Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head
Amazon Lex vs Capacity
Amazon Lex
Live Chat & Chatbots
AWS conversational AI service
- From
- $0.00075/per text request
- Rated
- -
Capacity
Live Chat & Chatbots
AI-powered customer service automation platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Lex pay-as-you-go model with no standard free tier, only AWS free credits for new customers (6 months, $200 limit); Capacity two-part pricing, an annual platform fee plus usage, so the bill is not knowable from the tier alone
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Capacity covers AI chatbot.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Lex and Capacity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Lex | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0.00075/per text request | On request |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, AWS Cloud | Web, Mobile, Chat widgets, API |
| Founded | 2006 | 2016 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat & Chatbots).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon Lex
- Speech recognition
- Natural language understanding
- Voice and text
- Lambda integration
- AWS services
- Lambda
- DynamoDB
- SNS
Only in Capacity
- AI chatbot
- Knowledge management
- Multi-channel support
- Analytics
- Salesforce
- Zendesk
- Slack
- ServiceNow
Both cover
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Lex
- Building conversational chatbots leveraging Alexa deep learning enginenot Capacity
- Voice and text-based NLU applications requiring automatic speech recognitionnot Capacity
- Custom conversational interfaces integrated into existing applicationsnot Capacity
Capacity
- Knowledge base and helpdesk deflectionnot Amazon Lex
- AI agents answering across chat, voice, email and SMSnot Amazon Lex
- Real-time assistance for human agents on a callnot Amazon Lex
- Automating multi-step support workflowsnot Amazon Lex
- Regulated support environments needing the HIPAA packagenot Amazon Lex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Lex
- Pay-as-you-go model with no standard free tier, only AWS free credits for new customers (6 months, $200 limit)
- Speech requests cost $0.004 each, text requests $0.00075 each, training costs $0.50 per minute
- Variable costs can accumulate quickly for high-volume applications
Capacity
- Two-part pricing, an annual platform fee plus usage, so the bill is not knowable from the tier alone
- AI usage is metered by channel: per response on chat and email, per minute on voice and per message on SMS
- Agent Assist and conversation intelligence are charged per hour of agent time on top
- Live chat, agent assist and conversation intelligence require the Pro tier
- The HIPAA package and advanced workflows are Enterprise only
- No prices are published for any tier
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Lex
$0.00075/per text requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Amazon Lex review.
Capacity
On request- Starter$125/month
- AI chatbot
- Up to 50 articles
- Professional$300/month
- Unlimited articles
- Advanced AI
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Full customization
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Lex if
- You need speech recognition.
- You work on Web, AWS Cloud.
- You also want natural language understanding.
Choose Capacity if
- You need ai chatbot.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Chat widgets, API.
- You also want knowledge management.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Lex or Capacity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Lex starts at $0.00075/per text request and Capacity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Lex or Capacity?
- Amazon Lex starts at $0.00075/per text request and Capacity at On request.
- Does Amazon Lex or Capacity run on more platforms?
- Amazon Lex runs on Web, AWS Cloud. Capacity runs on Web, Mobile, Chat widgets, API.
- What is Amazon Lex best used for?
- Amazon Lex is most often used for building conversational chatbots leveraging alexa deep learning engine, voice and text-based nlu applications requiring automatic speech recognition, custom conversational interfaces integrated into existing applications. Of those, building conversational chatbots leveraging alexa deep learning engine and voice and text-based nlu applications requiring automatic speech recognition are not what Capacity is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon Lex do that Capacity cannot?
- Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Natural language understanding, Voice and text, Lambda integration. Capacity covers AI chatbot, Knowledge management, Multi-channel support, Analytics. Both handle Web support, Mobile support.