Software · head to head
Botpress vs Google Dialogflow
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Botpress managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure; Google Dialogflow google's own Dialogflow pricing page (cloud.google.com/dialogflow/pricing) prices Conversational Agents (CX) text requests at $0.007 per request, audio input at $0.0065 per 15 seconds and audio output from $4 per 1 million characters, all in USD, with a one-time $600 free credit for the first 12 months; Dialogflow ES (Essentials) is billed per request separately from CX and the two are not interchangeable, so a chatbot built on ES cannot simply switch to CX pricing without migration.
- They diverge on capability: Botpress covers Visual bot builder, Google Dialogflow covers NLU and NLG.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Botpress and Google Dialogflow actually diverge.
| Attribute | Botpress | Google Dialogflow |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Platforms | Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud) | Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistants |
| Founded | 2016 | 1998 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
Only in Google Dialogflow
- NLU and NLG
- Multi-language support
- Integration with Google services
- Webhooks
- Google Cloud
- Telegram
- Web support
Both cover
- Slack
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Botpress
- Development teams building chatbots and conversational AI using MIT-licensed open-source frameworknot Google Dialogflow
- Organisations needing custom conversational interfaces with programmatic control via SDK/CLInot Google Dialogflow
Google Dialogflow
- Customer engagementnot Botpress
- Lead generationnot Botpress
- Customer supportnot Botpress
- Sales automationnot Botpress
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Botpress
- Managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure
- Dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs
Google Dialogflow
- Google's own Dialogflow pricing page (cloud.google.com/dialogflow/pricing) prices Conversational Agents (CX) text requests at $0.007 per request, audio input at $0.0065 per 15 seconds and audio output from $4 per 1 million characters, all in USD, with a one-time $600 free credit for the first 12 months; Dialogflow ES (Essentials) is billed per request separately from CX and the two are not interchangeable, so a chatbot built on ES cannot simply switch to CX pricing without migration.
Pricing, plan by plan
Botpress
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Botpress review.
Google Dialogflow
Free- Free TierFree
- 100 requests/day
- Basic NLU
- Standard$0.005/month
- Pay per request
- Advanced features
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Custom SLAs
- Dedicated support
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.
Choose Google Dialogflow if
- You need nlu and nlg.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistants.
- You also want multi-language support.
Questions people ask
- Is Botpress or Google Dialogflow better?
- Neither clearly leads. Botpress starts at Free and Google Dialogflow at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Botpress or Google Dialogflow?
- Botpress starts at Free and Google Dialogflow at Free.
- Does Botpress or Google Dialogflow run on more platforms?
- Botpress runs on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud). Google Dialogflow runs on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistants.
- 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 development teams building chatbots and conversational ai using mit-licensed open-source framework, organisations needing custom conversational interfaces with programmatic control via sdk/cli. Of those, development teams building chatbots and conversational ai using mit-licensed open-source framework and organisations needing custom conversational interfaces with programmatic control via sdk/cli are not what Google Dialogflow is typically brought in for.
- What can Botpress do that Google Dialogflow cannot?
- Botpress covers Visual bot builder, NLU integration, Multi-channel support, Analytics. Google Dialogflow covers NLU and NLG, Multi-language support, Integration with Google services, Webhooks. Both handle Slack.