Live Chat · head to head
Amazon Lex vs Pure Chat
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); Pure Chat growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Pure Chat covers Live chat widget.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Lex and Pure Chat actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Lex | Pure Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, AWS Cloud | Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2006 | 2011 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).
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 Pure Chat
- Live chat widget
- Visitor information
- Chat transcripts
- Department routing
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Zapier
- API
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Lex
- Chatbot developmentnot Pure Chat
- Voice-based conversational AInot Pure Chat
- Natural language understandingnot Pure Chat
Pure Chat
- Customer support chatnot Amazon Lex
- Website engagementnot Amazon Lex
- Lead capturenot Amazon Lex
- Sales chatnot 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
Pure Chat
- Growth plan limited to 1 website and 100 SMS notifications
- Additional operators cost extra: $13-$15/month per operator depending on plan and billing
- Growth plan has significantly lower limits than PRO
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Lex
Free- Standard Usage$0.004/per speech request
- Speech requests at $0.004 each
- Text Requests$0.00075/per text request
- Text requests at $0.00075 each
Pure Chat
Free- Growth$49/month
- 4 users/operators
- 1 website
- 100 SMS notifications
- Growth Annual$39/month
- Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate
- PRO$99/month
- 10 users/operators
- Unlimited websites
- 1,000 SMS notifications
- PRO Annual$79/month
- Annual billing saves 20% off monthly rate
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Lex if
- You need speech recognition.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, AWS Cloud.
- You also want natural language understanding.
Choose Pure Chat if
- You need live chat widget.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
- You also want visitor information.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Lex or Pure Chat better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Lex starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Lex or Pure Chat?
- Amazon Lex starts at Free and Pure Chat at Free.
- Does Amazon Lex or Pure Chat run on more platforms?
- Amazon Lex runs on Web, AWS Cloud. Pure Chat runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Amazon Lex for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Amazon Lex best used for?
- Amazon Lex is most often used for chatbot development, voice-based conversational ai, natural language understanding. Of those, chatbot development and voice-based conversational ai are not what Pure Chat is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon Lex do that Pure Chat cannot?
- Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Natural language understanding, Voice and text, Lambda integration. Pure Chat covers Live chat widget, Visitor information, Chat transcripts, Department routing. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Amazon Lex: How much does Amazon Lex cost?
Amazon Lex charges $0.004 per speech request and $0.00075 per text request with no upfront commitments or minimum fees required.
SourcePure Chat: How much does PureChat cost?
PureChat's Growth plan costs $49/month (or $39/month annually) with 4 users and 1 website. The PRO plan is $99/month (or $79/month annually) with 10 users and unlimited websites.
SourceAmazon Lex: Is there a free tier for Amazon Lex?
Yes, new AWS customers receive 10,000 text requests and 5,000 speech requests per month free for the first year. Additional $200 in AWS Free Tier credits are available for new customers as of July 15, 2025, with all credits expiring within 12 months.
SourcePure Chat: Does PureChat offer a free trial?
Yes, PureChat offers a free 30-day trial of the PRO plan to prospective customers.
SourceAmazon Lex: What is the example monthly cost for Amazon Lex?
For 8,000 speech requests ($32) and 2,000 text requests ($1.50), the approximate monthly total is $33.50, though actual costs vary based on usage volume.
SourcePure Chat: What is the difference between Growth and PRO plans?
Growth includes 4 users and 1 website with 100 SMS notifications per month. PRO includes 10 users, unlimited websites, and 1,000 SMS notifications. Additional operators can be added for $8-$15/month.
SourceRelated pages
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