Chatbot Pricing: What Small Shops Should Check Before Paying
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Chatbot pricing depends on what the provider counts: team members, conversations, AI replies, resolved requests, or a mix of these. The advertised subscription may cover just part of the cost. AI usage, extra channels, setup work, and outside tools can add to the bill.
For a small shop, the useful comparison is the total monthly cost for the support work it needs, including staff time spent checking answers.
Oktomer takes a fixed-price approach to the help desk itself. Its Free plan costs $0, Connected costs $49/month, and Managed costs $249/month with setup included, but is coming soon. Every plan includes unlimited seats and conversations. Connected requires the shop’s own AI service, which can bring separate costs.
Source: Oktomer pricing, October 2026 (https://oktomer.com).
How chatbot pricing works
Chatbot offers often combine several charging methods. A shop should separate them before comparing subscriptions.
| Pricing method | What the shop pays for | What needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| Per seat | Each staff member with access | Whether occasional helpers need paid accounts |
| Per conversation | A counted customer exchange | What starts and ends a billable conversation |
| Per AI resolution | A request the vendor considers resolved | Whether incorrect or reopened answers still count |
| AI usage | Model requests, tokens, or credits | Whether usage has a firm spending cap |
| Fixed subscription | Access to a defined package | Whether channels, AI, and setup are included |
| Setup or service fee | Initial configuration or ongoing work | Who maintains the bot after launch |
The billing unit matters as much as the rate. A conversation limit can mean something different from an AI usage limit. A visitor reached by a chat flow is also different from a customer who receives an AI answer.
A plan comparison should use the vendor’s written definitions, not assumptions based on the word “conversation.”
What belongs in the total monthly cost
A practical cost formula is:
Help desk subscription + AI service + usage charges + channel costs + setup and upkeep + staff review time
Not every product charges for every item. Each item still needs checking.
The help desk subscription
A chatbot may sit inside a wider support platform. That platform can charge for access separately from AI.
The shop should check whether the base subscription includes:
- Shared inbox access for the whole team.
- Email, live chat, and WhatsApp.
- Conversation history.
- Tags and message sorting.
- The connections needed for its store.
- Access to support when an account or billing issue occurs.
For teams comparing a wider help desk package, the zendesk pricing guide is a useful next step. The relevant comparison is the package the shop would actually buy, rather than an entry price without the required features.
AI service and usage
Some subscriptions include a defined AI allowance. Others let the shop connect an outside AI service.
With an outside service, the shop needs to budget for both the inbox and the AI provider. An agency-built agent may also have maintenance fees.
Unlimited help desk conversations do not necessarily mean unlimited AI processing. Those are separate terms unless the contract says otherwise.
Setup and upkeep
A chatbot needs usable information about delivery, returns, products, and store policies. Someone must keep that information current.
Before purchase, the shop should establish who handles policy changes, failed connections, and incorrect answers. A low subscription can still require substantial staff work.
The cost of wrong answers
A bot that invents a refund promise can create work and expense beyond its subscription fee.
For a shop, the right level of control depends on the task. Sorting a message is different from promising a refund. Drafting a reply for approval is different from sending it directly to a customer.
Price comparisons should account for how much review each approach requires.
Oktomer chatbot pricing: what each plan includes
Oktomer is a help desk for small online shops and small businesses. Live chat, email, and WhatsApp arrive in a shared inbox.
The plan details below use the official October 2026 source cited above. Prices exclude VAT.
| Plan | Monthly price | Included approach | Important limit or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Chat widget, Shopify, email, WhatsApp, simple sorting, and tags | The team writes every reply; Oktomer AI is not included |
| Connected | $49/month | Connection to the shop’s own AI through MCP and API | Oktomer AI is not included; outside AI costs may apply |
| Managed | $249/month | Oktomer AI sorts and tags messages, sends follow-ups, and drafts replies for team approval | Coming soon with a waitlist; setup included |
MCP and the API let the shop’s own AI tool read the inbox and post replies or drafts there.
Every plan has unlimited seats and unlimited conversations. Billing is monthly. Cancellation is by email, and a refund is available on request within 14 days.
When Free fits
Free fits a shop that needs a shared inbox but still wants staff to write every answer.
It is also a practical starting point when a shop has not yet established which support tasks would benefit from AI. The team can organize customer messages before paying for an AI service.
When Connected fits
Connected fits a shop that already uses an AI tool, works with an agency, or wants control over its chosen AI service.
Examples include Claude, ChatGPT, n8n, or an agency-built agent. The connection does not include an Oktomer AI subscription.
The fixed inbox fee makes that part of the budget clear. The shop still needs to check its chosen AI provider’s charges and spending controls.
When Managed may fit
Managed may suit a shop that wants Oktomer to handle the AI setup and prefers staff approval before drafted replies reach customers.
It is coming soon, with a waitlist. Shops that need this service immediately should assess an available alternative rather than plan around a future release.
How Tidio pricing compares
Tidio is worth considering for shops comparing packaged chatbot options with stated usage allowances.
The figures below are as shown on Tidio’s pricing page on October 26, 2026. The page has a monthly and annual billing toggle but does not make clear which billing period applies to the displayed figures. Readers should check the billing toggle before buying.
| Tidio option | Displayed price | Stated allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Lyro AI Agent add-on | Starts at $32.50/month | 50 Lyro AI conversations |
| Flows add-on | Starts at $24.17/month | 2,000 visitors reached |
Source: Tidio pricing page, read October 26, 2026.
These add-ons count different things. Lyro counts AI conversations, while Flows counts visitors reached. Neither figure should be treated as an unlimited support allowance.
The supplied pricing page does not state the cost of an extra conversation beyond the plan allowance or a quota for the Tidio AI reply assistant. Those details need confirmation before purchase.
Tidio may fit better when a shop prefers its packaged Lyro or Flows offering and the published allowances match expected demand.
Oktomer Connected may fit better when a shop wants to bring an existing AI tool into a fixed-price shared inbox. It requires the shop or its provider to manage that outside AI connection.
Oktomer Free may fit better when the immediate need is a shared inbox and staff-written replies, rather than a chatbot.
Checks that prevent surprise bills
A pricing page is a starting point. Before paying, the shop should obtain written answers to the following points.
Usage limits and billing changes
The provider should explain what counts as billable usage, how usage is reported, and what happens at the limit.
A firm spending cap is different from an alert. The shop should also check whether the service pauses, charges overages, or moves the account to another plan.
Human handoff and approval
The team needs a clear way to take over a conversation.
For sensitive tasks, the shop should check whether AI can draft an answer without sending it. Refunds, delivery promises, and policy exceptions deserve particular care.
Account access and support
An account restriction can interrupt support even when the subscription is affordable.
The shop should read the suspension terms, identify the appeal route, and check how conversation records can be exported. These checks matter across providers.
Cancellation and refunds
Monthly billing, cancellation procedures, and refund terms affect the cost of trying a product.
The shop should save the terms that apply at purchase and confirm whether outside AI services require separate cancellation.
Choose the pricing model that matches the work
A shop handling messages manually may need a shared inbox before it needs a chatbot. A shop with an existing AI agent may prefer a connection plan. A shop seeking a packaged bot may accept usage allowances in exchange for less setup work.
The strongest choice makes the billing unit clear, fits the support process, and gives staff enough control over customer-facing answers.
Try Oktomer
Start free or book a free 20-minute demo to assess Oktomer for the shop’s support workflow.
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