Botpress vs Stonly

Make an informed decision with our comprehensive comparison. Discover which RAG solution perfectly fits your needs.

Priyansh Khodiyar's avatar
Priyansh KhodiyarDevRel at CustomGPT.ai

Fact checked and reviewed by Bill Cava

Published: 01.04.2025Updated: 25.04.2025

In this comprehensive guide, we compare Botpress and Stonly across various parameters including features, pricing, performance, and customer support to help you make the best decision for your business needs.

Overview

When choosing between Botpress and Stonly, understanding their unique strengths and architectural differences is crucial for making an informed decision. Both platforms serve the RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) space but cater to different use cases and organizational needs.

Quick Decision Guide

  • Choose Botpress if: you value visual drag-and-drop builder with extensive code extensibility via execute code cards
  • Choose Stonly if: you value exceptional ease of use - 4.8/5 g2 rating with intuitive visual editor praised in 32 reviews

About Botpress

Botpress Landing Page Screenshot

Botpress is enterprise ai agent platform with visual bot building and omnichannel deployment. Enterprise AI agent platform with visual bot building, omnichannel deployment, and RAG capabilities. 750,000+ active bots processing 1 billion+ messages with extensive channel support and no-code/low-code development. Founded in 2016, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the platform has established itself as a reliable solution in the RAG space.

Overall Rating
85/100
Starting Price
Custom

About Stonly

Stonly Landing Page Screenshot

Stonly is interactive knowledge base platform with enterprise ai-powered answers. Stonly is a customer support knowledge management platform with embedded AI capabilities focused on interactive step-by-step guides and help desk agent assistance. Its AI Answers feature (Enterprise-only add-on) achieves 71% self-serve success rates, but it's fundamentally a knowledge base platform with AI features—not a pure RAG-as-a-Service solution. Founded in 2017, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, the platform has established itself as a reliable solution in the RAG space.

Overall Rating
96/100
Starting Price
$249/mo

Key Differences at a Glance

In terms of user ratings, Stonly in overall satisfaction. From a cost perspective, Botpress starts at a lower price point. The platforms also differ in their primary focus: Chatbot Platform versus Knowledge Management. These differences make each platform better suited for specific use cases and organizational requirements.

⚠️ What This Comparison Covers

We'll analyze features, pricing, performance benchmarks, security compliance, integration capabilities, and real-world use cases to help you determine which platform best fits your organization's needs. All data is independently verified from official documentation and third-party review platforms.

