Quick Overview
- 1#1: Intercom - Powers personalized messaging for marketing, sales, and support across web, app, and messaging channels to engage customers in real-time conversations.
- 2#2: Drift - Enables conversational marketing with AI chatbots, live chat, and playbooks to qualify leads and book meetings directly on websites.
- 3#3: Qualified - Transforms B2B websites into 24/7 conversational hubs for pipeline generation, buyer intent detection, and sales handoff.
- 4#4: HubSpot - Offers integrated chatbots, live chat, and team messaging within its CRM for inbound lead capture and nurturing.
- 5#5: ManyChat - No-code platform for building marketing chatbots on Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and SMS to grow audiences and drive sales.
- 6#6: Landbot - Creates interactive no-code chatbots and conversational landing pages for lead generation and customer engagement.
- 7#7: Tidio - Combines live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing to engage website visitors and automate customer conversations.
- 8#8: LivePerson - Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform for omnichannel messaging and commerce across web, app, and social.
- 9#9: Zendesk - Provides Sunshine Conversations for building messaging experiences integrated with support and sales workflows.
- 10#10: MessageBird - Omnichannel messaging platform for scalable customer conversations via SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and chat apps.
We ranked these tools based on a balanced assessment of features, usability, technical excellence, and value, ensuring each entry delivers actionable results for businesses of all sizes.
Comparison Table
Conversational marketing software streamlines customer interactions, and selecting the right tool—from real-time support to lead engagement—depends on unique business needs. This comparison table explores top options like Intercom, Drift, Qualified, HubSpot, ManyChat, and more, equipping readers to identify key features and suitability for their goals.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intercom Powers personalized messaging for marketing, sales, and support across web, app, and messaging channels to engage customers in real-time conversations. | specialized | 9.4/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 2 | Drift Enables conversational marketing with AI chatbots, live chat, and playbooks to qualify leads and book meetings directly on websites. | specialized | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 3 | Qualified Transforms B2B websites into 24/7 conversational hubs for pipeline generation, buyer intent detection, and sales handoff. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 4 | HubSpot Offers integrated chatbots, live chat, and team messaging within its CRM for inbound lead capture and nurturing. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 5 | ManyChat No-code platform for building marketing chatbots on Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and SMS to grow audiences and drive sales. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 6 | Landbot Creates interactive no-code chatbots and conversational landing pages for lead generation and customer engagement. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 7 | Tidio Combines live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing to engage website visitors and automate customer conversations. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 8 | LivePerson Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform for omnichannel messaging and commerce across web, app, and social. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 9.2/10 | 6.8/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 9 | Zendesk Provides Sunshine Conversations for building messaging experiences integrated with support and sales workflows. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 10 | MessageBird Omnichannel messaging platform for scalable customer conversations via SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and chat apps. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.9/10 |
Powers personalized messaging for marketing, sales, and support across web, app, and messaging channels to engage customers in real-time conversations.
Enables conversational marketing with AI chatbots, live chat, and playbooks to qualify leads and book meetings directly on websites.
Transforms B2B websites into 24/7 conversational hubs for pipeline generation, buyer intent detection, and sales handoff.
Offers integrated chatbots, live chat, and team messaging within its CRM for inbound lead capture and nurturing.
No-code platform for building marketing chatbots on Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and SMS to grow audiences and drive sales.
Creates interactive no-code chatbots and conversational landing pages for lead generation and customer engagement.
Combines live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing to engage website visitors and automate customer conversations.
Enterprise-grade conversational AI platform for omnichannel messaging and commerce across web, app, and social.
Provides Sunshine Conversations for building messaging experiences integrated with support and sales workflows.
Omnichannel messaging platform for scalable customer conversations via SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and chat apps.
Intercom
specializedPowers personalized messaging for marketing, sales, and support across web, app, and messaging channels to engage customers in real-time conversations.
Fin AI Copilot, which handles complex customer queries autonomously while escalating seamlessly to humans
Intercom is a leading customer messaging platform designed for conversational marketing, enabling businesses to engage website visitors, leads, and customers through real-time chat, AI-powered bots, and targeted in-app messages. It facilitates personalized interactions based on user behavior, helping teams qualify leads, book demos, and drive conversions without leaving the conversation. With robust segmentation, automation, and analytics, Intercom scales customer engagement for growth-oriented companies across web, mobile, and email channels.
Pros
- Advanced AI bots like Fin for autonomous conversations and lead qualification
- Precise behavioral targeting and segmentation for hyper-personalized messaging
- Seamless integrations with CRMs, analytics, and e-commerce tools
Cons
- High pricing scales quickly with usage and seats
- Steep learning curve for advanced customizations
- Limited free tier and some features locked behind premium plans
Best For
Scaling SaaS, e-commerce, and B2B companies seeking sophisticated, data-driven conversational marketing at enterprise levels.
Pricing
Starts at $79/month for Starter (up to 5 users), scales to $139+/month for Advanced and custom Enterprise plans based on seats and messages.
Drift
specializedEnables conversational marketing with AI chatbots, live chat, and playbooks to qualify leads and book meetings directly on websites.
