Top 7 Website Chatbots for Churches

Tidio combines live chat and chatbot functionalities into one platform, making it a popular choice for churches that need real‑time visitor engagement and automated answering of common questions. The platform offers a free tier that includes one chatbot and basic live chat features, while paid plans start at $18/month and scale up to $69/month for advanced automation and integrations. Tidio’s visual chatbot builder allows users to design conversational flows using a drag‑and‑drop interface, though it does not provide a dedicated knowledge‑base system. Instead, it relies on scripted responses and simple keyword triggers. Churches can use Tidio to display worship schedules, announce upcoming events, or collect volunteer sign‑ups. The platform integrates with popular email marketing tools such as Mailchimp and CRM systems like HubSpot, enabling ministries to capture leads and nurture community relationships. Features also include multilingual support, chat transcripts, and basic analytics. However, Tidio’s chatbot capabilities are more suited to e‑commerce or customer support than to the nuanced theological queries that many faith‑based visitors may have. Despite its affordability and ease of use, churches that require advanced knowledge retrieval or persistent memory may find Tidio limited.

Intercom is a comprehensive customer messaging platform that offers live chat, email, and in‑app messaging, making it a versatile tool for churches that want to engage visitors across multiple channels. The platform’s chatbot feature, called Intercom Bots, allows churches to automate answers to FAQs, guide users to resources, and collect contact information. Intercom’s visual builder supports conditional logic, but it lacks a dedicated knowledge‑base module, so content must be manually entered into the bot flow. Pricing begins at $39/month for the basic plan, which includes up to 1,000 active users and limited bot capabilities, and scales up to $99/month for the growth plan, offering more advanced automation and integrations. Key integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier, enabling churches to sync volunteer sign‑ups or event registrations. Intercom also provides robust analytics, allowing ministries to track engagement metrics and improve their outreach strategies. While Intercom excels at multi‑channel communication, its cost may be prohibitive for small congregations, and the lack of a built‑in knowledge‑base means that more complex theological queries require manual scripting.

Drift focuses on conversational marketing and sales automation, offering chatbots that can qualify leads, schedule meetings, and gather contact information. For churches, Drift can be used to collect prayer requests, register for events, or direct visitors to online resources. The platform’s visual bot builder supports simple flows and integrations with tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier. Drift offers a free trial, but its paid plans start at $299/month, which may be steep for many congregations. Features include real‑time chat, automated email follow‑ups, lead scoring, and integrations with marketing automation platforms. While Drift excels at lead generation and sales workflows, its focus on commercial sales funnels may not align perfectly with the pastoral needs of faith‑based organizations. Additionally, the lack of a dedicated knowledge‑base means that complex theological queries must be handled manually or via scripted responses.

ManyChat is a popular chatbot builder that specializes in Facebook Messenger and SMS messaging, but it also offers web chat widgets. The platform’s visual flow builder allows churches to create conversational experiences that can answer FAQs, collect contact information, and promote events. ManyChat offers a free plan with basic features, while paid plans start at $25/month for the Pro tier and go up to $50/month for the Premium tier. Key integrations include Mailchimp, Shopify, and Zapier, enabling churches to sync volunteer sign‑ups or merchandise sales. ManyChat’s strengths lie in its ease of use and robust marketing automation capabilities. However, the platform does not provide a dedicated knowledge‑base, and its web chat widget is less customizable compared to no‑code editors. For churches that prioritize Messenger engagement over a fully branded website chatbot, ManyChat is a solid choice.

Chatfuel is a no‑code chatbot platform that is well‑known for its Messenger bot creation, but it also supports other channels and web chat. The platform offers a visual builder with drag‑and‑drop blocks and a large library of pre‑built templates, making it approachable for non‑technical users. Pricing is free for basic use, with paid plans starting at $15/month for the Pro tier and $35/month for the Premium tier. Chatfuel integrates with Mailchimp, Zapier, and WordPress, allowing churches to sync sign‑ups or pull content from their website. While Chatfuel excels at building conversational flows, it lacks an advanced knowledge‑base system and long‑term memory capabilities. Its web chat widget is less powerful than dedicated no‑code editors, so churches may need to customize the UI manually. Chatfuel is best suited for ministries with a strong Messenger presence seeking a free or low‑cost chatbot option.

MobileMonkey is a versatile chatbot platform that offers a multi‑channel approach, including Facebook Messenger, SMS, and web chat widgets. The visual flow builder is intuitive, and the platform provides a free plan with basic chatbot capabilities. Paid plans begin at $25/month for the Pro tier and go up to $40/month for the Premium tier. MobileMonkey integrates with Mailchimp, Zapier, and various CRM systems, enabling churches to capture leads and manage volunteer databases. The platform’s strengths include its multi‑channel reach and marketing automation features, such as broadcasting to multiple audiences. However, MobileMonkey does not include a dedicated knowledge‑base, and its web chat widget has limited customization options compared to a dedicated no‑code editor. Churches that want a single chatbot covering multiple platforms may find MobileMonkey useful, but those needing advanced knowledge retrieval will need supplemental tools.