Detailed Feature Comparison

logo of botpress
Botpress
logo of stonly
Stonly
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CustomGPTRECOMMENDED
Data Ingestion & Knowledge Sources
  • Supported Formats: PDF, Word (DOC/DOCX), HTML, TXT, Markdown files via Studio UI and Files API
  • Website Crawling: Firecrawl integration for HTML-to-Markdown conversion with automatic sitemap detection
  • Real-Time Search: "Search The Web" feature using Bing API for queries when sitemaps unavailable
  • Cloud Integrations: Google Drive (OAuth sync with file upload/download triggers), Notion (database queries, page management)
  • Missing Integrations: No native Dropbox or Salesforce document ingestion
  • YouTube Limitation: No transcript ingestion support - requires manual transcription and text upload (Apify workaround exists but manual)
  • Automatic Retraining: Website sources sync regularly, file uploads managed dynamically through Files API
  • Vector Storage Limits: 100MB (free), 1GB (Plus/$89), 2GB (Team/$495), custom (Enterprise)
  • File Management: Replacing files automatically removes old content and indexes new content without downtime
  • PDF uploads confirmed
  • Public website crawling: Pages not requiring authentication
  • Zendesk help center content indexing
  • Proprietary interactive guide format as primary content model
  • Note: No Google Drive, Dropbox, Notion, or SharePoint integrations for data ingestion
  • Note: No YouTube transcript extraction (videos can be embedded but not processed)
  • Note: No direct Word document (.docx) or HTML file imports confirmed
  • Note: No automatic content syncing from external sources - updates are manual through Stonly's visual editor
  • Content limits by tier: Basic (5 guides, 400 views/mo), Small Business (unlimited guides, 4K views/mo), Enterprise (custom)
  • Content versioning: Side-by-side comparison and instant restore on Business and Enterprise plans
  • Lets you ingest more than 1,400 file formats—PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, HTML, and many more—via simple drag-and-drop or API.
  • Crawls entire sites through sitemaps and URLs, automatically indexing public help-desk articles, FAQs, and docs.
  • Turns multimedia into text on the fly: YouTube videos, podcasts, and other media are auto-transcribed with built-in OCR and speech-to-text. View Transcription Guide
  • Connects to Google Drive, SharePoint, Notion, Confluence, HubSpot, and more through API connectors or Zapier. See Zapier Connectors
  • Supports both manual uploads and auto-sync retraining, so your knowledge base always stays up to date.
Integrations & Channels
  • Native Channels: WhatsApp (Meta Business API), Slack (OAuth + Bot Framework), Microsoft Teams (Azure portal), Telegram (BotFather), Messenger, Instagram
  • SMS Support: Twilio and Vonage integrations for text messaging
  • Web Widget: JavaScript widget (recommended), DOM element mounting, full React component library for SPAs
  • Mobile Integration: React Native SDK (BpWidget, BpIncomingMessagesListener) for iOS/Android cross-platform support
  • Webhook Support: Unique webhook URL per bot with optional x-bp-secret header authentication and CORS configuration
  • Automation Platforms: Zapier integration (partially in beta - some features require manual activation)
  • CRM Integrations: Salesforce (lead CRUD, sandbox support), HubSpot (contacts, deals, tickets), Zendesk, Pipedrive
  • Custom Integrations: TypeScript SDK with structured development flow (integration.definition.ts → index.ts → CLI deployment)
  • Hub Marketplace: 100+ pre-built integrations and extensions from community and official sources
  • Deep help desk integrations: Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk, ServiceNow
  • Zendesk features: Update tickets from guides, preserve guide progress in tickets, launch Zendesk Chat from widget
  • Zapier integration: Webhook triggers for form submissions and guide completions
  • Analytics integrations: Segment, Google Analytics
  • Embedding options: JavaScript widget, iframe, API deployment
  • Note: No native Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram, or Microsoft Teams integrations (confirmed by multiple user reviews)
  • Note: No omnichannel messaging support
  • Website embedding: All plans support JS widget and iframe embedding
  • Embeds easily—a lightweight script or iframe drops the chat widget into any website or mobile app.
  • Offers ready-made hooks for Slack, Zendesk, Confluence, YouTube, Sharepoint, 100+ more. Explore API Integrations
  • Connects with 5,000+ apps via Zapier and webhooks to automate your workflows.
  • Supports secure deployments with domain allowlisting and a ChatGPT Plugin for private use cases.
  • Hosted CustomGPT.ai offers hosted MCP Server with support for Claude Web, Claude Desktop, Cursor, ChatGPT, Windsurf, Trae, etc. Read more here.
  • Supports OpenAI API Endpoint compatibility. Read more here.
Core Agent Features
  • Conversational AI: Multi-turn dialogue with context retention across conversation sessions
  • Multi-Lingual: 100+ languages supported via Translator Agent with automatic translation
  • Knowledge Base Integration: RAG-powered answers grounded in uploaded documents and websites
  • Policy Agent: Customizable guardrails filtering outputs against defined policies for brand safety
