AI chatbot for your website: cost and when it pays off

An AI chatbot on your website answers visitors’ questions, collects inquiries and guides people toward a purchase or contact. There are two basic options: an off-the-shelf chatbot tool with a monthly subscription, or a custom chatbot connected to your own system. A ready-made tool is faster to start with; a custom one makes sense when the chatbot must work with your data, not just the text on your pages.

Off-the-shelf chatbot tools

• Pros: set up in a day, paid monthly, no developer needed.
• Limits: usually it only knows what is on your website or in uploaded documents. It cannot see order status, available slots or customer data. The price grows with conversations or users.
• Who it suits: businesses that want to answer basic questions and collect contacts.

Custom AI chatbot

• Pros: connected to your CRM, calendar or order system. It can check status, book appointments, log a qualified lead and hand the conversation to the right person.
• Limits: it takes two to four weeks to build and costs more up front.
• Who it suits: businesses that need the chatbot to do things, not just answer.

For how such an agent works under the hood, read AI customer support agent.

What it costs

Ready-made tools are billed monthly, with the price depending on conversations and features. A custom chatbot costs up to €5,000 with us for one channel and one process, with a €1,000 working prototype credited to the build. The monthly AI service cost depends on the number of conversations. Always compare the total cost over two to three years, not just the starting price. We explain the same idea in too many subscriptions.

How to measure whether it pays off

1. How many inquiries a week come in via web, email and phone?
2. What share are routine, with an answer that already exists?
3. How much time does the team spend on those answers?
4. How many inquiries do you lose by replying too late, e.g. at weekends or in the evening?

If there are few routine inquiries, a chatbot is a cost with no effect. If there are many and they arrive outside working hours, it usually pays off quickly.

What to watch out for

• Visitors must know they are talking to AI, not a person.
• The chatbot should only answer from verified sources, otherwise it will make things up.
• Conversations contain personal data and must be stored in line with GDPR. More in ChatGPT at work and GDPR.

Want to see how a chatbot would handle your questions? See AI for businesses or start with a free diagnostic.