Chatbase Review: No-Code AI Chatbot & Support | hokai.io
Chatbase builds AI customer support agents in minutes. Train on docs, deploy to web/Slack/WhatsApp. Free tier, Hobby $40/mo. 10,000+ customers, $8M ARR, bootstrapped.
Chatbase is an AI customer support platform founded in 2023 by Yasser Elsaid. It lets teams build AI chatbots trained on docs, PDFs, websites, or Notion in minutes. Deploy to web, Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram. Pricing: Free tier (100 credits/mo, 1 agent), Hobby $40/month. Bootstrapped to $8M ARR. 10,000+ customers. SOC 2, GDPR certified.
Pricing
Free: 100 credits/month, 1 agent. Hobby: $40/month (500 credits/month, 5 AI actions). Standard/Pro/Enterprise: custom. Annual billing saves 20%. Add-ons: $7-$59/month (agents, domains, credits).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chatbase and what does it do?
Chatbase is an AI customer support platform founded in 2023 by Yasser Elsaid. It lets teams build custom AI chatbots trained on their own knowledge (documents, PDFs, websites, Notion workspaces) to automate customer support and FAQs. The platform is designed for non-technical teams and enables deploying a fully functional AI agent in minutes without code. It has bootstrapped to $8M ARR and serves 10,000+ customers globally without venture capital.
How much does Chatbase cost?
Chatbase offers a Free plan with 100 message credits per month and 1 agent (agents delete after 14 days of inactivity). The Hobby plan is $40/month and includes 500 credits/month, 5 AI actions, and 20 MB of training data. Standard, Pro, and Enterprise plans are available with higher credit limits and larger training datasets. Annual billing saves 20% on all plans. Add-ons include extra agents ($7/month), custom domains ($59/month), and additional credits.
What are the main features of Chatbase?
Core features include training AI agents on docs, PDFs, websites, and Notion; selecting from 15+ AI models (GPT-5.2, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek); confidence scoring for answer reliability; AI Actions for booking appointments and collecting leads; multi-channel deployment (website chat, WhatsApp, Slack, Facebook, Instagram, email); and REST API integrations with 1000+ apps (Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, Zapier, n8n).
Is Chatbase free to use?
Yes, Chatbase has a free plan offering 100 message credits per month and the ability to create 1 AI agent. The free plan includes 400 KB of training data. However, free agents are deleted after 14 days of inactivity. For active use, the Hobby plan at $40/month provides 500 credits/month and persistent agents.
What are the best alternatives to Chatbase?
Top alternatives include Zendesk (more comprehensive ticketing and omnichannel support, $55+/month), Intercom (chat + email + proactive outreach, $99+/month), and ChatGPT plugins (free but require manual setup). Choose Chatbase if you need the fastest deployment (minutes), lowest entry price ($40/month), and multiple AI model choice. Choose Zendesk or Intercom if you need voice support, complex routing, or human handoff workflows.
Who is Chatbase best for?
Chatbase is best for SaaS teams automating FAQ and onboarding questions, e-commerce businesses handling high-volume repeat questions (shipping, returns, specs), and solo founders or SMBs needing low-cost customer support automation. It is less suitable for enterprises requiring omnichannel ticketing, phone support, or complex multi-step routing workflows. Works best for knowledge-based support where answers exist in documentation.
Does Chatbase have an API?
Yes, Chatbase provides a REST API available from the Standard Plan. The API enables custom integrations with external systems. Pre-built integrations are available for 1000+ apps including Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, Typeform, Google Sheets, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zapier, and n8n. Full API documentation is available at chatbase.co/docs/developer-guides/api-integration.