  • Knowledge Agent: Structured retrieval before generation to reduce hallucinations
  • HITL Agent: Human-in-the-loop takeover when bot cannot answer (requires Team plan $495/month)
  • Personality Agent: Rewrites all bot messages to match defined persona (friendly, professional, casual, custom)
  • Autonomous Nodes: LLM decides which actions to execute based on conversation context
  • Performance Claims: "Zero hallucinations in 100,000 conversations" for health coaching client, 65% ticket deflection (no RAGAS scores or latency benchmarks published)
  • Conversational AI Bot: Delivers confident answers backed by verified structured knowledge unlike generic LLMs that can hallucinate or invent answers
  • Knowledge-grounded responses: Provides answers backed by verified structured knowledge from guides you create preventing fabricated information
  • AI Agent Assist: Automatically summarizes tickets, suggests right path to resolution, and generates responses for support agents
  • Three core automation functions: Automatically analyzes and summarizes support ticket content, recommends most relevant Stonly guide/knowledge path to resolve issues, drafts complete responses for agents to review/edit/send
  • Process automation: Define processes to be followed and link them to different back-office tools to resolve customer requests before they reach support
  • Personalized knowledge: AI-powered solutions and process automation allow creation of guides, walkthroughs, checklists, knowledge bases adapting to each customer's needs
  • 71% self-serve success rate: With AI Answers feature documented in company data
  • Hallucination reduction: Knowledge-grounding approach vs generic chatbots reduces off-topic responses
  • Custom AI Agents: Build autonomous agents powered by GPT-4 and Claude that can perform tasks independently and make real-time decisions based on business knowledge
  • Decision-Support Capabilities: AI agents analyze proprietary data to provide insights, recommendations, and actionable responses specific to your business domain
  • Multi-Agent Systems: Deploy multiple specialized AI agents that can collaborate and optimize workflows in areas like customer support, sales, and internal knowledge management
  • Memory & Context Management: Agents maintain conversation history and persistent context for coherent multi-turn interactions View Agent Documentation
  • Tool Integration: Agents can trigger actions, integrate with external APIs via webhooks, and connect to 5,000+ apps through Zapier for automated workflows
  • Hyper-Accurate Responses: Leverages advanced RAG technology and retrieval mechanisms to deliver context-aware, citation-backed responses grounded in your knowledge base
  • Continuous Learning: Agents improve over time through automatic re-indexing of knowledge sources and integration of new data without manual retraining
Customization & Branding
  • Webchat Customization: Full CSS override via external stylesheet URL, custom colors/fonts/button styles/chat bubbles
  • Branding Control: Custom bot name and avatar, proactive greeting messages via JavaScript, configurable placement and sizing
  • White-Labeling: Remove "Powered by Botpress" watermark (requires Plus plan $89/month minimum)
  • Personality Configuration: Personality Agent defines bot persona with variable expressions for dynamic context
  • Persona Disable: Can be disabled at node level for specific interactions requiring different tone
  • Backend Branding: Admin dashboard remains Botpress-branded (no full white-label backend)
  • Multi-Tenant Limitation: No agency dashboard for managing multiple client bots under one interface
  • Real-Time Updates: Knowledge sources update via Files API without bot republishing for Table-based sources
  • Versioning Gap: No native versioning system - file replacement is manual with external version control required for rollback
  • Visual editor: Intuitive no-code interface for creating guides, decision trees, checklists, forms
  • CSS customization: Available on all paid plans
  • White-labeling: Enterprise plan only - complete branding removal
  • Pre-built templates: Common support scenarios covered
  • Role-based access control: Advanced permissions on Enterprise plan
  • Learning curve: Described as "small" - users can create guides in under 30 minutes
  • Note: No formal content approval workflows documented
  • Note: Cannot edit guides on mobile devices
  • Note: Angular framework compatibility issues reported - "Stonly onboarding will work randomly" with dynamic code
  • Fully white-labels the widget—colors, logos, icons, CSS, everything can match your brand. White-label Options
  • Provides a no-code dashboard to set welcome messages, bot names, and visual themes.
  • Lets you shape the AI’s persona and tone using pre-prompts and system instructions.
  • Uses domain allowlisting to ensure the chatbot appears only on approved sites.
L L M Model Options
  • Native Support: OpenAI models only - GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, GPT-4 Turbo
  • In-Studio Presets: Two options - "Best Model" and "Fast Model" for quick selection
  • Alternative LLMs: Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, LLaMA accessible via custom integrations or Execute Code cards with external API calls
