This article is part of our AI Front Desk hub. Want help applying it? Talk to eSEOspace.
A local service business should add AI website chat through the tool it already pays for, if that tool includes chat. Compare Fin or Tidio if you need a dedicated chat product or a help desk.
Fin charges per outcome, Tidio sells AI conversations and several phone tools bundle chat. All details were checked against each vendor's documentation on 9 November 2026 and can change.
This article is part of our AI Front Desk guide. It is general information, not legal advice.
Key Takeaways
- Fin lists $0.99 for most outcomes and $9.99 per qualification, with a 50-outcome monthly minimum when used with your current help desk.
- Tidio's standalone Lyro AI agent starts at $32.50 a month as displayed, and the billing term should be confirmed.
- Dialzara, Weave, Housecall Pro and GoHighLevel include or sell chat with their phone tools.
- A chat tool's price depends on what the vendor counts as a billable conversation or outcome.
- State law may require you to tell visitors they are not talking to a person.
Fin
Fin's pricing page says "Resolutions, Procedure handoffs, disqualifications, and self-serve routings are $0.99 each. Qualifications are $9.99 each." It also says "You're only charged for one outcome per conversation, even if Fin takes multiple actions."
Used with your current help desk, Fin has a minimum of 50 outcomes a month. Fin Voice is sold on custom pricing to select customers, so don't assume it is included.
Our Fin vs Zendesk article looks at outcome pricing in more depth.
Tidio
Tidio's pricing page displays the standalone Lyro AI Agent from $32.50 a month, from 50 AI conversations. It counts a Lyro conversation as one with at least one reply from its AI agent.
The page has a billing toggle with an annual option described as "2 months free." The text does not label which billing period the displayed price uses. Confirm the term before you budget.
Tidio also displays a Free plan with 50 lifetime Lyro conversations, and a Growth plan that starts at $49.17 a month. Treat those as displayed figures and confirm them the same way.
Chat that comes with your phone tool
Before buying a separate tool, check what you already pay for.
| Tool | Chat offering | Stated price or status |
|---|---|---|
| Dialzara | AI Website Chatbot | $39 a month standalone; first 100 sessions free with a voice plan, then $0.15 per session |
| Weave | AI Receptionist says it covers calls, texts and website chats | Not listed on Weave's pricing page |
| Housecall Pro CSR AI | Calls and chats | Add-on, no published price |
| GoHighLevel Conversation AI | Text-based AI agent | Pay per use, or 1,000 responses a month on AI Employee Growth at $50 |
HighLevel's guide says "Conversation AI is not included for agency or sub-account users without an eligible AI Employee subscription." Without that subscription, usage is billed by tokens. Check the current rates in your account.
Human chat as a comparison
If you want a person replying, Ruby's pricing page lists live chat from $143 for 10 chats. Adding chat to a receptionist plan lowers that to $115 for 10 chats. These are people, not AI, so compare what each handles.
What a chat tool should do for a service business
These are our suggestions, not vendor claims. Test each one on a staging site first.
- Capture name, phone, service needed and address before the conversation ends.
- Hand off to a person when the visitor asks, or when the request is urgent.
- Send the lead to wherever you already work, so nothing gets retyped.
- Stay inside your facts on pricing and availability.
- Keep medical, legal and financial advice out of the bot's answers.
Our booking and CRM integration guide covers how leads reach your systems. Our article on AI agents versus chatbots explains the wider difference.
Telling visitors it is AI
Disclosure rules vary by state. Maine's 10 M.R.S. 1500-DD defines a chatbot to cover programs that simulate human conversation in text or by voice.
The statute says: "A person may not use an artificial intelligence chatbot or any other computer technology to engage in trade and commerce with a consumer in a manner that may mislead or deceive a reasonable consumer into believing that the consumer is engaging with a human being unless the consumer is notified in a clear and conspicuous manner that the consumer is not engaging with a human being."
Other states have their own rules, and we did not review them for this article. Maine's statute calls for clear and conspicuous notice, so ask your attorney whether a short "AI assistant" label at the start of the chat meets that standard. Ask your attorney what your state requires.
Next step
List the chat features you already pay for, then compare them against one dedicated tool. For a custom build, see our AI agent development service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest AI chat for a small business?
Tidio displays a free plan with 50 lifetime AI conversations. Dialzara's chatbot is $39 a month standalone. Compare those to what your phone tool may already include.
Does Fin charge per chat?
Fin charges per outcome, not per chat. Its page lists $0.99 for resolutions, procedure handoffs, disqualifications and self-serve routings, and $9.99 for qualifications, with one outcome charged per conversation.
Can AI chat book appointments?
Some tools can. Confirm it for your exact plan and calendar. Our booking integration guide lists what to check first.
Do I have to tell visitors the chat is AI?
It depends on your state and your industry. Maine's statute requires clear notice when a chatbot could mislead a reasonable consumer. Ask an attorney about your own business.
Does Fin work with my help desk?
Fin's pricing page says it works with any help desk, including Salesforce and HubSpot. A service business without a help desk may find a simpler tool fits better.
