Building a Bot: Chatbot Building Platforms Comparison

We’ve been famous for chatbot development for quite a while now. Nevertheless, bots are still increasing in demand among businesses and regular users. More new tools for making a bot appear every day, which can make the process of finding the right platform for building a bot more difficult. Also, research and weighing the pros and cons of building a bot take a considerable amount of time.

We’ve done a bit of work for you and gathered some info about certain chatbot building platforms. In this article you can see advantages and disadvantages of bot building platforms.

Chatbot Building Platforms Comparison

Chatfuel. Free platform

Facebook Messenger bots, Telegram bots, custom API

Pros:

• No coding needed.
• AI recognizes similar phrases from users.
• Integration with social networks/plugins (e.g: Live Chat, RSS import, Digest, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter).
• Advanced analytics.
• Google site search.
• Help tutorial.

Cons:

• Custom features need coding.
• Certain limitations based on FB Messenger Updates (up to 20 characters in title; max. 10 quick replies in a line).
• No picture recognition.

Botsify. One chatbot with 100 users/month is free

Facebook Messenger bots

Pros:

• Easy to understand UI.
• Machine learning (ML) features.
• Basic analytics.
• Integrations help you use your data from an existing website to feed your chatbot.
• Broadcast messages.

Cons:

• Pricing is based on the number of subscribers.
• No plugins (only two integrations with WordPress and Medium).
• Conversations are less flexible and more linear.
• For advanced responses you need to create hard coded dynamic API-based responses.
• Text templates allow a limited number of characters (120).

Sequel. Free platform

Facebook Messenger bots, Telegram bots, KiK bots

Pros:

• Customization without code.
• NLP Analytics shows what users are inputting.
• Customisable personality (messages can be sent on behalf of the bot and other personalities).
• API nodes that can integrate any web service in minutes to deliver dynamic information to consumers in a conversational experience/API integrations (Incorporate other services using a web API).
• RSS feed.
• Broadcast messages.

Cons:

• Certain limitations (the maximum length of a User Choice button node is 70 characters per button).
• Writing tool browser — only Chrome browser is recommended.
• Video file size limit — under 15MB.
• Specializes in “media & entertainment bots” (focuses on the storytelling and editorial part of conversational design).
• No emoji recognition.

Motion.ai. First 2 bots are free, 1000 messages/month

WeChat bots, SMS, bots for Messenger, Slack bots, Email,
Smooch.io, Custom API (ex. Telegram)

Pros:

• Test bot window in the bot editor, so you can check the bot functioning immediately.
• E-mail, URL, Number, Phone Number, Date and Time, Address collection (bot parses all these facts from user’s reply).
• Response formatting (bold, italic text, picture integration into text).
• Unlimited number of galleries and text cards.
• Import modules within the platform.You can copy modules of FB bot to for ex. Slack within Motion.ai.
• More than capable of providing you with money.

Cons:

• Limited analytics: Messages sent/received, recent responses.
• No site search.
• No subscriptions.
• No RSS feed.
• No emoji recognition.

Flow OX. $19/month, 5,000 interactions
15 bots

Chatbots for Messenger, Slack bots, Telegram bots, Twilio SMS

Pros:

• Over 100 (and growing) built-in services & integrations.
• Multiple languages supported.
• Send and receive images & other files.
• Easy connection of support agents via e-mails or helpdesk.
• Easy use of forms and surveys.
• Default analytics.
• Gallery template.

Cons:

• Very simple AI.
• Fee is applicable.
• Complicated dashboard.

One of the most important points to consider while searching for a chatbot platform tools is artificial intelligence (AI). As bots are conversational experience, much attention should be paid exactly to this particular functionality.

Plugins and integrations with external resources as well as templates that let you create perfect flows for smooth UX are other valid features to look at.

Interested in building a chatbot? Let’s create one to optimize some processes and grow your business!

Get a free consultation

Chatbot Features Matrix

The table shows what functionality such platforms as Chatfuel, Botsify, OnSequel, Motion.AI amd Flow XO possess. Features are divided into several groups according to certain aspects: social media integrations, plugins, templates, etc. for better understanding of the differences between the platforms.

Having a bundle of bot building platforms to choose from, it’s easy enough to build a chatbot, even for beginners. However, most of the tools are either basic or don’t possess essential features. Also, because of a rapid increase in the number of tools, it’s important not to be lost. Having a short summary of platforms together with features available will always come in handy.

Originally published at Master of Code Global.