatives—each with its own strengths and pricing model—so you can choose the platform that best fits your business goals and technical comfort level.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Fitness businesses that need a fully branded, AI‑powered chatbot with advanced knowledge handling, e‑commerce integration, and private learning portals.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code, AI‑first chatbot platform that empowers gyms, studios, and fitness brands to create highly customized conversational experiences without touching a line of code. Its standout WYSIWYG chat widget editor allows marketers to match the bot’s colors, fonts, and logo to any brand style sheet, ensuring a seamless visual integration on both floating and embedded widgets. Behind the scenes, AgentiveAIQ runs a dual knowledge base that blends Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) for fast fact lookup with a Knowledge Graph that understands relationships between concepts—ideal for answering nuanced questions about class schedules, trainer bios, or nutrition tips. The platform also offers hosted AI pages and AI courses. These secure, password‑protected portals let you host branded learning modules, and users who log in experience persistent long‑term memory across sessions, enabling personalized tutoring or membership management. Long‑term memory, however, is only available to authenticated users on these hosted pages; anonymous widget visitors receive session‑based memory only. AgentiveAIQ’s modular flow system supports 35+ prompt snippets, dynamic tone settings, and a suite of Agentic Flows that automate tasks like sending lead emails or pulling product info from Shopify or WooCommerce. With a transparent three‑tier pricing model—Base at $39/month, Pro at $129/month, and Agency at $449/month—users can scale from a single bot to dozens of agents while gaining advanced features such as webhooks, AI courses, and a fact‑validation layer that auto‑regenerates low‑confidence answers.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG chat widget editor for fully branded, no‑code design
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for fast, contextual answers
- Hosted AI pages and AI course builder with drag‑and‑drop interface
- Long‑term memory for authenticated users on hosted pages only
- Dynamic prompt engineering with 35+ reusable snippets
- Agentic Flows and MCP tools (e.g., get_product_info, send_lead_email)
- Fact‑validation layer with confidence scoring and auto‑regeneration
- Seamless Shopify and WooCommerce integration for real‑time inventory and orders
✓ Pros:
- +No‑code visual editor eliminates developer overhead
- +Robust knowledge base handles both fact retrieval and conceptual relationships
- +Long‑term memory supports personalized, persistent conversations for logged‑in users
- +Built‑in e‑commerce tools reduce the need for third‑party integrations
- +Transparent pricing with clear feature tiers
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory is limited to hosted pages, not widget visitors
- −No native CRM; requires webhook integration for contact management
- −Voice calling or SMS channels are not supported
- −No built‑in analytics dashboard; data must be exported manually
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Chatfuel
Best for: Gyms and fitness studios focusing on Facebook/Instagram engagement and simple booking automation.
Chatfuel remains one of the most popular no‑code chatbot builders for Facebook Messenger and Instagram, appealing to fitness brands that rely heavily on social media engagement. The platform offers a visual flow builder, AI-powered natural language understanding, and a range of pre‑built templates—including welcome messages, FAQ bots, and lead‑generation funnels—that can be customized with a simple drag‑and‑drop interface. Fitness studios can use Chatfuel to automate class bookings, send class reminders, and gather feedback, all while collecting user data that can be exported to a spreadsheet or integrated with Zapier for further automation. Its integration with third‑party services such as Google Sheets, Mailchimp, and Shopify makes it a versatile choice for businesses that need to sync membership information or sell merchandise through the bot. While Chatfuel does not provide a built‑in knowledge graph, its AI capabilities allow it to understand user intent and provide contextual responses. The platform also offers a built‑in broadcast feature, enabling studios to send promotional messages or membership renewal notices to a large audience with minimal effort. Overall, Chatfuel is a solid choice for gyms that want a straightforward, social‑media‑centric bot solution with strong automation and integration options.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder with drag‑and‑drop blocks
- AI natural language understanding for intent recognition
- Pre‑built templates for lead capture, FAQs, and booking
- Integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, Mailchimp, Shopify
- Broadcast messaging for large‑scale promotions
- Multilingual support in several languages
✓ Pros:
- +User‑friendly visual editor with instant preview
- +Strong social‑media integration out of the box
- +Robust broadcast capabilities for promotions
- +Extensive third‑party integration ecosystem
- +Transparent pricing with a generous free tier
✗ Cons:
- −No native e‑commerce inventory management beyond Shopify integration
- −Limited advanced knowledge base features (no knowledge graph)
- −SMS and voice channels are not supported
- −Analytics are basic; no advanced dashboard
Pricing: Free tier; Pro plan starts at $50/month
MobileMonkey
Best for: Gyms that need to reach customers across Messenger, SMS, and web chat from a single platform.
