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Best AI website chatbots for UK small businesses (2026)

For most UK small businesses, the best website chatbot is Tidio: it has a free plan, a live chat inbox you can answer from your phone, and an AI agent (Lyro) you can add when you have enough questions to automate. Crisp is the best flat-price alternative, with EU hosting and unlimited conversations. Intercom's Fin is the most capable AI agent, but it charges $0.99 for every resolved conversation on top of seats, so it suits busier support teams. Below: prices checked on 18 October 2026, worked monthly costs, and what UK rules mean for a chatbot on your site.

Prices checked on each provider's own page; dates are shown. Updated 18 October 2026. Part of our best AI tools for small business UK guide.

Quick picks

• Best overall for a small business: Tidio. Free plan with 50 billable conversations a month and your first 50 Lyro AI conversations. Starter $24.17 a month billed annually.
• Best flat price, EU-hosted: Crisp. Free for 2 seats without AI. Essentials $95 a month per workspace with the AI chatbot and around 450 automated conversations.
• Most capable AI agent: Intercom Fin. Essential $29 per seat a month billed annually, plus $0.99 per Fin outcome. 14-day free trial.
• Simplest "answer from my website" bot: Chatbase. Hobby $32 a month billed yearly ($40 monthly). Trains on your pages and documents.
• Already use HubSpot: HubSpot. Free tools for up to 2 users, so chat sits next to your contacts.

Compared at a glance

How we chose

We looked at what a small business website needs: answering the same ten questions (opening hours, prices, areas covered, delivery, booking), handing over to a person when it can't help, catching leads out of hours and not costing a fortune when traffic spikes. For each tool we checked prices and free allowances on the provider's own page on 18 October 2026, how the AI part is charged, where data is hosted if the provider says, and whether you can reply from a phone.

The tools in detail

Tidio: best overall for a small business

Tidio combines live chat, an inbox for email and social messages, rule-based Flows and an AI agent called Lyro that answers from your own help content. You can start with plain live chat on the free plan and add Lyro once you know which questions keep coming up.

Tidio counts a "billable conversation" only when a human agent replies, so spam and unanswered chats don't use your allowance, and Lyro and Flows replies don't count as agent replies. Starter is $24.17 a month billed annually for 100 billable conversations, Growth from $49.17 a month, and Lyro from $32.50 a month. Every account starts with 50 Lyro conversations. There is a 7-day free trial with no card, after which you drop to the free plan. Self-serve plans take up to 10 agents.

• Good: free plan; fair billing that ignores spam; AI can be added later; phone apps.
• Watch: costs add up when you combine a Customer Service plan with Lyro; check the Lyro allowance on each tier.
• Price: Free. Starter $24.17 a month billed annually; Lyro AI from $32.50 a month. Checked 18 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

Tidio website

Crisp: best flat price, EU-hosted

Crisp charges per workspace rather than per conversation or per seat, so a busy month doesn't bring a surprise bill. The free plan gives you a website chat widget, a shared inbox, mobile apps and 2 seats, but no AI credits. The AI chatbot and workflow builder start on Essentials.

Mini is $45 a month per workspace with 4 seats and $5 of AI credits (around 90 automated conversations). Essentials is $95 with 10 seats, $25 of AI credits (around 450 automated conversations), WhatsApp and Instagram in the inbox, a knowledge base and the AI chatbot. Plus is $295. Crisp says data is hosted on European servers and offers a data processing agreement. VAT isn't included in the listed prices. Nonprofits and students get 50% off.

• Good: predictable flat price; EU hosting; generous seats.
• Watch: the AI chatbot needs Essentials ($95); AI credits are capped per plan.
• Price: Free. Mini $45 a month; Essentials $95 a month, per workspace. Checked 18 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

Crisp website

Intercom (Fin): most capable AI agent, for busier support

Intercom is a full customer service platform, and Fin is its AI agent. Fin answers across chat, email and other channels, can take actions in other systems and hands over to a person when needed. It is the strongest option here for a business with real support volume, such as an online shop.

You pay for seats and for outcomes. Essential is $29 per seat a month billed annually; Advanced $85 and Expert $132. Fin costs $0.99 per outcome, counted once per conversation when the customer confirms it is resolved, doesn't ask for more help, or Fin completes a workflow (including handoffs). There is a 14-day free trial with no card, and eligible startups can get up to 93% off.

• Good: best AI answers and actions; strong reporting; one platform.
• Watch: outcome charges grow with volume; more than a small café or trades site needs.
• Price: Essential $29 per seat a month billed annually, plus $0.99 per Fin outcome. Checked 18 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

Intercom (Fin) website

Chatbase: simplest bot that answers from your website

Chatbase builds an AI agent from your website pages and documents, then gives you a widget to paste on your site. It is a quick way to get a bot that answers "Do you cover Leeds?" or "What does a deep clean include?" from your own content.

