Best AI Chatbots for WordPress of 2026
AI chat plugins and widgets for WordPress sites, ranked on WordPress.org installs and ratings, price, whether you need your own API key, and handoff to a person.
By , research by the BestBots team ยท Updated Oct 19, 2026
Fact checked against each company's published pricing, documentation and verified user ratings. How we score
Tidio is the best AI chatbot for most WordPress sites: its plugin has 70,000+ active installs and 4.8 stars, it combines live chat with an AI agent, and it starts free. If you want a WordPress native plugin that runs on your own OpenAI or Anthropic key, AI Engine is the most installed AI chatbot plugin, with 90,000+ installs and 4.9 stars, and its core is free.
Our top picks
We compared seven AI chatbots for WordPress, using WordPress.org plugin data, pricing pages and docs as of October 2026. Install counts are WordPress.org's active install figures, and scores follow our rubric.
Two ways to put AI chat on WordPress
A hosted widget. Tidio, Crisp, Chatbase, Botpress and Intercom run the AI and the inbox on their servers. You install their plugin or paste a script, and you pay them a monthly plan. You get live chat, handoff, analytics and multichannel inboxes. This suits most business sites.
A WordPress native plugin on your own API key. AI Engine runs inside WordPress and calls OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral or OpenRouter with your key. The plugin is free, Pro starts at $69 a year, and you pay the model provider directly. You get control and low cost, but no live chat inbox and more setup. This suits content sites, developers and anyone who already has an API account.
How to choose
- Do you need a person to take over chats? If yes, pick a hosted widget. AI Engine has no human handoff.
- Budget. AI Engine's free core costs only your API usage, which depends on the model and traffic. Hosted AI starts around $39 to $45 a month.
- Content source. All picks can learn from your site. AI Engine Pro and Chatbase also take PDFs and documents.
- WooCommerce. Tidio lists WooCommerce; AI Engine Pro adds WooCommerce tools for store management.
- Plugin health. Check active installs, rating counts and last update. AI Engine and Tidio were both updated in the last two months.
Our picks, in detail
- Starting price
- $29 per month
- Price per resolution
- Not per resolution: $0.70 to $0.78 per Lyro conversation on monthly tiers
- Free plan
- Yes
- Human handoff
- Yes, rule based handoff and ticket creation
Tidio's WordPress plugin has 70,000+ active installs and 4.8 stars from 395 ratings, and it combines live chat, the Lyro AI agent and Flows in one widget that also connects to WooCommerce. There is a free plan with 50 chats a month, and Lyro tiers run from $39 for 50 AI conversations.
Pros
- Free plan and a 7 day trial with no credit card
- Lyro learns from your site and FAQs; setup described as minutes
- 4.8 on the Shopify App Store from 1,357 reviews and 4.6 on G2 from 1,968
- Lyro can also plug into Zendesk, Intercom or Salesforce
Cons
- Billed per Lyro conversation, not per resolution, so failed answers still count
- Prices scale with conversation tiers on two meters, human and AI
- Premium's resolution guarantee is quote only
- Language count is not published on the Lyro page
Skip it if you want to run your own model on your own API key and avoid a monthly subscription.
- Starting price
- $0
- Price per resolution
- None; you pay your model provider per token
- Free plan
- Yes
- Human handoff
- No built in helpdesk or live chat
AI Engine is the most installed AI chatbot plugin on WordPress.org, with 90,000+ active installs and 4.9 stars from 871 ratings. The free version runs chatbots on your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral or OpenRouter key, and Pro from $69 a year adds embeddings so the bot answers from your posts and PDFs.
Pros
- Free plugin with chatbots on your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral or OpenRouter key
- 90,000+ active installs and 4.9 from 871 ratings on WordPress.org
- Pro from $69 a year adds embeddings so the bot answers from your own content
- Updated frequently; last update October 2026
Cons
- No live chat inbox or human handoff
- You pay and manage the AI provider bill separately
- Setup takes more work than hosted widgets like Tidio or Chatbase
- WordPress only
Skip it if you need a live chat inbox or human handoff; AI Engine has neither, and you manage the API bill yourself.
- Starting price
- $40 per month
- Price per resolution
- Not published; billed by message credits ($40 per 1,000 extra)
- Free plan
- No
- Human handoff
- Yes, built in helpdesk shared by AI and humans
Chatbase crawls your site and documents, then answers in a hosted widget you embed on WordPress, with a helpdesk inbox from the $150 Standard plan. Hobby is $40 a month for 700 message credits, where a reply on a basic model costs 1 credit.
Pros
- Train on docs and sites without code
- Multiple model choices, per its site
- SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and HIPAA listed; does not train on customer data
- 4.8 on G2 from 46 reviews
Cons
- Credit use varies from 1 to 5 per request by model and multiplies when actions run
- One agent per plan, $300 per year for each extra
- Removing Chatbase branding costs $1,188 per year
- Voice and the helpdesk inbox are not on Hobby
Skip it if you want a well rated WordPress plugin; its WordPress.org plugin has 3.4 stars from 13 ratings, so most users embed the script instead.