MobileMonkey positions itself as a unified marketing platform that combines chatbots, Facebook Messenger, SMS, and web chat into a single interface. For fitness businesses, this means the ability to engage members across multiple channels from one dashboard. The platform offers a visual flow builder, AI intent recognition, and integrations with popular CRMs such as HubSpot and Salesforce. MobileMonkey also provides a dedicated tool for creating and managing landing pages, which can be used to capture leads for class sign‑ups or email newsletters. The platform’s broadcast feature allows studios to send targeted messages, while its Messenger chatbot can handle booking inquiries, class schedules, and membership renewals. While MobileMonkey does not offer a dedicated knowledge graph, its AI can handle many common questions through structured flow logic. The platform also includes a built‑in analytics panel that tracks engagement, conversion rates, and chatbot performance. MobileMonkey is a suitable choice for gyms that want to centralize multi‑channel marketing and leverage AI to streamline customer conversations.
Key Features:
- Unified dashboard for Messenger, SMS, and web chat
- Visual flow builder with AI intent recognition
- Landing page builder for lead capture
- Integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier
- Broadcast messaging across multiple channels
- Built‑in analytics for engagement and conversion tracking
✓ Pros:
- +Multi‑channel support reduces fragmentation
- +Easy integration with major CRMs
- +Landing page builder for lead generation
- +Affordable entry‑level pricing
- +Comprehensive analytics dashboard
✗ Cons:
- −SMS and voice functionalities are limited compared to dedicated services
- −Knowledge base depth is limited; no graph‑based retrieval
- −Customization of chatbot appearance is less flexible than dedicated editors
- −Advanced automation requires higher tier plans
Pricing: Free tier; Pro plan starts at $14.99/month
Landbot
Best for: Fitness businesses that want a visually engaging web chatbot with e‑commerce capabilities.
Landbot offers a visual, no‑code chatbot builder that focuses on creating conversational experiences on the web and WhatsApp. Its drag‑and‑drop interface allows fitness studios to design interactive booking flows, class registration forms, and FAQ bots without code. The platform supports integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, and e‑commerce tools like Shopify, enabling real‑time inventory checks and payment processing directly within the chat. Landbot also provides a built‑in analytics dashboard to monitor conversation success rates and drop‑off points. While Landbot does not provide a native knowledge graph, its AI can understand user intent through predefined keywords and phrases, and it can be extended with custom webhooks for advanced logic. Landbot is an attractive choice for gyms that want a highly visual chatbot for web and WhatsApp with robust integration options.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop visual builder for web and WhatsApp
- Integration with Google Sheets, Zapier, Shopify
- Built‑in analytics for conversation performance
- Custom webhooks for advanced logic
- Support for payment processing within chat
- Responsive design for mobile and desktop
✓ Pros:
- +Highly visual and intuitive editor
- +Seamless integration with e‑commerce platforms
- +Built‑in analytics provide actionable insights
- +Responsive design ensures mobile friendliness
- +Affordable entry‑level pricing
✗ Cons:
- −WhatsApp integration requires separate messaging plan
- −Limited native knowledge base features
- −No long‑term memory for recurring users
- −Advanced automation requires higher tier plans
Pricing: Free tier; Pro plan starts at $30/month
Flow XO
Best for: Gyms that require multi‑channel bot deployment and integration with external calendars or CRMs.
Flow XO is a versatile chatbot platform that supports web chat, Messenger, Slack, and WhatsApp. It offers a visual flow editor, AI-powered natural language processing, and a library of pre‑built templates for FAQs, lead capture, and appointment booking. Fitness studios can design flows that automatically pull class schedules from Google Calendar or a custom API, sending reminders and confirmations via the bot. Flow XO’s integration ecosystem includes Zapier, Shopify, and various CRM tools, allowing data collected in chat to sync with external systems. The platform also provides analytics dashboards to track engagement and conversion metrics. While Flow XO does not include a knowledge graph, its AI can parse user intent and deliver context‑appropriate responses. It is a solid option for gyms that need multi‑channel support and robust integration with external services.