Hobby is $32 a month billed yearly ($40 monthly) for 2 members, Standard $120 billed yearly ($150 monthly) and Pro $400 billed yearly ($500 monthly). Extra message credits cost $40 per 1,000 with auto-recharge. Chatbase says your data isn't used to train models and lists GDPR compliance and SOC 2 Type II.

• Good: fast to set up from your existing content.
• Watch: no free plan; it is a bot, not a full live chat inbox.
• Price: Hobby $32 a month billed yearly; Standard $120 billed yearly. Checked 18 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

Chatbase website

HubSpot: best if you already use HubSpot

HubSpot's free tools include its CRM, forms and email, so chats and the leads they create sit with the rest of your customer records. If you already use HubSpot, adding its chat to your site keeps everything in one place.

Free tools are available for up to 2 users with no card. Starter is from $7 per seat a month on the default billing option, or $10 paying monthly, when checked. Our check showed US-dollar prices; HubSpot may show pounds to UK visitors.

• Good: free; leads land straight in your CRM.
• Watch: the best AI features sit on higher plans.
• Price: Free for up to 2 users. Starter from $7 per seat a month. Checked 17 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

HubSpot website

Freshdesk: best if you need a full helpdesk

Freshdesk is a ticketing helpdesk first. It suits a business that handles customer emails, chats and phone queries as tickets with several people answering. Its Freddy AI adds suggested replies and summaries.

Plans start from $19 per agent a month billed annually, with a higher plan from $55. Freddy AI Copilot is $29 per agent a month extra. See Tidio vs Freshdesk.

• Good: proper ticketing for teams.
• Watch: more set-up than a simple chat widget; AI is an extra cost per agent.
• Price: From $19 per agent a month billed annually; Freddy AI Copilot $29 extra. Checked 14 Oct 2026 (provider's pricing page).

Freshdesk website

What 200 chats a month might cost

These are illustrative: your bill depends on how many chats your team answers, how many the AI resolves and the exact allowances on the day. Prices exclude VAT; if you're VAT-registered, enter your VAT number at checkout (HMRC Notice 741A).

UK points to check before you add a chatbot

• Cookies. Chat widgets usually set cookies or similar storage. Under PECR you need consent for non-essential cookies and must tell visitors about them (ICO). Add the widget to your cookie banner and privacy notice (ICO).
• Personal data. Chats contain names, phone numbers and sometimes sensitive details. Check where the provider stores data, sign its data processing agreement and set a retention period. The ICO's AI guidance covers transparency and accuracy (ICO).
• Say it's a bot. Label the AI clearly and offer a way to reach a person. It is also simply good service.
• Don't let it invent policies. Feed it your real prices, delivery times and returns policy, and tell it to hand over when it doesn't know. Customers can rely on what your business tells them, including through a bot.

Which should you pick?

• Small site, a few chats a day: Tidio free, or Crisp free if you don't need AI yet.
• You want AI answers without per-resolution bills: Crisp Essentials.
• Online shop or busy support inbox: Intercom with Fin.
• You just want a bot that answers from your pages: Chatbase.
• Your contacts live in HubSpot: HubSpot chat.
• Phone calls matter more than web chat: see best AI receptionists.

Instructions to give your bot

You answer questions for [business], a [type] in [area], UK. Use only the information below. If you are not sure, say so and offer to take the customer's name and number for a call back. Never quote a price, date or guarantee that is not listed. Use British English.
[opening hours] [areas covered] [prices or price ranges] [booking link] [returns or cancellation policy]

Questions

What is the best free chatbot for a small business website?

Tidio, for most businesses: the free plan includes live chat, 50 billable conversations a month and 50 AI conversations to try Lyro. Crisp's free plan is a good alternative if you only need live chat for 2 people.

How much does an AI chatbot cost for a small business?

From free to around $100 a month for most small sites. Tidio Starter is $24.17 a month billed annually, Crisp Essentials (with AI) $95 a month flat, and Intercom charges $29 per seat plus $0.99 per resolved conversation.

Do I need consent for a chat widget on my website?

If the widget sets non-essential cookies or similar storage, PECR requires consent, and you should mention it in your privacy notice. The ICO's cookie guidance explains what counts as essential.

Can a chatbot take bookings?

Many can, either through an integration with your booking system or by collecting details for you to confirm. Check it connects to your booking software before you pay.

Should my chatbot say it is AI?

Yes. Label it clearly and give customers an easy way to reach a person. It builds trust and helps you meet transparency expectations in the ICO's AI guidance.

Is a website chatbot better than an AI receptionist?

They do different jobs. A chatbot answers people already on your site; an AI receptionist answers phone calls you miss. Trades usually get more from a receptionist; online shops from a chatbot.

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Disclosure: We have applied to the affiliate programmes of tidio, hubspot (pending on 18 october 2026). There are no affiliate links on this page today, and no company paid to be included or to be ranked. If we add an affiliate link later, we'll label it next to the link. See how we make money.