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Freshchat vs Microsoft Bot Framework

Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Live Chat

Modern messaging for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Bot Framework logo

Microsoft Bot Framework

Live Chat

Microsoft's framework for building intelligent bots

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Freshchat the free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting; Microsoft Bot Framework no pricing information published on official product pages
  • They diverge on capability: Freshchat covers Live chat, Microsoft Bot Framework covers Bot Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshchat and Microsoft Bot Framework actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshchat and Microsoft Bot Framework differ
AttributeFreshchatMicrosoft Bot Framework
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice
Founded20101975

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 Freshchat

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

Only in Microsoft Bot Framework

  • Bot Builder
  • Language Understanding (LUIS)
  • QnA Maker
  • Multi-channel support
  • Teams
  • Facebook
  • Telegram
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Freshchat

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

Microsoft Bot Framework

  • Chatbot development and deploymentnot Freshchat
  • Conversational AI applicationsnot Freshchat
  • Microsoft Teams bot integrationnot Freshchat
  • Multi-channel bot deploymentnot Freshchat

Where each one falls short

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

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

Microsoft Bot Framework

  • No pricing information published on official product pages
  • Pricing likely depends on underlying Azure services used
  • Customers directed to Azure pricing calculator for cost estimation

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Microsoft Bot Framework

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Bot Framework SDK
    • Azure Bot Service basic
  • Standard$0.5/month
    • Advanced connectors
    • Premium support
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Enterprise features
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Microsoft Bot Framework if

  • You need bot builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice.
  • You also want language understanding (luis).
Microsoft Bot Framework review

Questions people ask

Is Freshchat or Microsoft Bot Framework better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshchat starts at Free and Microsoft Bot Framework at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshchat or Microsoft Bot Framework?
Freshchat starts at Free and Microsoft Bot Framework at Free.
Does Freshchat or Microsoft Bot Framework run on more platforms?
Freshchat runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Bot Framework runs on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice.
Can I use Freshchat for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Freshchat best used for?
Freshchat is most often used for live chat on a website or in an app, shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers, chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agent, routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiers. Of those, live chat on a website or in an app and shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers are not what Microsoft Bot Framework is typically brought in for.
What can Freshchat do that Microsoft Bot Framework cannot?
Freshchat covers Live chat, Chatbots, Campaigns, WhatsApp. Microsoft Bot Framework covers Bot Builder, Language Understanding (LUIS), QnA Maker, Multi-channel support. Both handle Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Microsoft Bot Framework: How much does Microsoft Bot Framework cost?

Microsoft Bot Framework itself has no published pricing. Costs depend on the Azure services used to host and run bots, which are billed through Azure consumption-based pricing for compute, storage, and other resources required.

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
Microsoft Bot Framework: How do I estimate Microsoft Bot Framework costs?

Use the Azure Pricing Calculator to estimate costs based on your bot's compute, storage, and messaging requirements. Costs scale based on bot traffic, deployment region, and storage needs for conversation data.

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
Microsoft Bot Framework: Are there any free tiers for Microsoft Bot Framework?

Microsoft Bot Framework itself is free to develop and deploy, but hosting and operating bots incurs Azure service costs that vary based on usage patterns and selected Azure services.

Source
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