AI-driven Conversation Playbooks that dynamically guide chats to qualify leads and schedule meetings without human intervention
Drift is a conversational marketing platform that uses AI-powered chatbots, live chat, and automated playbooks to engage website visitors in real-time, qualify leads, and book meetings. It integrates seamlessly with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot to personalize interactions and accelerate revenue. Designed for B2B teams, Drift turns anonymous traffic into qualified opportunities through data-driven conversations and analytics.
Pros
- Powerful AI playbooks for autonomous lead qualification and meeting booking
- Deep integrations with major CRMs and marketing tools
- Robust analytics and visitor insights for optimization
Cons
- Premium pricing can be steep for small teams
- Advanced customization requires some learning curve
- Free plan lacks full bot capabilities
Best For
Mid-market and enterprise B2B sales/marketing teams focused on scaling lead generation through real-time conversations.
Pricing
Free plan; Pro starts at $2,500/month (billed annually); Enterprise custom pricing.
Qualified
specializedTransforms B2B websites into 24/7 conversational hubs for pipeline generation, buyer intent detection, and sales handoff.
Bi-directional Salesforce integration that brings full buyer context into chats without manual data entry
Qualified is a conversational marketing platform designed for B2B teams, enabling real-time engagement with website visitors via AI-powered chatbots, live chat, and dynamic forms. It specializes in lead qualification, meeting booking, and personalized experiences using buyer intent signals and CRM data. The platform integrates deeply with Salesforce, providing sales reps with contextual insights during conversations to boost conversion rates.
Pros
- Deep, native Salesforce integration for real-time data sync
- Advanced AI Copilot for reps with response suggestions and automation
- Strong analytics and buyer intent routing for prioritizing leads
Cons
- Pricing is custom and geared toward enterprise budgets
- Steeper learning curve for non-Salesforce users
- Limited standalone options without CRM ecosystem
Best For
B2B marketing and sales teams heavily invested in Salesforce seeking enterprise-grade conversational tools.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $5,000+/month for mid-market to enterprise plans.
HubSpot
enterpriseOffers integrated chatbots, live chat, and team messaging within its CRM for inbound lead capture and nurturing.
Seamless CRM-synced conversations that trigger automated sequences and personalized follow-ups
HubSpot provides conversational marketing through its Chatflows and bot builder, enabling real-time website visitor engagement via live chat and AI-powered bots. These tools qualify leads, answer FAQs, book meetings, and route conversations to the right team members. Fully integrated with HubSpot's CRM and marketing hubs, it personalizes interactions based on visitor data and drives inbound marketing workflows seamlessly.
Pros
- Deep integration with HubSpot CRM for automatic contact creation and personalization
- No-code bot builder with templates and AI enhancements for quick deployment
- Robust analytics to track conversation performance and ROI
Cons
- Premium features require expensive Professional or Enterprise plans
- Steeper learning curve due to the breadth of the full HubSpot ecosystem
- Less flexible as a standalone conversational tool compared to specialists
Best For
Growing marketing teams already invested in HubSpot's inbound platform seeking integrated chat and bot capabilities.
Pricing
Free CRM and basic chat included; Marketing Hub Starter at $20/month, Professional at $800/month (billed annually).
ManyChat
specializedNo-code platform for building marketing chatbots on Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and SMS to grow audiences and drive sales.
Dynamic Visual Flow Builder for creating branching, personalized conversation trees without coding
ManyChat is a no-code platform specializing in conversational marketing through chatbots on channels like Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, SMS, and email. It allows businesses to automate lead generation, customer engagement, sales funnels, and support via interactive conversation flows. With powerful automation tools and integrations, it helps drive conversions directly in messaging apps without needing developers.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop visual builder for quick bot creation
- Strong multi-channel support including Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp
- Robust integrations with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and CRMs like HubSpot
Cons
- Pricing scales steeply with subscriber growth
- Limited advanced customization without custom code
- Heavy reliance on Meta platforms limits broader reach
Best For
Small to medium businesses focused on social media marketing and e-commerce wanting easy chatbot automation for lead capture and sales.
Pricing
Free plan for basics; Pro starts at $15/month (500 subscribers), scales to $645+/month for 100K+ subscribers; pay-per-use SMS available.
Landbot
specializedCreates interactive no-code chatbots and conversational landing pages for lead generation and customer engagement.
Infinite canvas visual builder for designing complex, non-linear conversational flows
Landbot is a no-code platform for building interactive chatbots and conversational experiences across websites, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and more. It excels in conversational marketing by enabling lead generation, qualification, customer engagement, and personalized messaging through drag-and-drop flow builders. Businesses use it to create visually appealing bots that drive conversions without requiring coding skills.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop visual builder with infinite canvas
- Multi-channel support including WhatsApp and Messenger
- Rich integrations with CRM tools like HubSpot and Zapier
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly for teams and advanced features
- Limited built-in AI compared to newer competitors
- Complex flows may require optimization for performance
Best For
Marketing teams and agencies building engaging, multi-channel chat experiences for lead nurturing and sales without developers.
