Equinox | ||
---|---|---|
costs | ||
Money-back guarantee | 14 days | |
Per chat price | $5-10 per relevant chat | Unavailable |
Starting price | $140/month | |
Setup fee | No | |
Custom programming done for you | ✔ | |
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 | ✔ | ✔ |
Zapier integration | ✔ | |
Google Analytics integration | ✔ | |
Open API | ✔ | |
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 |
Often, outsourced live chat services are sold as comprehensive solutions that take a couple of months to set up and are best for websites with high-volume traffic. This is true in the case of Equinox, who explicitly mention that their services work best on SaaS sites with 5,000+ visitors each month. If you fit this bill, you will need to discuss pricing with their salesperson to understand the full cost of their live chat service.
Smith.ai offers a $0/month plan, no setup costs, and month-to-month contracts that you can start today. Our transparent costs and agile processes allow smaller businesses to get live chat on their site in 1-3 days without breaking the bank. And, just as easily, we can set up and serve businesses with high website traffic too!
Equinox offers sales, support, and lead qualification, but small businesses without a sales department to follow-up on qualified leads will find themselves with more work in the long run. Smith.ai’s live chat agents qualify and book appointments on your calendar, and offer new client intake as well. So at the end of the day, you have a booked consultation, not a list of “potential leads” with email addresses.
For growth-minded business owners who care about price transparency, seamless integrations, and robust customizations that deliver the experience of in-house customer engagement and sales development, Smith.ai is the superior choice for your 24/7 Live Chat partner, over Equinox.