Conversational AI Marketing: The 5 Best ManyChat Alternatives (2025)

Want to qualify leads and book more meetings automatically? While ManyChat helps businesses automate Facebook and SMS conversations, there are other great options out there that might work better for your needs. Let's look at the top choices that keep conversations feeling natural across messaging channels.

TL;DR

• Setter AI is the leader in conversational booking, keeping the entire process in WhatsApp
• ManyChat excels at Facebook Messenger & SMS marketing automation
• Tidio, Chatfuel, Intercom & Landbot provide AI chatbots across multiple channels
• Choose based on pricing, channels used, automation needs & team size

Understanding ManyChat

First, let's talk about ManyChat. Here's what you need to know:

• All-in-one platform for Facebook Messenger, SMS, email & website marketing automation
• Drag-and-drop chatbot & drip campaign builders
• Broadcast messaging to your contact list
• Basic pricing starts at $10/month; Pro starts at $145/month

(+) When to choose ManyChat

• You want a no-code chatbot builder for Facebook & SMS
• You need marketing automation across messaging channels
• You're looking for an affordable option to get started
• Your team can handle routing leads to the right place

(-) When not to choose ManyChat

• You need advanced booking & scheduling capabilities
• You want to keep conversations in a single messaging app like WhatsApp
• You require deeper integration with your CRM or calendar
• You have a large team handling a high volume of leads

#1 Setter AI: The Leader in Conversational Booking

Keep the entire booking process in WhatsApp with Setter AI, the go-to choice for 2,300+ businesses. It responds instantly, sets up WhatsApp Business in just 5 clicks, and integrates directly with your Calendly to book meetings automatically.

Key Features:

• Responds to leads in 10 seconds flat
• Sets up WhatsApp Business in 5 clicks
• Books directly into your Calendly
• Keeps the whole booking process in WhatsApp (Conversational Booking)
• Connects to 7,000+ apps through Zapier
• Handles up to 100,000 leads per month
• Soon supported: SMS, Instagram, Messenger and website embed

Pricing:

• $199/month for 250 leads
• $499/month for 1,000 leads
• $990/month for 2,500 leads
• Enterprise plans available

(+) When to choose Setter AI

• You want to automate booking through conversational WhatsApp
• You need ultra-fast responses to capture more leads
• Easy setup with 5-click WhatsApp Business integration
• Seamless Calendly sync for automated scheduling
• You're one of 2,300+ users getting proven results
• Conversational booking keeps your sales process personal

(-) When not to choose Setter AI

• You don't use WhatsApp or plan to (it's WhatsApp-focused)
• You need complex chatbot decision trees & branching logic
• You require building landing pages & marketing automations
• You have very high conversation volumes (> 100k per month)

#2 Tidio: Best For Powering Up Live Chat

Tidio is a versatile live chat and conversational AI platform to enhance customer engagement across channels. With powerful chatbots and a user-friendly interface, it's ideal for businesses looking to automate messaging.

Key Features:

• Live chat across web, mobile app and messaging channels
• AI-powered chatbots and virtual agents
• Help desk ticketing system
• Analytics and engagement tracking
• Library of chatbot templates

Pricing:

• Free plan for basic live chat
• Communicator plan starts at $19/month
• Chatbots plan starts at $39/month
• Enterprise pricing for larger teams

(+) When to choose Tidio

• You want an all-in-one platform for live chat & AI chatbots
• Ease of use with drag-and-drop bot builder is important
• You need chatbots across web, mobile app & messaging apps
• Team inbox, ticketing & reporting tools are must-haves

(-) When not to choose Tidio

• You primarily need sophisticated booking & scheduling features
• Pricing gets expensive for advanced chatbots & higher volumes
• You want deepWhatsbusiness process automation & CRM integration

#3 Chatfuel: Multi-Channel Chatbots Made Easy

Chatfuel lets you create AI chatbots with no coding required - perfect for small businesses automating Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS and more.

Key Features:

• Visual chatbot builder with templates
• Natural language processing via Google's Dialogflow
• Supports Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS & web channels
• Automated FAQ answering and lead generation
• Integration with APIs and tools like Shopify

Pricing:

• Free plan for up to 100 conversations/month
• Paid plans start at $30/month for 500 conversations
• WhatsApp plans start at $169/month for 1,000 chats
• Enterprise pricing for larger volumes

(+) When to choose Chatfuel

• You need a simple no-code chatbot builder
• Multi-channel support across messaging apps is important
• You want visual flow builders & pre-built templates
• Lead gen & FAQs are your primary chatbot use cases

(-) When not to choose Chatfuel

• You require advanced conversational AI and NLP
• You need deeper integration with backend systems
• Pricing gets expensive for higher chat volumes
• Your chatbot needs are more complex than FAQ & lead gen

#4 Intercom: Powering Conversational Support

Intercom combines conversational bots, live chat, knowledge bases and multichannel integrations into one powerful customer messaging platform.

Key Features:

• AI-powered chatbots and virtual agents
• Live chat and help center self-service
• Multichannel routing across messaging apps
• Advanced chatbot & agent collaboration tools
• AI analytics and conversation insights

Pricing:

• Essentials plan from $39/user/month
• Advanced plan from $99/user/month
• Enterprise pricing for larger teams

(+) When to choose Intercom

• You need a robust solution for conversational support
• AI chatbots to handle routine inquiries are critical
• Unified messaging and knowledge base for self-service
• Analytics on customer sentiment and team performance

(-) When not to choose Intercom

• Your primary need is appointment booking automation
• You want simple chatbots for marketing & lead gen
• Pricing gets expensive for smaller teams & lower volumes
• You don't require the depth of an enterprise-grade platform

#5 Landbot: No-Code Chatbots for All Use Cases

Landbot makes it easy to create AI-powered chatbots tailored to your business needs, whether for marketing, sales or support.

Key Features:

• Visual chatbot builder with templates
• Native chatbots for WhatsApp Business
• AI lead generation & qualification bots
• AI FAQ assistants for automated support
• Integration with calendars for appointment booking

Pricing:

• Free Sandbox plan
• Starter plans from $30/month
• Pro plans from $80/month
• WhatsApp Pro from $169/month
• Custom business & enterprise pricing

(+) When to choose Landbot

• You want powerful no-code chatbot building tools
• Specific use cases like FAQs, lead gen or scheduling
• WhatsApp integration and native WhatsApp bot builds
• You need flexibility to create custom chatbot experiences

(-) When not to choose Landbot

• Advanced conversational AI capabilities are a must-have
• You require a unified conversational messaging platform
• Your business demands enterprise-grade security & controls
• You only need very basic chatbots for common use cases

Making Your Choice

Think about what matters most to you:

• How easy is it to set up?
• How much does it cost?
• What apps do you already use?
• Do you prefer calls or messages?
• How many team members need it?

If you're not using ManyChat, Setter AI is probably your best choice. It's quick to set up, works great with Calendly, and keeps conversations feeling natural. Start your free trial here.

Remember: Only Setter AI is the true leader in conversational booking, keeping the entire process within WhatsApp for a seamless customer experience.

Pick the tool that fits your needs best, but remember - the easier it is to use, the more likely your team will actually use it!

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