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Botpress vs Freshchat

Botpress logo

Botpress

Live Chat

Open-source chatbot platform and framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Live Chat

Modern messaging for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Botpress dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs; Freshchat the free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting
  • They diverge on capability: Botpress covers Visual bot builder, Freshchat covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Botpress and Freshchat actually diverge.

Attributes where Botpress and Freshchat differ
AttributeBotpressFreshchat
PlatformsOpen-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud)Web, Ios, Android
Founded20162010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), 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 Botpress

  • Visual bot builder
  • NLU integration
  • Multi-channel support
  • Analytics
  • Teams
  • Messenger
  • On-premise support
  • Cloud support

Only in Freshchat

  • Live chat
  • Chatbots
  • Campaigns
  • Instagram
  • Apple Business Chat
  • Freshdesk
  • Freshsales
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Slack
  • WhatsApp

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Botpress

  • AI customer support ticketing and refund processingnot Freshchat
  • Multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalationnot Freshchat
  • Self-service account updates and order correctionsnot Freshchat
  • Proactive customer outreach and retentionnot Freshchat

Freshchat

  • Live chat on a website or in an appnot Botpress
  • Shared inbox across chat, email and social messengersnot Botpress
  • Chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agentnot Botpress
  • Routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiersnot Botpress

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Botpress

  • Dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs

Freshchat

  • The free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting
  • Reporting and social channels need Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually
  • Intelligent routing, multilingual support and custom dashboards require Pro at $49 per agent per month
  • Skill-based routing, audit logs and IP whitelisting are Enterprise only at $79 per agent per month
  • Freddy AI is charged on top of the seat price, at $49 per 100 agent sessions and $29 per agent per month for Copilot

Pricing, plan by plan

Botpress

Free
  • Standard$9000/year
    • Up to 4 seats
    • 1,200 conversations per month
    • No per-seat cost

Freshchat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 agents
    • Chat widget for web and mobile
    • Shared inbox
  • Growth$19/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Social media messengers, SMS/text messaging
    • Reporting and analytics
  • Pro$49/month
    • Per agent, billed annually (marked Most Popular)
    • Multilingual conversations
    • Custom dashboards, intelligent routing
  • Enterprise$79/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Skill-based routing, audit logs
    • JWT authentication, IP whitelisting

Which should you pick?

Choose Botpress if

  • You need visual bot builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
  • You also want nlu integration.
Botpress review

Choose Freshchat if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want chatbots.
Freshchat review

Questions people ask

Is Botpress or Freshchat better?
Neither clearly leads. Botpress starts at Free and Freshchat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Botpress or Freshchat?
Botpress starts at Free and Freshchat at Free.
Does Botpress or Freshchat run on more platforms?
Botpress runs on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud). Freshchat runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Botpress for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Botpress best used for?
Botpress is most often used for ai customer support ticketing and refund processing, multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalation, self-service account updates and order corrections, proactive customer outreach and retention. Of those, ai customer support ticketing and refund processing and multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalation are not what Freshchat is typically brought in for.
What can Botpress do that Freshchat cannot?
Botpress covers Visual bot builder, NLU integration, Multi-channel support, Analytics. Freshchat covers Live chat, Chatbots, Campaigns, Instagram. Both handle Slack, WhatsApp.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Botpress: How much does Botpress cost?

Botpress charges $9,000 per year for the standard plan supporting 4 seats with 1,200 conversations monthly. No per-seat cost is applied when adding team members or expanding usage, and AI capabilities are included in the subscription.

Source
Freshchat: What is the cost of Freshchat's Growth plan?

Growth plan costs $19 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes social media messengers, SMS/text messaging, and reporting. AI agent features are available as an add-on at $49 per 100 sessions.

Source
Botpress: Is there a free Botpress plan?

Yes, Botpress offers a free tier with no credit card required. You can try the platform for free and test it on your own support tickets before upgrading.

Source
Freshchat: Does Freshchat offer a free trial?

Yes. Freshchat provides a 14-day free trial with full Enterprise plan access. After trial expiration, the Free plan supports up to 10 agents at $0/month, with no cancellation fees.

Source
Botpress: What does Botpress include compared to Zendesk or Intercom?

Botpress saves $25,500 per year compared to Zendesk and Intercom for a 4-seat team handling 1,200 monthly conversations, delivering the same AI-powered support without separate AI billing.

Source
Freshchat: How much does Freshchat's Pro plan cost?

The Pro plan (marked Most Popular) costs $49 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes multilingual conversations, custom dashboards, intelligent routing, and multiple SLA policies. AI Copilot is available as an add-on at $29/agent/month.

Source
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