How Much Does It Cost to Make a Chatbot?

Written by: Arooj Ejaz

If you’re wondering how much it costs to make a chatbot, the short answer is that prices can range from under $100 per month to several thousand dollars.

The exact figure depends on the type of chatbot you choose, the features you need, and the level of customization required for your business.

TL;DR

Chatbot costs range from free to several thousand dollars depending on features, complexity, and customization.
Basic bots can be created using free tools, but advanced AI chatbots often have monthly subscription fees.
The main cost factors are complexity, integrations, customization, and ongoing maintenance.
ROI often outweighs costs when chatbots save time, improve service, and increase conversions.
Platforms like CustomGPT.ai allow you to build an AI chatbot trained on your own data without heavy technical work.

How Much Does It Cost to Make a Chatbot?

For a serious, business-ready AI chatbot that can understand natural language and handle real customer conversations, prices start from $50-$100 per month.

Lower-cost options exist, but they typically lack advanced AI capabilities or private data training.

This guide explains the cost ranges, the factors that influence pricing, and the most cost-effective ways to build a chatbot that meets your needs.

Understanding the Real Cost of a Chatbot

The cost of a chatbot is not one-size-fits-all. Pricing varies widely based on the type of bot you choose:

A rule-based chatbot that follows pre-defined scripts is often free or under $50/month, but limited to scripted answers.
An AI-powered chatbot that understands context and generates answers in real time usually comes with subscription fees.
A fully custom-built chatbot designed by developers for enterprise use may require a one-time build fee of $15,000–$50,000 plus monthly costs for hosting and updates.

For most businesses, the sweet spot is a ready-to-use platform that allows private training, customization, and easy integration — without the huge development cost.

Key Factors That Influence Chatbot Pricing

Type of Chatbot

Simple bots that operate on fixed responses are much cheaper to build than AI-driven bots. Custom AI chatbots can understand intent and context and are more valuable and more costly to develop.

Features and Integrations

A chatbot that connects to your CRM, retrieves live data from your database, or integrates with payment systems costs more to build and operate. This type of bot usually needs a subscription, reliable hosting, and regular updates to stay accurate and secure.

Level of Customization

Using a pre-built generative AI chatbot template is more affordable than creating one from scratch. However, a bot that is fully customized to reflect your brand voice, visual style, and personality takes more setup time, but it delivers a better and more consistent user experience.

Maintenance and Updates

Chatbots need regular updates to remain accurate and secure. This may be included in a subscription plan or billed separately by a developer.

Can You Create a Chatbot for Free?

Yes, you can create a basic chatbot for free using platforms that offer limited plans. Free versions are useful for testing an idea or adding very simple Q&A functionality to your site. However, they typically come with restrictions such as message limits, platform branding, and minimal customization.

For businesses that need a chatbot that matches their brand voice, uses private data, and delivers accurate, reliable answers, a paid plan is the better choice.

Free chatbots rely on generic AI models, which can lead to irrelevant or inconsistent responses, while paid options provide more control, customization, and scalability.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

When budgeting for a chatbot, remember to consider:

Training time for your team to use the chatbot effectively.
API usage fees if the platform charges for high-volume requests.
Integration setup with other software tools.
Content updates to keep answers current.

Is Building a Chatbot Worth the Investment?

In most cases, yes. A well-designed chatbot can save time, reduce customer service costs, and increase sales or lead generation. The return on investment often outweighs the initial build and ongoing costs, especially if the bot is used to automate repetitive tasks.

Examples of Popular Chatbot Platforms

CustomGPT.ai: Create an AI chatbot trained on your own documents and website content, with no coding required.
Tidio: Combines live chat with automated bot responses.
Drift: AI-driven conversational marketing tool for sales teams.
Intercom: Customer engagement platform with chatbot automation.
ManyChat: Marketing chatbot builder for social media and websites.

How CustomGPT.ai Helps You Build a Chatbot

CustomGPT.ai allows you to train a chatbot using your own content so it delivers answers that are specific to your business. You can control its tone, integrate it into your website, and deploy it in minutes.

The platform handles hosting, updates, and scalability, making it a practical choice for businesses of any size.

How to Make a Chatbot with CustomGPT.ai

CustomGPT.ai is designed to let you create a chatbot that is not only powered by advanced AI but also trained specifically on your own content. This means it can provide accurate, brand-specific answers without you needing to write a single line of code.

Here’s how you can build your chatbot using CustomGPT.ai:

1. Sign up for a CustomGPT.ai account: Create an account to get access to the chatbot builder.

2. Upload your data: Add your documents, website content, FAQs, or product information so the chatbot can learn from it.

3. Customize the chatbot’s style and tone: Adjust the chatbot’s personality, greeting messages, and conversation style so it matches your brand voice.

4. Integrate the chatbot into your website: Copy the embed code provided by CustomGPT.ai and paste it into your site, or use one of the platform’s integration options.

5. Test and refine: Interact with your chatbot, check its answers, and update your training data to improve accuracy.

6. Go live: Once you are satisfied, publish your chatbot and start engaging visitors 24/7.

CustomGPT.ai handles hosting, updates, and scalability, so you can focus on using the chatbot to enhance customer experience and save time.

Real-World Example: CustomGPT.ai in Action

Ontop, a legal services firm, deployed a private AI chatbot built with CustomGPT.ai to streamline internal operations. The AI not only handled FAQs directly from company documents but also integrated seamlessly with Slack, dramatically improving efficiency:

The chatbot, named Barry, now handles over 100 complex queries per week, reducing response time from 20 minutes to just 20 seconds.
This has resulted in saving the legal team 130 hours per month.

This real-world usage highlights how a well-built AI chatbot can deliver quick ROI and operational gains.

Pro Tip

Start by defining your chatbot’s main purpose. Focus on the top five questions or tasks it should handle. Expanding features gradually helps you manage costs while ensuring the chatbot delivers measurable value.

FAQs

How much is it to build a chatbot?

A simple chatbot can be free, while a more advanced AI chatbot typically costs between $100 and $500 per month, with prices increasing for advanced features and integrations.

Can I create my own AI for free?

You can experiment with free trials, but professional AI chatbots for business use require a paid subscription.

Does a chatbot cost money to maintain?

Yes. Subscription services include maintenance, while custom-built bots require separate upkeep.

Final Verdict

The cost of making a chatbot can be as low as zero or run into thousands of dollars for complex solutions. Your budget should reflect the level of functionality, customization, and integration you require.

If you need a chatbot that is intelligent, reliable, and tailored to your brand without the complexity of building from scratch, CustomGPT.ai is a strong option to consider.