  • No Automatic Routing: Deliberately avoided for "concerns about unpredictability and latency" - users manually select models per task
  • BYOK Limitation: Not natively supported - workaround involves storing API keys in Configuration Variables and Axios calls through Execute Code cards
  • AI Spend Pricing: Charged at-cost with no Botpress markup on OpenAI tokens
  • LLMz Engine: Proprietary inference layer with claimed improvements - better tool calling, token efficiency, TypeScript type definitions, V8 isolate execution
  • No Fine-Tuning: RAG recommended as primary approach, supplemented by "learnings" system providing relevant examples at prompt-time
  • Note: Undisclosed proprietary LLM - Stonly does not disclose the specific model powering AI Answers
  • Note: No model selection - users cannot choose between GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Claude, or other models
  • Note: No temperature controls, fine-tuning, or model routing
  • AI Profiles: Up to 20 per team for tone and behavior customization
  • Custom Instructions: Up to 100 per team defining boundaries and style
  • Guided AI Answers: Define specific questions that trigger predetermined answers, bypassing AI generation for sensitive scenarios
  • Automatic fallback: When AI confidence is low, system falls back to ML-powered search rather than forcing an answer
  • Knowledge-grounded approach: AI responses anchored in Stonly guides, external websites, and selected PDFs to reduce hallucinations
  • Taps into top models—OpenAI’s GPT-5.1 series, GPT-4 series, and even Anthropic’s Claude for enterprise needs (4.5 opus and sonnet, etc ).
  • Automatically balances cost and performance by picking the right model for each request. Model Selection Details
  • Uses proprietary prompt engineering and retrieval tweaks to return high-quality, citation-backed answers.
  • Handles all model management behind the scenes—no extra API keys or fine-tuning steps for you.
Developer Experience ( A P I & S D Ks)
  • API Architecture: REST-only (no GraphQL) with base URL https://api.botpress.cloud/v1/
  • Core APIs: Runtime (messages/events), Tables (database operations), Files (uploads), Admin (workspace management)
  • Official Packages: TypeScript-exclusive - @botpress/sdk (v4.15.6, ~2,141 weekly downloads), @botpress/client (HTTP client), @botpress/cli (development/deployment)
  • No Python SDK: Significant limitation for data science teams - other languages must use direct REST API access
  • Authentication: Three token types - Personal Access Token (PAT) for full access, Bot Access Key (BAK) for runtime, Integration Access Key (IAK) for integration-specific actions
  • Rate Limits: Exist but specifics not publicly documented - Studio limits lower than production bot limits (acknowledged by staff)
  • Documentation: Well-organized at botpress.com/docs with API references, video tutorials, "Ask AI" feature
  • Training Resources: Botpress Academy offers free courses
  • Documentation Gaps: Undocumented rate limits, sparse BYOK documentation, broken platform limits page (404 error)
  • REST API: Supports user provisioning, content management, widget control
  • Mobile SDKs (Enterprise only): iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter
  • Note: No Python SDK or server-side Node.js SDK
  • Note: No GraphQL API or OpenAPI/Swagger specification
  • Note: Rate limits not publicly documented
  • Note: No API Explorer, sandbox environment, or Postman collections
  • Note: REST API versioning strategy unclear
  • Widget API: Programmatic control including opening specific content, listening for events, user identification
  • CSP whitelisting: Instructions documented for Content Security Policy compliance
  • Widget versioning documented
  • Ships a well-documented REST API for creating agents, managing projects, ingesting data, and querying chat. API Documentation
  • Offers open-source SDKs—like the Python customgpt-client—plus Postman collections to speed integration. Open-Source SDK
  • Backs you up with cookbooks, code samples, and step-by-step guides for every skill level.
Performance & Accuracy
  • RAG Architecture: Standard pipeline - upload → standardization → semantic chunking → embedding → vector storage → retrieval → generation
  • Semantic Chunking: Breaks documents by topic/meaning rather than fixed character counts for better context preservation
  • Search API: contextDepth parameter (default: 0) prepends/appends surrounding context to matching passages
  • Scoped Search: Tag-based filtering for targeted retrieval (limit: 50 results max)
  • Multi-Layer Hallucination Prevention: RAG grounding + Policy Agent guardrails + Knowledge Agent structured retrieval + HITL human takeover
  • Performance Claims: "Zero hallucinations in 100,000 conversations" (one health coaching client), 65% ticket deflection
  • Benchmark Gap: No published RAGAS scores, latency measurements, or third-party validation
  • Scale Validation: 750,000+ active bots and 1 billion+ messages processed provide real-world proof of production reliability
  • LLMz Optimizations: Proprietary engine claims improved tool calling and token efficiency over standard OpenAI implementations
  • 71% self-serve success rate with AI Answers feature (company data)
