BotPenguin | ||
---|---|---|
costs | ||
Money-back guarantee | 14 days | Free trial |
Per chat price | $5-10 per relevant chat | |
Starting price | $140/month | $5-200 |
Setup fee | No | |
Custom programming done for you | ✔ | ✔ (Emperor Plan only) |
Seats for your staff | No seats needed | |
Terms of service | Month-to-month | |
Overage costs | Priced per chat at current plan | |
capabilities | ||
Staffed by live agents 24/7 | ✔ | ✘ |
Text Answering | ✔ | ✔ |
New client intake | ✔ | ✔ |
AI-driven technology | ✔ Free | ✔ |
Captures email with every conversation | ✔ | ✔ |
Captures phone number if desired | ✔ | ✔ |
Appointment scheduling | ✔ | ✔ |
Client callbacks | ✔ | |
Custom branding | ✔ Free | ✔ |
Mobile-optimized | ✔ | ✔ |
Reporting & analytics | ✔ | ✔ |
Canned responses & business FAQ | ✔ | ✔ |
Pre-chat disclaimer | ✔ | ✔ |
Client portal | ✔ | ✔ |
View transcript for every chat | ✔ | ✔ |
White-glove setup | ✔ | |
INTEGRATIONS | ||
CRM integration | ✔ | ✔ (varies by plan - none on the free plan) |
Zapier integration | ✔ | ✔ (Emperor Plan only) |
Google Analytics integration | ✔ | ✔ (not available on the free plan) |
Open API | ✔ | ✔ (Emperor Plan only) |
AI-DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY | ||
Uses conversational AI | ✔ | ✔ |
No code builder | ✔ | ✔ |
Train chat with your data | ✔ | ✔ |
Automated lead qualification | ✔ | ✔ |
Understands user intent | ✔ | ✔ |
Smart Q&A database | ✔ | ✔ |
Smith.ai's Outsourced Chat | Live chat software | |
---|---|---|
Answers messages w/o extra staff | Yes | No, your team has to do the work |
Quick one-time setup | Yes | No, do it youself |
Responds immediately 24/7 | Yes | Depends on your staffing |
Automates lead qualification & intake | Yes | Sometimes |
Can handle multiple chats with ease | Yes | Depends on your staffing |
Screens spam & sales | Yes | No |
Smith.ai's Outsourced Chat | Chatbot Software | |
---|---|---|
Staffed by live agents | Yes | No |
Can provide empathy or emotional intelligence | Yes | No |
Can handle complex issues right away | Yes | No |
Responds immediately 24/7 | Yes | Yes |
Can provide a personalized experience | Yes | Yes, with extensive programming |
Quick one-time setup | Yes | Depends on goals and software |
Smith.ai’s Web Chat is a full-service solution that combines conversational AI technology and 24/7 live agents. We are a do-it-for-you solution that captures and qualifies leads, schedules appointments, performs conflict checks, and more. Our bilingual agents are always available to jump in whenever AI can’t fully resolve a chat or convert a new lead on its own. BotPenguin is a chatbot-led tool that answers simple questions. It doesn’t offer live agents, which puts your business at a disadvantage when leads reach out.
BotPenguin offers a free plan but it has very limited features. You will not have access to integrations like Salesforce, Zapier, Hubspot, Google Analytics, or their open API. And there’s no handoff option if you want to chat with leads yourself. This plan is only beneficial for providing simple answers to the most basic questions. If you want to have the option to manage chats, that costs extra, and don’t forget to budget for the time and costs associated with having internal staff members manage all your chats.
All Smith.ai plans include both our AI and live agents. We can respond to any type of customer question and take action, as well. We also provide you with our no-code playbook feature, custom Q&A, and online client dashboard — all at no additional cost. There is no need to upgrade to get the features that matter most to your business. Through our white-glove setup, we’ll take care of everything for you — from AI training on your own website data, the building of your playbook, customization of your chat widget, and instructions for our agents.
Our billing is simple, too. You pay for each relevant chat we handle on your behalf — and you never pay for spam, sales, and incomplete chats. Our starter plan is just $140/month for 20 chats, and we also offer an à la carte option — where you only pay $10 for each chat you need. We have no annual contracts, no setup fees, and you can cancel at any time.
Another big difference between Smith.ai and BotPenguin is our integrations. BotPenguin touts 60+ integrations — but they are only available with their King plan and above. Smith.ai has hundreds of integrations across CRMs, calendaring software, and marketing automation tools — all available to you at any plan level. We also integrate with Zapier and Make, giving you access to thousands of additional integrations with your current tech stack
Although BotPenguin fields chats, what if a lead decides to call? At Smith.ai, we have that covered, too. You can add our AI-empowered Virtual Receptionists to any chat plan, starting at just $285/month. Our receptionists handle every call quickly and efficiently and integrate directly with your software. Sales outreach? We can do that, too. Starting at $600/month, our Outreach Campaigns act as an extension of your SDR team, making outbound calls with your sales goals in mind. It is our 360-degree coverage that makes Smith.ai the perfect fit for your business.
For a comprehensive chat solution, modern AI technology, live, North America-based agents, and 360-degree coverage, Smith.ai is the superior choice over BotPenguin.