Table of Contents
- Key takeaways: what you can customize in a chatbot
- What is a custom chatbot?
- What can you customize in a chatbot?
- Look and wording: what a visitor sees first
- Knowledge and behavior: what the chatbot says
- Code on a platform: how the chatbot connects
- How the three customizable chatbots are ranked
- 1. Botpress: best for the deepest customization
- 2. SiteGPT: best for no-code customization around your own content
- 3. Chatbase: best for actions and model choice
- How much does a custom chatbot cost?
- How to choose a customizable chatbot
- Worked example: customizing a chatbot for an online furniture store
- Common chatbot customization mistakes
- Start with a custom chatbot trained on your content
- Custom chatbot FAQ
- Basics
- What is the difference between a custom chatbot and a customizable chatbot?
- Can you make a custom chatbot for free?
- Is a custom GPT the same as a custom chatbot for a website?
- Building
- Does a custom chatbot require coding?
- Can a custom chatbot use your brand name with no vendor badge?
- How do you make a custom chatbot sound like your brand?
- Cost and compliance
- How much does a custom chatbot cost per month?
- Can a customized chatbot handle patient data?
- Sources
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Sep 22, 2023 06:07 PM
A custom chatbot is a chatbot set up for one business, with its own content, rules, wording, and look. Most businesses get one by customizing a platform in a dashboard. Only a chatbot that must live inside your own product needs a custom build.
TL;DR
- Chatbot customization has four levels: look and wording, knowledge and behavior, code on a platform, and a custom build.
- Levels 1 and 2 need no code. They cover most website chatbots.
- Botpress offers the deepest customization for teams with a developer. Plus costs $150 a month billed annually.
- SiteGPT fits a chatbot customized around your own content, without code. Starter costs $59 a month, or $39 a month billed yearly.
- Chatbase fits a chatbot that runs actions, with a choice of AI models. Hobby costs $40 a month, or $32 a month billed yearly.
- The vendor badge is the hidden cost. Removing it takes a chatbot with no badge to $936 in year one on SiteGPT Starter and $1,572 on Chatbase Hobby.
Key takeaways: what you can customize in a chatbot
Level | What you change | Who does it | Typical first-year cost |
1. Look and wording | Colors, icon, name, welcome message | Anyone on the team | Included in the plan, $0 to $468 |
2. Knowledge and behavior | Content, instructions, tone, fixed answers | Anyone on the team | Included in the plan, $0 to $468 |
3. Code on a platform | CSS, API, webhooks, actions | A developer, part time | $948 to $3,108 for the plan, plus developer time |
4. A custom build | Everything, including the interface | A developer, for the build and every later change | $2,400 to $4,880 for an 80-hour example budget, plus upkeep |
What is a custom chatbot?
A custom chatbot is a chatbot configured or built for one business, so it answers from that business's content and follows its rules. A generic chatbot answers from general model knowledge or a fixed script that anyone could buy.
The word "custom" covers two different things. A customizable chatbot is a platform product that you adjust in a dashboard. A custom-built chatbot is software a developer writes for you. This guide covers what you can change on a platform and where that stops. To go through the build itself, use how to build a custom AI chatbot.
"Custom" rarely means a custom-trained AI model. Most business chatbots use a general model and fetch your content when a visitor asks a question. This method is called retrieval-augmented generation.
What can you customize in a chatbot?
You can customize a chatbot's look, wording, knowledge, tone, rules, and connections to other systems. The first four usually need no code. Connections usually need a higher plan or a developer.
The table compares three customizable chatbots setting by setting.
Setting | Botpress | SiteGPT | Chatbase |
Colors and icons | Yes, plus Google Fonts and header styles | Yes, plus icon size, shape, and position | Yes |
Instructions and tone | Yes | Yes, plus 12 built-in personas and custom personas | Yes, plus separate guardrail rules |
Fixed answers to key questions | Through flows | Yes, custom responses on any plan | Yes, through Q&A sources |
AI model choice | Yes, for Autonomous Nodes | Two models: GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-4.1 | Yes, across OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and others |
Scripted flows | Yes, visual workflows | No visual flow builder | Yes, procedures (2 per agent on Hobby) |
Actions in your own systems | Yes, in code | No custom actions. API and webhooks instead | Yes, custom actions (5 actions per agent on Hobby) |
Removing the vendor badge | Included on Plus | Add-on, $468 a year | Add-on, $1,188 a year |
The next three sections group these settings by the level of work they take.
Look and wording: what a visitor sees first
Look and wording are the settings a visitor sees before the first answer. They include colors, icons, the chatbot's name, the welcome message, and the placeholder text in the message box.
These settings take minutes to change. They also make the smallest difference to answer quality. Choices about tone and layout are covered in chatbot design.
Knowledge and behavior: what the chatbot says
Knowledge and behavior decide the content of every answer. This level is where a generic chatbot becomes a custom chatbot.
- Content: the pages and files the chatbot answers from.
- Instructions: the rules for what to answer and what to decline.
- Tone: short or detailed, formal or friendly.
- Fixed answers: your own wording for prices, policies, and other questions that must be right.