Pricing
Sandbox (free limited plan); Starter from €30/user/month; Pro from €100/user/month; Business (custom enterprise pricing).
Tidio
specializedCombines live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing to engage website visitors and automate customer conversations.
Lyro AI Agent – an autonomous conversational AI that resolves customer queries without human intervention, learning from interactions to improve over time.
Tidio is a user-friendly conversational marketing platform that integrates live chat, AI-powered chatbots, and multichannel messaging (including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram) to engage website visitors in real-time. It enables businesses to automate lead qualification, provide personalized support, and drive conversions through visitor tracking and dynamic chat flows. Ideal for scaling customer interactions without a large team, it combines ease of use with powerful automation tools.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop chatbot builder requires no coding
- Lyro AI handles up to 70% of queries autonomously
- Affordable multichannel support with seamless integrations
Cons
- Advanced analytics and reporting are somewhat limited
- Customization options can feel restrictive for complex workflows
- Higher-tier features locked behind premium plans
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses needing an affordable, quick-to-deploy tool for real-time visitor engagement and lead nurturing.
Pricing
Free plan available; paid plans start at $29/month (billed annually) for Starter, up to $589/month for Enterprise.
LivePerson
enterpriseEnterprise-grade conversational AI platform for omnichannel messaging and commerce across web, app, and social.
Intent Orchestrator, which dynamically routes conversations between AI bots, specialists, and self-serve options for maximum efficiency
LivePerson is an enterprise-grade conversational AI platform that powers real-time customer interactions via chat, messaging, voice, and email across web, mobile, and popular channels like WhatsApp and SMS. It supports conversational marketing by deploying intelligent bots for lead qualification, personalized nurturing, and conversion optimization through AI-driven orchestration. The platform excels in blending automation with human agents, providing analytics to refine engagement strategies and boost revenue.
Pros
- Robust AI and NLP for handling complex, context-aware conversations
- True omnichannel support across 100+ messaging channels
- Advanced analytics and orchestration for optimizing marketing ROI
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex setup for non-enterprise users
- High pricing that may not suit SMBs
- Longer implementation time due to customization needs
Best For
Large enterprises needing scalable, AI-driven conversational marketing across multiple channels to engage high-volume leads.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $50,000+ annually based on conversation volume, users, and features; contact sales for quotes.
Zendesk
enterpriseProvides Sunshine Conversations for building messaging experiences integrated with support and sales workflows.
Sunshine Conversations API for building fully customizable, cross-channel conversational experiences
Zendesk is a comprehensive customer service platform that extends into conversational marketing through its live chat, AI-powered bots, and multi-channel messaging capabilities, allowing businesses to engage website visitors proactively for lead generation and qualification. It supports real-time conversations on web, mobile, email, and social channels, with integrations to CRMs for seamless lead handoff. While excels in support, its tools enable marketing teams to nurture prospects conversationally and personalize interactions at scale.
Pros
- Robust omnichannel messaging including web chat, SMS, and social
- Advanced AI bots for automated lead qualification and routing
- Seamless integrations with major CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot
Cons
- Primarily support-focused, requiring customization for pure marketing use
- Steeper learning curve for advanced bot building and analytics
- Pricing scales quickly with agents and add-ons
Best For
Mid-sized to enterprise businesses seeking to blend conversational marketing with customer support in a unified platform.
Pricing
Starts at $55/agent/month (billed annually) for Suite Team; Professional at $89/agent/month with advanced features; custom enterprise pricing.
MessageBird
enterpriseOmnichannel messaging platform for scalable customer conversations via SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and chat apps.
Flow Builder for designing no-code/low-code conversational journeys across multiple messaging channels
MessageBird is an omnichannel communications platform that powers conversational marketing through SMS, WhatsApp, voice, email, and chat apps. It enables businesses to build automated messaging flows, manage conversations in a unified inbox, and personalize customer interactions at scale. With strong API support and Flow Builder, it's geared toward developers and enterprises automating customer engagement journeys.
Pros
- Extensive omnichannel support including WhatsApp, SMS, and RCS for global reach
- Powerful Flow Builder for creating sophisticated conversational automations
- High deliverability and developer-friendly APIs with robust integrations
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical marketers requiring dev resources
- Usage-based pricing can become expensive at high volumes
- Less emphasis on live chat widgets compared to dedicated conversational tools
Best For
Enterprises and developer-led teams seeking scalable, global messaging for customer acquisition and support.
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go usage-based pricing (e.g., $0.0075/SMS, WhatsApp from $0.004/msg) with volume discounts and custom enterprise plans.
Conclusion
When it comes to conversational marketing software, Intercom emerges as the top choice, excelling with its cross-channel personalized messaging that unifies marketing, sales, and support. Drift and Qualified follow, offering strong alternatives—Drift with AI-driven lead qualification and live engagement, and Qualified with 24/7 conversational hubs for B2B pipeline growth. Together, these tools showcase how conversational strategies can transform customer connections.
Dive into Intercom to experience real-time, tailored conversations that drive engagement and growth, or explore Drift or Qualified if your needs focus on chatbot automation or B2B intent tracking.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison