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Best AI Chatbots for Customer Service

5 Best AI Chatbots for Customer Service

AI chatbots have transformed customer service by automating routine tasks and providing instant support around the clock.

Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, the right chatbot can improve response times, boost customer satisfaction, and free up your team for more complex issues.

I’ve tested them so you don’t have to. Here are my top picks for the best AI customer service chatbots:


Our Favorite Customer Service Chatbots

  • Gorgias: Best for e-commerce brands needing seamless Shopify integration and automated support.
  • HubSpot: Best for CRM-heavy teams seeking powerful chatbots and sales integration.
  • Freshchat: Best for multi-channel businesses needing proactive customer engagement.
  • Tidio: Best for small businesses wanting fast setup and customizable chatbots.
  • Kommunicate.io: Best for growing teams balancing automation with human support.

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Best AI Chatbots for Customer Service

Tool Name

Best For

Rating (out of 5)

Price

GorgiasE-Commerce brands needing Shopify integration 
4.5
Starts at $10/month
HubSpotCRM-heavy teams with sales integration
4.5
Free, paid plans start at $45/month 
FreshchatMulti-channel businesses for engagement 
4.5
Free, paid plans start at $15/month 
TidioSmall businesses wanting fast setup
4
Free, paid plans start at $18/month
Kommunicate.ioGrowing teams balancing automation and human support
4
Starts at $40/month

How We Rated AI Chatbots

To rank the chatbots for customer service, we considered these key qualities:

  • Ease of Setup and Use: We evaluated how quickly you can get each chatbot up and running without needing technical expertise. User-friendly interfaces and clear documentation were key factors.
  • Automation Capabilities: We looked at how well each AI chatbot automates repetitive customer service tasks, like answering FAQs, processing orders, and providing personalized responses.
  • Integration with Existing Tools: A major criterion was how seamlessly the chatbot integrates with e-commerce platforms, CRMs, and other customer service tools to create a smooth workflow.
  • Cost and Scalability: Price transparency and value for money were important. We considered free plans, paid tiers, and how affordable each tool remains as your business grows.
  • Customer Engagement Features: We assessed how well each chatbot proactively engages with customers, whether through behavior-based triggers, multi-channel support, or the ability to hand off to human agents when needed.

Check out our top 5 AI chatbots of all time!

1. Gorgias

Best for e-commerce brands 4.5/5

Gorgias Logo

4.5 of 5 Stars

Gorgias is a customer service platform designed specifically for e-commerce businesses. What really stood out to me was how seamlessly it integrates with popular platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce.

It did a solid job responding to common inquiries, managing order-related questions, and even processing refunds. I was impressed by how much time it saved my support team by automating repetitive tasks.

The chatbot also pulls customer data directly from the e-commerce platform, so it always feels like the responses are personalized. I found this particularly helpful in reducing the back-and-forth with customers. The bot could instantly provide tracking information, order statuses, and more. However, it still allowed customers to escalate issues to human agents when necessary.

Pros

  • E-commerce integration: Works flawlessly with platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, pulling in customer and order data.
  • Automation of repetitive tasks: Handles common inquiries such as order status and refunds, freeing up the team for more complex issues.
  • Personalized responses: The chatbot uses real-time customer data to provide tailored support, improving the customer experience.
  • Seamless escalation: Easily transfers conversations from the bot to a live agent when necessary.

Cons

  • Pricing: It can get pricey, especially if you need more advanced features or higher levels of automation.
  • Limited outside e-commerce: While it shines in e-commerce, Gorgias may not be as effective for businesses outside of this niche.
  • Learning curve: It took me a little while to fully use all the features, especially if you’re new to chatbot tools.

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2. HubSpot

Best for CRM-heavy teams 4.5/5

Hubspot Logo

4.5 of 5 Stars

HubSpot offers an AI-powered chatbot as part of its broader CRM platform, and it’s one of the most versatile chatbots I’ve worked with. What sets HubSpot’s chatbot apart is how deeply it integrates with its CRM and AI marketing tools. Based on my testing, it’s perfect for businesses looking to streamline customer service, sales, and marketing all in one place.

The chatbot can handle a wide range of tasks, from answering FAQs to booking meetings and qualifying leads. What I found especially useful is its ability to automatically log conversations into the CRM. This means you’re also feeding valuable data back into your system to improve future interactions and personalize follow-ups. Another big plus is that HubSpot offers a free tier with chatbot capabilities, which is a fantastic entry point for smaller businesses or startups.

Pros

  • Deep CRM integration: HubSpot’s chatbot ties directly into its CRM, so every conversation is logged and customer data is always up-to-date.
  • Lead qualification: The chatbot can gather information and qualify leads, sending only the most relevant ones to your sales team.
  • Meeting booking: I found it convenient that the bot can automatically schedule meetings.
  • Free plan: There’s a free option, which includes basic chatbot capabilities, which is great for startups.
  • All-in-one platform: HubSpot is part of a full customer service, sales, and marketing suite, so it’s great if you want an all-encompassing solution.

Cons

  • Complexity: Because it’s tied into a larger CRM, HubSpot’s chatbot can feel overwhelming if you’re just looking for a simple chat solution and not the full CRM experience.
  • Limited outside HubSpot ecosystem: If you’re not using HubSpot for your CRM, the chatbot won’t be as powerful or integrated.
  • Cost for advanced features: The more advanced chatbot features are behind a paywall, and it can get expensive as you scale.

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3. Freshchat

Best for multi-channel businesses 4.5/5

Freshworks Logo

4.5 of 5 Stars

Freshchat is part of the Freshworks suite and is a customer messaging platform that combines live chat and AI-powered automation. When I tried Freshchat, I was particularly impressed by how it handles both customer support and engagement. The AI bot, known as Freddy, can manage a variety of tasks, including answering FAQs, lead generation, and booking appointments.

What makes Freshchat appealing is how it integrates into broader customer experience strategies. It can be used for customer support, but I found it also useful for proactively engaging with visitors based on their behavior (like time spent on a page or cart abandonment.) It integrates well with CRM systems and has multi-channel support, including WhatsApp, email, and SMS. Overall, I found Freshchat to be a comprehensive tool for businesses that want to centralize their customer service.

Pros

  • AI-powered Freddy bot: Freddy is good at handling common customer service tasks, freeing up your team for more complex tasks.
  • Proactive engagement: I found it helpful that Freshchat can trigger messages based on user behavior.
  • Omni-channel support: You can manage conversations across multiple platforms (like WhatsApp, email, and SMS), to provide seamless customer service.
  • CRM integration: It integrates with other Freshworks products as well as other CRM systems, helping to centralize customer data.
  • Intuitive interface: The dashboard is clean and easy to navigate, making it a great option even if you’re not particularly tech-savvy.

Cons

  • Can be expensive: The cost can add up if you need more advanced features, especially for larger teams.
  • Limited customization: While Freshchat covers the basics, I found the level of chatbot customization to be somewhat limited compared to other platforms like Tidio or Kommunicate.
  • Learning curve for advanced features: Though the interface is user-friendly, using the more advanced features (like workflow automation) requires some time and effort.

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4. Tidio

Best for small businesses 4.0/5

Tidio Logo

4 of 5 Stars

Tidio is another AI-powered chatbot that I’ve tested, and I was most impressed by how easy it is to set up and use. Tidio was refreshingly simple to get running. It’s designed for small to medium-sized businesses and offers a solid mix of live chat and automation features.

The AI chatbot in Tidio is great at handling FAQs, and what I liked most is the ability to customize its responses based on customer behavior. For example, you can set the bot to greet customers automatically or trigger responses depending on what page they’re on. The customization makes the customer experience feel more dynamic.

It also integrates with platforms like Shopify and WordPress, so it’s perfect if you’re running an online store. Plus, Tidio provides a free plan, which is great for businesses just starting out.

Pros

  • User-friendly setup: One of the easiest chatbots I’ve come across to get up and running quickly.
  • Behavior-based automation: The chatbot can trigger responses based on what customers are doing, adding a layer of personalization.
  • Free plan: A generous free plan that makes it an ideal starting point for small businesses.
  • Integrations: Works well with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and also integrates with WordPress, making it versatile for different websites.
  • Mobile app: I found it convenient to manage customer chats via Tidio’s mobile app, which keeps me connected even when I’m away from my desk.

Cons

  • Limited advanced features: While it’s great for basic tasks, it might not offer enough complexity for larger businesses or those with more specialized needs.
  • Scaling can get expensive: As your business grows, Tidio’s pricing can increase quickly, especially if you need more automation or live chat seats.
  • Response customization: Although it’s customizable, the bot responses can feel a little rigid at times when compared to more advanced AI solutions.

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5. Kommunicate.io

Best for growing teams 4.0/5

Kommunicate Logo

4 of 5 Stars

What I really appreciated about Kommunicate.io is how it blends automation with the human touch. This tool made it easy to manage conversations that start with a bot but may need human intervention.

Kommunicate.io integrates with several messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack. The integrations make it super convenient for businesses looking to manage customer service across multiple channels.