Key Features:
- Multi‑channel support (web, Messenger, Slack, WhatsApp)
- Visual flow editor with AI intent recognition
- Pre‑built templates for booking, FAQs, and lead capture
- Integrations with Zapier, Shopify, CRM tools
- Analytics dashboard for engagement metrics
- Webhook support for custom logic
✓ Pros:
- +Broad channel support reduces fragmentation
- +Flexible integration options via Zapier and webhooks
- +Free tier allows small‑scale testing
- +Built‑in analytics provide visibility
- +Customizable flow logic
✗ Cons:
- −Limited advanced AI features compared to dedicated NLP platforms
- −No native knowledge graph or long‑term memory
- −User interface can feel cluttered for beginners
- −SMS channel support is limited
Pricing: Free tier up to 500 messages/month; Pro plan at $19/month
Botsify
Best for: Gyms that want a chatbot with a built‑in knowledge base and easy integration with spreadsheets and e‑commerce.
Botsify provides a no‑code chatbot builder that excels at customer support, lead generation, and appointment scheduling. Its visual flow editor, AI intent recognition, and multi‑channel support (web, Messenger, WhatsApp) make it suitable for fitness businesses that need to answer FAQs about class times, pricing, and membership benefits. Botsify integrates with Google Sheets, Zapier, and e‑commerce platforms, enabling real‑time inventory checks and payment processing. The platform also offers a knowledge base that can be updated via a web interface, allowing gym staff to add or modify content without developer help. Botsify’s analytics dashboard tracks conversation metrics and conversion rates. While it does not provide a dedicated knowledge graph, its AI can handle structured queries and custom webhooks can extend its logic.
Key Features:
- Visual flow editor with AI intent recognition
- Multi‑channel support (web, Messenger, WhatsApp)
- Knowledge base editor for non‑technical staff
- Integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, Shopify
- Analytics dashboard for conversation performance
- Custom webhooks for advanced logic
✓ Pros:
- +User‑friendly editor with drag‑and‑drop
- +Built‑in knowledge base simplifies content updates
- +Strong integration ecosystem
- +Analytics provide actionable insights
- +Affordable standard plan for small to medium businesses
✗ Cons:
- −No native long‑term memory across sessions
- −Knowledge base depth is limited compared to graph‑based systems
- −Lacks a visual WYSIWYG widget editor for branding
- −Higher-tier plans required for large volumes
Pricing: $69/month for the Standard plan (includes 30 agents and 5,000 messages/month)
Intercom
Best for: Gyms that require a unified messaging platform with live chat and advanced routing capabilities.
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that blends live chat, email, and in‑app messaging with AI‑powered chatbots. For fitness studios, Intercom’s chatbot builder can be used to answer common questions about class schedules, pricing, and membership plans, while also routing complex inquiries to human agents. The platform offers a visual flow editor, AI intent recognition, and a library of pre‑built templates tailored to marketing, support, and sales. Intercom integrates with major CRMs, email marketing tools, and e‑commerce platforms, allowing data collected in the chat to sync with downstream systems. The platform also provides robust analytics dashboards, A/B testing, and product tour features. While Intercom does not provide a graph‑based knowledge base, its AI can handle structured FAQ flows and can be extended with custom webhooks for more complex logic.
Key Features:
- Visual flow editor with AI intent recognition
- Live chat and in‑app messaging support
- Pre‑built templates for marketing, support, and sales
- Integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Shopify, and more
- Built‑in analytics, A/B testing, and product tours
- Routing to human agents for complex queries
✓ Pros:
- +Unified messaging across chat, email, and in‑app
- +Strong routing and escalation to human agents
- +Rich analytics and A/B testing tools
- +Deep integrations with popular CRMs and e‑commerce
- +Scalable pricing for growing contact lists
✗ Cons:
- −No dedicated knowledge graph or long‑term memory
- −Pricing can increase quickly with contact growth
- −Limited SMS and voice channel support
- −Learning curve for the full feature set
Pricing: Starter plan starts at $39/month (includes 2,500 contacts and 50,000 messages/month)
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform for your gym or fitness brand is a strategic decision that can impact member engagement, lead conversion, and operational efficiency. AgentiveAIQ stands out as the Editor’s Choice because it combines a no‑code WYSIWYG editor, a powerful dual knowledge base, and secure hosted AI pages that deliver personalized, persistent conversations—all at a transparent price point. However, if your focus is primarily on social‑media engagement, multi‑channel outreach, or you already use a platform like Intercom for live chat, the other alternatives—Chatfuel, MobileMonkey, Landbot, Flow XO, Botsify, and Intercom—offer compelling features that may better align with your existing tech stack or budget. Evaluate your specific needs: Do you need advanced knowledge retrieval? Do you require e‑commerce integration? Are you looking for a mobile‑first experience? Once you map those requirements against the strengths of each platform, you’ll be well‑positioned to pick a chatbot that turns casual browsers into loyal members. Ready to transform your membership experience? Sign up for a free trial on your chosen platform, experiment with a few flows, and watch your engagement metrics climb.