The main Tidio alternatives in 2026 are Dante AI, Chatbase and Intercom Fin. Pick Dante AI for an AI agent trained on your own site with a flat monthly plan and a free tier, Chatbase for a credit-billed agent builder, and Intercom Fin for a full help desk with AI billed per outcome.
This guide, dated 3 November 2026, starts from Tidio's own pricing page, then compares each alternative with dated figures and a worked example.
Why do people look for Tidio alternatives?
Tidio is a live chat tool first, with its Lyro AI agent sold as an add-on. That suits teams who mainly answer chats themselves. Buyers start looking when they want the AI to do most of the answering, because AI volume on Tidio is billed through the Lyro add-on by number of Lyro conversations.
What does Tidio cost in 2026?
From Tidio's pricing page on 3 November 2026, annual billing selected ("2 months free"):
| Tidio plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 a month | 50 billable conversations, 50 Lyro AI conversations (one-time), 10 seats |
| Starter | $24.17 a month | 100 billable conversations, 50 Lyro conversations (one-off), 10 seats |
| Growth | Starts at $49.17 a month | From 250 billable conversations, 10 seats |
| Plus | Starts at $300 a month + monthly usage | Contact sales, custom seats |
| Premium | Contact for pricing | From 3,000 Lyro AI conversations, pay-per-resolution billing |
| Lyro AI Agent add-on | Starts at $32.50 a month | From 50 Lyro AI conversations |
Removing Tidio branding is an add-on at 16.67 USD a month. Tidio offers a 7-day free trial without a credit card.
How do the Tidio alternatives compare?
| Tool | What it is | Plans and prices | How the AI is billed | Seats | Human handover | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidio (Lyro) | Live chat with an AI agent add-on | Free $0 (50 billable conversations, 50 Lyro conversations one-time); Starter $24.17 a month; Growth from $49.17; Plus from $300 + usage | Lyro add-on from $32.50 a month (from 50 Lyro conversations) | 10 on Free, Starter and Growth | Listed under Lyro | tidio.com/pricing, 3 Nov 2026, annual billing |
| Dante AI | AI agent builder trained on your site and files, billed by monthly credits | Free $0; Starter $40 a month ($33.33 yearly); Advanced $120 ($100 yearly); Pro $400 | Included in the plan: 100 to 30,000 credits a month | 1, 2, 3 and 5 by plan | From Advanced | dante-ai.com/docs/plans.html, 3 Nov 2026 |
| Chatbase | AI agent builder billed in message credits | No free plan listed; Hobby $40 a month with 7-day trial; Basic $150 | Hobby: 700 message credits a month | 2 members on Hobby | Helpdesk from Basic | chatbase.co/pricing, 3 Nov 2026 |
| Intercom (Fin) | Help desk with an AI agent billed per outcome | Intercom helpdesk $19 per seat a month next to Fin; plans Essential, Advanced, Expert; 14-day trial | $0.99 per outcome, at most once per conversation | Paid per seat | Yes, to agents in the inbox | fin.ai/pricing, 30 Oct 2026 |
Competitor figures are quoted from each vendor's own pricing page on the capture date shown. Tidio's page was read with annual billing selected; Dante AI shows both monthly and yearly. Prices change, so check each pricing page before you buy.
For the full three-way view, see Intercom Fin vs Tidio vs Chatbase.
What does switching look like for a small team?
Take a three-person online store that wants the AI to answer about 300 chats a month, around 3 visitor messages each.
- On Tidio: the Free and Starter plans include 50 Lyro conversations once, so 300 AI chats a month needs the Lyro add-on above its 50-conversation entry tier, set on Tidio's calculator.
- On Dante AI: 300 chats at about 3 messages is about 900 credits on the default model, inside Starter's 2,000 credits at $40 a month ($33.33 billed yearly). Starter includes 2 seats; Advanced at $120 adds a third seat and Human Handover.
- Test before you move: add your website on Dante AI Free, ask your 20 most common questions and compare the answers with what customers get today. Our small business buyer's checklist lists what to test.
Which Tidio alternative fits you?
- Stay on Tidio if live chat by your own team is the main job; 10 seats on Free, Starter and Growth is generous.
- Dante AI if the AI should answer most chats from your own site and files, on the latest models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, with a flat plan. See the pricing page.
- Chatbase if you want a credit-billed agent builder with integrations from its Basic plan. See Dante AI vs Chatbase.
- Intercom Fin if you need a full help desk and want AI billed only on resolved conversations. See Intercom Fin alternatives.
Want to see it on your own content? Get started free at dante-ai.com.
Sources
- Tidio, tidio.com/pricing, captured 3 November 2026 (annual billing shown).
- Chatbase, chatbase.co/pricing, captured 3 November 2026 (as used on our Dante AI vs Chatbase page).
- Intercom, fin.ai/pricing and intercom.com/pricing, captured 30 October 2026.
- Dante AI Help Center, Plans and pricing (prices, credits, agents, seats, handover, branding, models), read 3 November 2026.
- Dante AI Help Center, Understanding credits, read 3 November 2026.
- Dante AI Help Center, Inbox: human handover live chat, read 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Tidio alternative in 2026?
It depends on why you are leaving. For an AI agent trained on your own site with a flat monthly plan, look at Dante AI. For a full help desk with per-outcome AI, look at Intercom Fin. For a credit-billed AI agent builder, look at Chatbase.
How much does Tidio cost?
On 3 November 2026, with annual billing selected, Tidio listed Free at $0, Starter at $24.17 a month, Growth from $49.17 and Plus from $300 plus usage. The Lyro AI Agent add-on starts at $32.50 a month.
Is Tidio's Lyro AI included in the free plan?
Tidio's page says every account starts with 50 Lyro conversations, but you need the Lyro AI Agent plan to refresh them monthly.
Does Dante AI have a free plan?
Yes. Dante AI Free is $0 with 100 credits a month and 1 AI agent. Starter is $40 a month or $33.33 a month billed yearly.
Can a Tidio alternative hand chats to a person?
Yes. Intercom Fin transfers to agents in the inbox, Chatbase lists a Helpdesk from Basic, and Dante AI includes Human Handover from Advanced at $120 a month.