- Starting price
- $45 per month
- Price per resolution
- None; bundled credits, Crisp estimates $0.05 to $0.10 per AI handled conversation
- Free plan
- Yes
- Human handoff
- Yes, routes to operators when unsure or when credits run out
Crisp's WordPress plugin has 20,000+ active installs and 4.6 stars from 73 ratings. Its $95 Essentials plan includes 10 seats and AI credits Crisp estimates at around 450 automated conversations, roughly $0.05 to $0.10 each, and AI translation covers 50+ languages.
Pros
- Flat workspace price with 4 to 20 seats included
- Free plan and 14 day trial with no card
- AI credits bundled; Crisp estimates $0.05 to $0.10 per AI conversation
- Choice of OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Mistral or Crisp hosted models, with EU processing options
- 4.5 on G2 from 205 reviews
Cons
- Credit to conversation ratio is an estimate, not a contract rate
- Tool connected AI agent, ticketing and 100+ integrations only on the $295 Plus plan
- Trustpilot score is 2.0 from 55 reviews, 70% one star, citing support delays and account suspensions
- Hugo stops answering when credits run out unless pay as you go is on
Skip it if you want AI free; Crisp's free plan has live chat for 2 seats but no AI credits.
- Starting price
- $150 per month billed annually
- Price per resolution
- Not published
- Free plan
- Yes
- Human handoff
- HITL handoff to human agents
Botpress gives 100 AI conversations a month free, with 3 agents and 3 seats, and you embed its web chat on WordPress with a snippet. The visual builder handles flows, API calls and handoff, and the same bot can run on WhatsApp, Messenger and Slack.
Pros
- Free tier with 100 conversations
- Unlimited agents on paid plans
- Per conversation rate drops to $0.50 on Team
- 4.5 on G2 from 514 reviews
Cons
- Paid plans shown only with annual billing
- Conversation packs auto add at 95% of quota and cannot be disabled
- You build and maintain the support logic
- Voice channel only on Enterprise
Skip it if you want a plugin you configure inside wp-admin; Botpress is built in its own studio.
- Starting price
- $0.99 per outcome
- Price per resolution
- $0.99 per outcome
- Free plan
- No
- Human handoff
- Yes, and a handoff to a human is not billed as a resolution
Fin charges $0.99 per outcome and does not bill handoffs to a human, so a high traffic WordPress site pays only for chats the AI solves. It answers in 60+ languages and works standalone with other helpdesks with no seat fees and a 50 outcome monthly minimum.
Pros
- Billed per outcome at $0.99, and requests for a human are not charged
- Runs standalone on Salesforce, HubSpot, Freshworks, Front, Zoho, Gorgias and others with no seat fees
- 14 day trial with unlimited outcomes and no credit card
- Largest review base in this list: 4.5 on G2 from 3,925 reviews
Cons
- Assumed resolutions count: a customer who leaves without replying after Fin answers is billed
- Monthly seat prices are $10 to $14 higher than annual
- Voice costs double at $1.99 per outcome and is sold through sales
- Qualification outcomes cost $9.99 each
Skip it if you run a small blog or brochure site; inside Intercom you also pay $39 to $139 per seat.
- Starting price
- $29 per month
- Price per resolution
- Not published
- Free plan
- No
- Human handoff
- Not published
Dialzara bundles website chat for 100 sessions a month at no extra charge with any AI voice plan, from $29 for 60 phone minutes, and lists WordPress among its integrations. A local business gets an AI receptionist on the phone and a chatbot on the site from one vendor.
Pros
- $29 entry plan is the lowest monthly price in this group
- AI SMS agent and website chat included free with any voice plan
- English and Spanish, booking and lead qualification on every plan
- Trustpilot 4.2 from 20 reviews, mostly praising support
- No setup fees or contracts
Cons
- 60 minutes on Lite runs out fast; 200 minutes costs about $96
- No annual discount: yearly billing is 12 times the monthly price
- Native CRM integrations are not named; most CRMs go through Zapier, Make or webhooks
- No HIPAA statement; regulated setups are on request
Skip it if you only want chat; the standalone website chatbot is $39 a month, and extra sessions cost $0.15 each.
WordPress.org plugin data
| Plugin | Active installs | Rating | Ratings count | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Engine | 90,000+ | 4.9 | 871 | October 2026 |
| Tidio | 70,000+ | 4.8 | 395 | September 2026 |
| Crisp | 20,000+ | 4.6 | 73 | April 2025 |
| Chatbase | 5,000+ | 3.4 | 13 | March 2025 |
Figures from the WordPress.org plugin directory in October 2026, ratings converted to a 5 point scale. Botpress, Intercom and Dialzara are added with an embed snippet, so they have no comparable plugin listing. Outside our ranked picks, two other chat plugins with large install bases are 3CX Free Live Chat (100,000+ installs, 4.6 from 820) and Chatway (30,000+, 5.0 from 768); we have not reviewed them.
