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How much does an AI chatbot cost?Compare pricing models with real list prices.
Per seat, per resolved case, per conversation or as a fair flat rate: enter your numbers and see right away what askVela and other vendors cost per month at their list prices.
Monthly cost at list price
Cheapest at list price: askVela at €64 per month.
| Vendor | Calculation | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| askVelaFixed price with quotaStarter + 1 pack, 1,800 AI answers needed | Starter + 1 pack, 1,800 AI answers needed | €64 |
| FreshdeskPer seat and AI sessions3 agents × $19 (Growth, annual) + 1 × $49 per 100 sessions beyond 500 | 3 agents × $19 (Growth, annual) + 1 × $49 per 100 sessions beyond 500 | €93.35 |
| CrispPackage with a conversation capPlus $295, AI credit for about 1,350 conversations | Plus $295, AI credit for about 1,350 conversations | €259.80 |
| Help ScoutPer seat and per resolution3 users × $25 (Standard, monthly) + 516 resolved conversations × $0.75 | 3 users × $25 (Standard, monthly) + 516 resolved conversations × $0.75 | €406.87 |
| IntercomPer seat and per resolution3 seats × $29 (Essential, annual) + 516 Fin outcomes × $0.99 | 3 seats × $29 (Essential, annual) + 516 Fin outcomes × $0.99 | €526.50 |
| GorgiasPer ticket and AI interactionBasic $50 + 300 extra tickets × $0.40 + 516 AI interactions × $0.90 | Basic $50 + 300 extra tickets × $0.40 + 516 AI interactions × $0.90 | €558.70 |
| moinAIFlat fee with minimum termBusiness €750 (annual), unlimited conversations, 3-month minimum | Business €750 (annual), unlimited conversations, 3-month minimum | €750 |
| ZendeskPer seat and per resolution3 agents × €55 (Suite Team, annual) + 501 resolutions beyond the 15 included × €1.50 | 3 agents × €55 (Suite Team, annual) + 501 resolutions beyond the 15 included × €1.50 | €916.50 |
| Tidio LyroPackage with a conversation capThe pricing page lists no price for more than 50 conversations. | The pricing page lists no price for more than 50 conversations. | not computable |
List prices according to the vendors, as of 09/2026. Discounts, taxes and minimum terms are not included. US dollars converted at the ECB reference rate of 30/09/2026 (€1 = $1.1355).
How the cost calculator works
For each vendor the calculator takes the cheapest plan that fits your numbers and calculates the AI costs in that vendor's own unit: seats, resolved cases, tickets, sessions or credit. US dollars are converted to euros.
Where a pricing page lists no price for your volume, you see “not computable” instead of an estimate.
The unit trap
Every vendor counts something different: Intercom bills Fin outcomes, meaning resolved cases, Zendesk automated resolutions, Gorgias AI interactions plus tickets, Freshdesk sessions, Tidio Lyro conversations. askVela counts individual AI answers and charges neither for seats nor for tickets.
A conversation typically takes 2–3 AI answers, so 1,000 AI answers cover 330–500 AI conversations.
Assumptions
- The AI answers first in every conversation; vendors billing per resolution only charge for the share the AI closes without the team.
- Every conversation is one ticket or one session.
- The cheapest matching plan applies, with annual billing where offered. askVela bills monthly.
- askVela extra packs are available when billing runs through askVela, not through Shopify.
The pricing models at a glance
Per seat and per resolution
You pay for each person on the team plus every case the AI closes on its own, as with Intercom, Zendesk or Help Scout. Cheap with a small team and little AI volume, pricier with every seat and every resolution.
Per ticket and AI interaction
The plan depends on the number of tickets, and every AI interaction costs extra. At Gorgias, according to its pricing page, every automated interaction also counts as a ticket.
Per seat and AI sessions
Freshdesk bills per agent; the AI agent counts sessions, meaning conversations within 72 hours, with 500 sessions a month included.
Package with a conversation cap
One price up to a certain volume: Crisp sells workspaces with a seat cap and AI credit, Tidio sells its AI agent Lyro in tiers by conversation.
Fixed price with quota or flat fee
askVela costs a fair flat rate per month with a quota of AI answers and unlimited agents. moinAI charges a flat fee with unlimited conversations and a minimum term.
Frequently asked questions
01How much does an AI chatbot cost for an online store?
It mainly depends on the pricing model and your volume of conversations. The calculator above shows it for your numbers at list prices. askVela costs €39, €99, or €249 per month with 1,000, 4,000, or 12,000 AI answers per month and unlimited agents; another 1,000 answers cost €25.
02When is askVela cheaper than per-seat plans?
As soon as several people work in support or the AI handles many cases. askVela bills neither per seat nor per resolved case: you pay a fair flat rate with a fixed AI quota, and your whole team is included. With per-seat and per-resolution pricing, costs rise with every person and every AI success.
03How current are the prices?
The list prices come from the vendors' pricing pages, as of September 2026. Vendors change their prices; the current pricing page always applies.
04Why are some vendors missing?
We only calculate vendors whose pricing page lists the necessary details. If prices are on request only or there's no tier for your volume, we don't show a number.
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