Instructions guide the model and do not hard-block it. Test each rule with real questions after you set it. Copyable starting points are in chatbot templates.
Code on a platform: how the chatbot connects
Code on a platform connects the chatbot to your other systems. It includes custom CSS, an API, webhooks, and actions that read or change data.
Plan gates apply here. On SiteGPT, the API and identity verification start on Growth, and webhooks start on Scale. On Chatbase, API access starts on Basic.
How the three customizable chatbots are ranked
The three tools are ranked by how far you can take customization, then by how much of that work needs no code. No tool is best overall, and a different scenario changes the order.
Four criteria decided the ranking:
- The number of settings you can change.
- How much of that work a non-developer can do.
- The cost of a chatbot with no vendor badge.
- The plan needed for API access and integrations.
1. Botpress: best for the deepest customization
Botpress is a platform for building AI agents with visual workflows and code. It gives you the most control of the three tools. It also asks the most from the person building the chatbot.
Key features
- Visual workflows in Botpress Studio.
- Custom code in TypeScript or JavaScript.
- Webchat styling with Google Fonts, theme modes, and CSS classes.
- A choice of AI model for Autonomous Nodes.
Pros
- Whitelabel webchat is included on Plus.
- Unlimited AI agents on Plus.
- A Free plan lets you test the product before paying.
Cons
- Most deep customization needs a developer.
- Pricing is per conversation, and auto-recharge cannot be turned off.
- Webchat white-labelling is not included on Free.
Pricing
Plan | Price | Includes |
Free | $0 | 100 conversations, 3 seats, 3 AI agents |
Plus | $150 a month billed annually | 250 conversations a month, $25 AI usage, whitelabel webchat |
Team | $750 a month billed annually | 1,500 conversations a month, $150 AI usage, unlimited seats |
Rating: 4.5/5 on G2 from 516 reviews.
Best for: a team with developer time that needs scripted flows and custom logic.
2. SiteGPT: best for no-code customization around your own content
SiteGPT creates AI chatbots from your own business content. It suits a team that wants to control what the chatbot says without writing code. It has fewer options for custom logic than the other two tools.
Key features
- 12 or more content sources, including websites, files, cloud storage, GitHub, YouTube, and help centers.
- 12 built-in personas, custom personas, and instructions.
- Custom responses for answers that must be right.
- A widget you can restyle, with all fixed text editable.
- Escalation to a person on every plan.
- 95+ languages.
Pros
- The branding add-on lets you replace the badge text and link with your own.
- Conversation starters can differ by page.
- Auto refresh keeps answers current, monthly on Growth and weekly on Scale.
Cons
- No free plan. The 7-day trial requires a credit card.
- No visual flow builder and no custom actions.
- Starter refreshes content manually and has no chat integrations.
- No Intercom or HubSpot integration.
Pricing
Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly billing | Includes |
Starter | $59 a month | $39 a month ($468 a year) | 1 chatbot, up to 4,000 mini or 400 GPT-4.1 messages, 1,000 pages |
Growth | $129 a month | $79 a month ($948 a year) | 2 chatbots, up to 10,000 mini or 1,000 GPT-4.1 messages, API, chat integrations |
Scale | $429 a month | $259 a month ($3,108 a year) | 3 chatbots, up to 40,000 mini or 4,000 GPT-4.1 messages, Zendesk, webhooks |
Enterprise pricing is custom. Removing the SiteGPT branding adds $39 a month billed yearly ($468 a year).
Rating: 4.9/5 on G2 from 12 reviews.
Best for: a website chatbot where the content and the wording matter most.
3. Chatbase: best for actions and model choice
Chatbase is a platform for AI agents trained on your business data. It sits between the other two tools. A non-developer can set up its built-in actions, and a developer can add custom ones.
Key features
- Instructions, guardrail rules, and a temperature setting.
- Models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and other providers.
- Built-in actions for Stripe, Shopify, Calendly, and other tools.
- Custom actions that call your API, run code in the browser, or show a widget.
- Procedures for multi-step flows.
Pros
- A wide choice of AI models on the entry plan.
- Actions are available on Hobby.
- Slack, WhatsApp, and Messenger are included on Hobby.
Cons
- Hobby includes 700 message credits a month and 1 agent.
- API access and the helpdesk inbox start on Basic.
- Auto-resync of content is not included on Hobby.
- Removing the badge costs $1,188 a year.
Pricing
Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly billing | Includes |
Hobby | $40 a month | $32 a month ($384 a year) | 700 message credits, 1 agent, 2 members |
Basic | $150 a month | $120 a month ($1,440 a year) | 4,000 message credits, 3 members, API access, helpdesk inbox |
Business | $500 a month | $400 a month ($4,800 a year) | 15,000 message credits, 5 members, advanced analytics |
Rating: 4.8/5 on G2 from 42 reviews.
Best for: a chatbot that runs tasks as well as answering questions.
How much does a custom chatbot cost?
A custom chatbot costs $936 to $2,628 in year one on a platform with no vendor badge. A custom build starts at about $2,400 to $4,880 for an 80-hour example budget, before upkeep and model fees.
Setup, billed yearly | Plan | Badge removal | First-year total |
SiteGPT Starter | $468 | $468 | $936 |
SiteGPT Growth | $948 | $468 | $1,416 |
Chatbase Hobby | $384 | $1,188 | $1,572 |
Botpress Plus | $1,800 | Included | $1,800 |
Chatbase Basic | $1,440 | $1,188 | $2,628 |
Chatbase Hobby costs $84 less than SiteGPT Starter before the badge, and $636 more after it. Keeping the badge costs nothing extra. An internal or low-traffic chatbot can often keep it.
The custom build figure uses Upwork's rate range of $30 to $61 an hour. 80 hours x $30 = $2,400, and 80 hours x $61 = $4,880. The hours are an example, so replace them with a real quote. The full breakdown is in the guide to chatbot cost.
How to choose a customizable chatbot
Choose a customizable chatbot by the deepest level you need. Paying for level 3 when you only use level 2 adds cost and no value.
If you need... | Pick... | Why |
Answers from your website and documents, with no code | SiteGPT | Content sources, personas, and custom responses are in the dashboard |
A chatbot that updates orders or subscriptions | Chatbase | Built-in actions cover Shopify on Hobby and Stripe from Basic |
A scripted, multi-step flow with custom logic | Botpress | Visual workflows and code work together |
A choice of AI model from several providers | Chatbase | Hobby includes models from seven AI providers |
To start free | Botpress | The Free plan includes 100 conversations |
A chatbot inside your own app, with your own interface | A custom build | A platform widget limits how far the interface can change |
If you still want a wider list, the AI chatbot creator guide ranks six tools by free plan and first-year cost. If your main job is answering customers, the customer service chatbot tutorial covers that build.
Worked example: customizing a chatbot for an online furniture store
This example shows how a list of customizations becomes a plan choice. The store is hypothetical, and prices are billed yearly.
The store wants a chatbot that matches its brand and gives exact answers on delivery and returns.
Customization | Level | SiteGPT plan needed |
Brand colors, icon, and welcome message | 1 | Starter |
Train on product pages and the returns policy | 2 | Starter |
A friendly persona and a rule to decline design advice | 2 | Starter |
Custom responses for delivery fees and return windows | 2 | Starter |
Remove the SiteGPT badge | 1 | Add-on on any plan |
Send conversations to the team in Slack | 3 | Growth |
The first five rows cost $468 + $468 = $936 in year one. The Slack row moves the store to Growth, so the total becomes $948 + $468 = $1,416. The Slack connection costs the store $480 a year. If email alerts are enough, the store stays on Starter.
Common chatbot customization mistakes
The most common customization mistakes put visual work ahead of answer quality. Four show up most often.
- Starting with colors. A branded chatbot that gives wrong answers still fails. Fix the content first.
- Writing facts into instructions. Put facts in your content or in a fixed answer. Keep instructions for rules.
- Skipping the test after a change. Run the same question list after every edit.
- Buying a plan for one feature. Check whether email alerts or a CSV export can replace it first.
Start with a custom chatbot trained on your content
SiteGPT covers levels 1 and 2 on every plan and adds the API from Growth. Every self-serve plan has a 7-day free trial that requires a credit card.
Custom chatbot FAQ
Basics
What is the difference between a custom chatbot and a customizable chatbot?
A customizable chatbot is a platform product you adjust in a dashboard. A custom chatbot is the result, and it can come from a platform or from a developer.
Can you make a custom chatbot for free?
You can start a custom chatbot for free on Botpress, whose Free plan includes 100 conversations. Webchat white-labelling needs a paid plan. SiteGPT has no free plan and offers a 7-day trial that requires a credit card. The guide to free chatbots for websites lists more options.
Is a custom GPT the same as a custom chatbot for a website?
A custom GPT is different from a website chatbot, because a custom GPT runs inside ChatGPT. To put a GPT-powered chatbot on your site, use a platform with an embed code or follow the guide to embedding ChatGPT in a website.
Building
Does a custom chatbot require coding?
A custom chatbot requires no coding for levels 1 and 2. Custom CSS, API work, and custom actions need some developer time. A custom build is all code.
Can a custom chatbot use your brand name with no vendor badge?
A custom chatbot can drop the vendor badge on all three tools. Botpress includes this on Plus. SiteGPT and Chatbase sell it as an add-on. SiteGPT's add-on also lets you set your own badge text and link.
How do you make a custom chatbot sound like your brand?
You make a custom chatbot sound like your brand with a persona or tone instruction, plus a few example answers. Read 20 test replies after each change, and adjust the wording until they match.
Cost and compliance
How much does a custom chatbot cost per month?
A custom chatbot costs $32 to $150 a month on the entry and white-label plans in this guide, billed yearly and before add-ons. SiteGPT Starter is $39 a month billed yearly, or $59 billed monthly.
Can a customized chatbot handle patient data?
A customized chatbot can handle patient data only under a signed business associate agreement. On SiteGPT, a HIPAA BAA is Enterprise only. A covered workspace turns off connected apps and chat integrations, and training content must stay free of patient data. The HIPAA page has the current program status.
Sources
All pages below were opened on 30 October 2026.
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