I also liked that you can build custom bots or use their pre-built templates, which makes setup faster. Plus, it integrates with several CRM tools, allowing for seamless customer interaction tracking.

Pros

  • Blends automation with live chat: The platform allows smooth handovers between the chatbot and human agents.
  • Multi-channel support: Diverse messaging platform integrations make it easy to provide consistent customer service across different channels.
  • Customizable bots: I found the pre-built bot templates useful, but you can also build your own chatbot with custom workflows.
  • CRM integration: Works well with various CRM platforms, making it easy to track customer data and interactions across touchpoints.
  • Affordable pricing: Compared to some other platforms, Kommunicate.io is relatively affordable, making it a great choice for small and medium businesses.

Cons

  • Limited advanced AI features: While it covers the basics well, I found it lacking in some of the more advanced AI capabilities you might get with bigger platforms like HubSpot.
  • Occasional bugs: During testing, there were a few instances where the bot didn’t respond as expected.
  • Learning curve for customization: While it’s customizable, the initial setup and fine-tuning of custom workflows can take some time, especially if you’re new to chatbot systems.

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What is a Customer Service Chatbot?

What Is Customer Service Chatbot

A customer service chatbot is an automated tool that helps answer common questions and assist customers through live chat. It can provide order updates, answer FAQs, or book appointments—all without needing a human agent.

These bots are available 24/7, so customers get instant responses any time of day. The best part is that chatbots can also personalize interactions using customer data and, if needed, pass more complex issues to a live support agent.

Find out helpful use cases and templates for SMS marketing for customer service!

Benefits of AI Customer Support Chatbots

Benefits of AI Customer Support Chatbots

  • 24/7 Availability: One of the biggest benefits I’ve noticed with AI chatbots is their ability to provide round-the-clock support. Customers can get answers at any time, which means you’re not losing potential sales or leaving inquiries unanswered just because your team’s offline.
  • Frees Up Human Agents:  The chatbot handles the easy, repetitive stuff, which means agents aren’t overwhelmed with simple requests.
  • Personalized Customer Experiences: AI chatbots are smarter than ever and can pull in real-time data to tailor responses. When I used them, customers felt like they were getting personalized attention because the bot could refer to past orders or browsing behavior in its responses.
  • Faster Response Times: Let’s face it—customers don’t like waiting. I’ve seen response times cut down significantly with chatbots. Using one helps me offer a smoother, faster experience.
  • Scalability Without Extra Costs: As my business grew, scaling customer support used to mean hiring more agents, which is expensive. But with AI chatbots, I could handle more inquiries without increasing staffing costs, making it a scalable solution.

Best Practices for Implementing AI Chatbots

Best Practices for Implementing AI Chatbot

  • Start with Common FAQs: When I set up a chatbot, I focus on automating the most frequently asked questions first. This helps streamline the support process and gives customers quick answers to their most common queries.
  • Integrate with Existing Systems: Connect your chatbot with your CRM or customer service platforms, so that the bot can pull in customer data. The bot uses data to provide personalized responses, improving the overall experience.
  • Train Your Chatbot Regularly: AI chatbots learn over time, so you must review performance and refine responses. I’ve found that regularly updating the bot ensures it stays effective as customer needs evolve.
  • Seamless Human Handover: While automation is great, I always make sure there’s a clear path for the chatbot to transfer conversations to a live agent when needed. This ensures that complex issues are handled without frustrating the customer.
  • Monitor Performance and Feedback: Tracking the bot’s performance metrics like response time and customer satisfaction is key. I also encourage feedback from customers to continually improve the chatbot's performance and usability. You can use an AI sentiment analysis tool for this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should my business consider a chatbot?

A chatbot provides 24/7 support, automates repetitive tasks, and improves customer response times. It helps reduce workload for your team, enhances customer satisfaction, and can scale with your business as it grows

How should I choose a chatbot?

Consider ease of setup, integration with your existing tools, and the chatbot’s ability to automate key tasks. Pricing and scalability are also important, especially as your business expands.

How do chatbots improve customer service?

Chatbots improve service by providing instant responses, automating FAQs, and offering personalized interactions. They also reduce customer wait times and can escalate more complex issues to human agents.

What role do customer service chatbots play in lead generation?

Chatbots can qualify leads by gathering information, answering initial inquiries, and directing potential customers to the sales team, all while automating the process to save time and improve efficiency.

Which AI chat is best?

The best chatbot depends on your needs. For e-commerce, Gorgias is great, while HubSpot is ideal for CRM integration. Tidio works well for small businesses looking for easy setup.