Adding a chatbot to a WordPress site can be a simple way to improve visitor engagement and reduce time spent answering routine questions. Even for small sites with modest traffic, the right chatbot can offer good value without being a major investment.
In this article we compare WordPress-native plugins that connect to your own AI backend with hosted chatbot solutions. The examples are based on a usage level of about 100 chats per month, with costs modelled using OpenAI’s token pricing. This side-by-side view makes it easier to see which option delivers the best value for your needs.
Assumptions:
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We compare the cheapest plan that comfortably covers 100 chats/month for each tool.
- For WordPress-native plugins that use your own AI account, we model usage with OpenAI gpt-4.1-mini at $0.40 per 1M input tokens and $1.60 per 1M output tokens. That is OpenAI’s current posted rate for this model class.
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Token budget per chat: ~1,000 tokens total (about a few short Q&As), split 50% input / 50% output. At 100 chats, that’s ~100,000 tokens: ≈ $0.10 total usage for the month on gpt-4.1-mini.
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Prices shown are vendor list prices (annual plans are converted to an equivalent monthly figure where relevant). Always check your local tax/currency at checkout.
Note: Other LLMs exist (Claude Sonnet, Google Gemini, etc.), but to keep this apples-to-apples we’re modeling with OpenAI only. For general OpenAI API pricing, see the official page.
Price-only scoreboard at 100 chats/month
| Product | How you pay | Plan that covers 100 chats | What you get at that tier | Monthly cost at 100 chats | Rough cost per chat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPBot (QuantumCloud) | Plugin + your OpenAI API | Starter $39/yr (≈ $3.25/mo) | Native WP setup, chat history, basic OpenAI/Dialogflow | ≈ $3.35 (license + ≈ $0.10 usage) | ≈ $0.03 |
| AI Engine (Meow Apps) | Plugin + your OpenAI API | Starter $59/yr (≈ $4.92/mo) | Native WP admin, transcripts, multi-model support | ≈ $5.02 (license + ≈ $0.10 usage) | ≈ $0.05 |
| AIP (AI Power) | Plugin + your OpenAI API | 1-site $95.88/yr (≈ $7.99/mo) | Native WP admin, “train on your data,” transcript PDF | ≈ $8.09 (license + ≈ $0.10 usage) | ≈ $0.08 |
| Fastbots | Hosted bundle (messages) | Essential (annual) $290/yr | 2,000 messages/month | ≈ $24.17 effective monthly | ≈ $0.24 |
| Chatbase | Hosted bundle (messages) | Hobby $40/mo | 2,000 message credits | $40.00 | $0.40 |
| Tidio + Lyro | Base plan + Lyro conversations | Lyro AI add-on ~100 conv | AI conversations bundle | ≈ $39.00 (typical starter) | ≈ $0.39 |
Sources: WPBot pricing pages (Starter and Pro tiers) WPBot Pro, AI Engine pricing (Starter $59/yr) Meow Apps, AIP pricing (1-site $95.88/yr) docs.aipower.org, Fastbots pricing (Essential billed annually at $290) FastBots, Chatbase pricing (Hobby $40/mo) AI Agents for Customer Service, typical Tidio Lyro starter pricing for ~100 conversations (public write-ups; confirm in-app for your region) Big Sur AI. OpenAI model pricing for our usage calc: gpt-4.1 family. OpenAI.
What this tells a small business owner/manager
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The lowest cash outlay at 100 chats is a WordPress-native plugin with your own OpenAI key. The usage bill on gpt-4.1-mini is tiny at this volume (about ten cents per month with our assumptions), so the plugin license dominates the total. In this slice, WPBot Starter is the cheapest, with AI Engine and AIP close behind.
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If you want a hosted dashboard and you do not mind paying for headroom, Fastbots is the lowest entry among the hosted options on an annual plan. Chatbase becomes better value as your message count grows, but at only 100 chats you will leave most of the quota unused.
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Tidio + Lyro gives you predictable, per-conversation budgeting. At exactly 100 AI conversations, plan on roughly $39 monthly for the AI bundle in many regions, but do verify inside your account because Tidio sometimes packages Lyro differently by country and base plan.
FAQs
Why gpt-4.1-mini, not another model
It is widely used for site chat and has clear, current token rates. If you prefer gpt-5-mini, your usage would still be around a few cents/pence per 100 chats; the license or hosted plan remains the bigger cost. Check OpenAI’s pricing page for current rates.
What if our chats are longer than 1,000 tokens
Double the tokens and your OpenAI usage doubles, but when usage starts at ten cents a month, it barely moves the needle until you reach thousands of chats.
Why do hosted tools look “expensive” at 100 chats
They sell fixed bundles of messages or conversations. If you only use a fraction of the quota, the effective cost per chat is higher. You gain a polished inbox, support SLA, and simpler billing, which some teams value.
Bottom line
At 100 chats per month, the best price-for-value is a WordPress plugin with your own OpenAI key. Expect $3–$8 per month all-in depending on the plugin license, with OpenAI usage adding only pennies at this volume. Hosted tools start to make price sense as your usage climbs or if you specifically want a managed inbox and one consolidated bill.
Implementation
Do you need an AI Chatbot on your website, but don’t know where to start? We are Itomic, and we’re at your service.