What it costs
Cheapest published setup for 300 AI conversations a month, monthly billing.
| Tool | 300 AI conversations | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AI Engine | $0 plugin plus API usage | Pro $69 a year for embeddings |
| Crisp | $95 | Essentials, around 450 AI conversations |
| Chatbase | about $40 to $150 | Hobby if chats are short, Standard for heavier use |
| Botpress | $150 annual plus 1 pack of 100 at $65 | Plus, 250 conversations included |
| Tidio | $210 | Lyro 300 tier |
| Intercom Fin | up to $297 | $0.99 per outcome, only solved chats billed |
| Dialzara | $29 plus $30 | Voice plan includes 100 chat sessions, then $0.15 each |
AI Engine's API cost depends on the model and chat length; check your provider's pricing page and set a monthly cap in your API account. More chatbot rates are in the AI Price Index.
AI Engine vs a hosted widget
| AI Engine | Hosted widget (Tidio, Crisp, Chatbase) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the AI runs | Your WordPress site calls your own model API | Vendor servers |
| Cost | Free plugin, Pro from $69 a year, plus API usage | Monthly plan, AI usage included up to a limit |
| Model choice | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, Perplexity, OpenRouter | Vendor's models; Chatbase lets you pick by credit cost |
| Live chat and handoff | No | Yes |
| Inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram | No | Crisp, Chatbase and Tidio connect other channels |
| Best for | Content sites, developers, owners with an API account | Business sites that need people to take over chats |
Setup checklist
- Pick the pages it learns from. FAQ, pricing, services, policies. Exclude old posts with outdated prices.
- Write the system rules. What it must never answer (legal, medical, refunds), and when to hand off.
- Load it where it helps. Service and pricing pages first; skip it on blog posts if it slows them.
- Cap API spend if you use AI Engine on your own key.
- Review transcripts weekly for the first month.
Red flags
- Abandoned plugins. Check the last update and tested WordPress version before installing.
- Uncapped API keys. A bot on your own key can run up a bill if it is abused. Set limits.
- Low rated vendor plugins. Chatbase's plugin rates 3.4 from 13; embedding the script directly avoids the plugin.
- Branding fees. Chatbase charges $1,188 a year to remove branding; Tidio $16.67 a month on annual.
- No handoff on a support site. A bot that cannot reach a person frustrates customers with real problems.
How we picked
We started from the AI chatbot plugins and widgets WordPress site owners search for, kept those with an AI agent and a published price, pulled install and rating data from WordPress.org, and recorded only what plugin listings and vendor pricing pages say. We did not install them on a live site. Factors and weights are on how we score. For any other site builder, see best AI chatbot for websites.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI chatbot for WordPress?
Tidio is the best fit for most WordPress business sites: a plugin with 70,000+ active installs and 4.8 stars, live chat and an AI agent in one widget, and a free plan. If you want a WordPress native plugin on your own API key, AI Engine is the most installed AI chatbot plugin with 90,000+ installs and 4.9 stars.
Is there a free AI chatbot plugin for WordPress?
Yes. AI Engine's free version runs a chatbot on your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or other API key, so you only pay the model provider. Botpress gives 100 hosted AI conversations a month free, and Tidio's free plan includes 50 lifetime AI conversations plus 50 human chats a month.
How do I add a ChatGPT chatbot to WordPress?
The simplest route is AI Engine: install it from WordPress.org, paste your OpenAI API key, and add the chatbot with a shortcode or as a popup. You pay OpenAI for usage on your own account. Hosted tools like Tidio and Chatbase use their own AI and bill you a monthly plan instead.
Can a WordPress chatbot answer from my posts and pages?
Yes. AI Engine Pro builds embeddings from your content and PDFs. Tidio, Crisp, Chatbase and Botpress crawl your site from a URL and learn its pages. Keep outdated pages out of the sources so the bot does not quote them.
What is the best AI chatbot for WooCommerce?
Tidio lists WooCommerce among its integrations and combines product question answers with live chat. AI Engine Pro adds WooCommerce management tools through its MCP features, which suits store owners more than shoppers. For full Shopify style helpdesks with order data, Gorgias also lists WooCommerce.
Does a chatbot plugin slow down WordPress?
Any chat widget adds scripts to your pages. Hosted widgets load from the vendor's servers; plugins like AI Engine call the model API from your server when someone chats. Check page speed before and after installing, and load the widget only on pages where you need it.
Do WordPress AI chatbots support live chat handoff?
Hosted widgets do: Tidio, Crisp, Chatbase (from Standard), Botpress and Intercom all hand off to a person. AI Engine has no built in live chat or helpdesk.