  • 70-76% support ticket reduction documented in case studies
  • 99.9% uptime claimed but no published SLA details or response time data
  • Note: No published latency metrics or performance benchmarks
  • Note: No real-time analytics - Flow reports update every 15 minutes
  • Hallucination controls: Strong grounding in structured content reduces off-topic responses
  • Widget lazy loading: Minimizes impact on host website performance
  • Delivers sub-second replies with an optimized pipeline—efficient vector search, smart chunking, and caching.
  • Independent tests rate median answer accuracy at 5/5—outpacing many alternatives. Benchmark Results
  • Always cites sources so users can verify facts on the spot.
  • Maintains speed and accuracy even for massive knowledge bases with tens of millions of words.
Customization & Flexibility
  • Real-Time Knowledge Updates: Files API enables adding/removing content anytime without bot downtime
  • Website Sync: Automatic crawling and re-indexing of connected websites on regular schedules
  • Personality Customization: Personality Agent defines consistent tone (friendly, professional, casual) with variable expressions
  • Node-Level Control: Disable Personality Agent for specific interactions requiring different behavior
  • Policy Agent Configuration: Define custom guardrails filtering outputs for brand safety and compliance
  • Execute Code Cards: Full TypeScript code execution within bot flows for unlimited custom logic
  • Autonomous Node Behavior: LLM-driven decision-making for which actions to execute in conversation
  • Versioning Limitation: No native rollback system - requires external version control and manual file replacement
  • Tables Feature: Structured data management for dynamic content and business logic integration
N/A
N/A
Pricing & Scalability
  • Pay-as-you-go: $0/month + AI Spend, 500 messages, 100MB vector storage, 1 bot, 1 collaborator, $5 AI credit included
  • Plus Plan: $89/month + AI Spend, 5,000 messages, 1GB vector storage, white-label, HITL, live chat support
  • Team Plan: $495/month + AI Spend, 50,000 messages, 2GB vector storage, RBAC, collaboration, 3 bots, custom analytics
  • Enterprise Plan: ~$2,000+/month custom pricing, unlimited messages/storage, SSO, SLA, dedicated manager
  • AI Spend Unpredictability: Token consumption varies significantly with conversation length and tool usage
  • Spending Caps: $100/month (Plus), $500/month (Team), custom (Enterprise) to control costs
  • Overage Pricing: $20 per 5,000 messages, $20/GB vector storage, $10/bot/month Always Alive feature
  • Third-Party Costs: WhatsApp, SMS, voice integrations incur separate Meta/Twilio fees beyond Botpress pricing
  • Enterprise Contracts: May require multi-year commitments (3-year mentioned in reviews)
  • Basic (Free): 5 guides, 400 views/month, 1 seat, single language
  • Small Business ($249/mo, $199/mo annual): Unlimited guides, 4,000 views/month, 5 seats, 3 knowledge bases, CSS customization, Zapier, NPS surveys
  • Enterprise (Custom, ~$39K/year avg): Custom views, unlimited seats, AI Answers add-on, Mobile SDKs, SAML SSO, white-label, auto-translation, CSAT/CES surveys
  • Overage pricing escalates quickly: +15K views = $200/month, +30K views = $400/month
  • Automatic tier upgrades: Exceeding limits for 2 consecutive months triggers upgrade
  • Note: AI Answers, Mobile SDK, SAML SSO, white-labeling all Enterprise-gated
  • Average enterprise contract: ~$39,000 annually according to Vendr procurement data
  • Runs on straightforward subscriptions: Standard (~$99/mo), Premium (~$449/mo), and customizable Enterprise plans.
  • Gives generous limits—Standard covers up to 60 million words per bot, Premium up to 300 million—all at flat monthly rates. View Pricing
  • Handles scaling for you: the managed cloud infra auto-scales with demand, keeping things fast and available.
Security & Privacy
  • SOC 2 Type 2: Certification in progress but not yet completed - critical gap for enterprise compliance
  • GDPR: Compliance claimed but no EU data residency available (all data processed/stored in US)
  • HIPAA: Not compliant - blocks healthcare use cases requiring protected health information
  • ISO 27001: Not certified
  • Data Residency: All data processed and stored in United States only - EU hosting "on roadmap" but not available
  • SSO Support: OAuth2 with Google, GitHub, Azure (Enterprise plan)
  • RBAC: Role-based access control available on Team tier ($495/month) and above
  • SCIM: User provisioning available on Enterprise plan only
  • Audit Logs: Enterprise plan includes comprehensive activity logging
  • Penetration Testing: KPMG-conducted security assessments
  • Compliance Monitoring: Drata monitors GDPR compliance controls
  • Data Retention: Automatic deletion of personal log data, API endpoints for GDPR "right to be forgotten"
  • Training Privacy: Conversation data not used to train Botpress or third-party models
  • Yes SOC 2 Type 2
  • Yes GDPR compliant
  • Yes HIPAA compliant
  • Yes ISO 27001
  • Yes PCI compliant
  • Yes CSA Star Level 1
  • Trust Center: trust.stonly.com with security documentation, subprocessor lists, controls information
  • SAML 2.0 SSO: Enterprise plan
  • IP allowlisting: Enterprise plan
  • Advanced RBAC: Enterprise plan
  • Two-factor authentication: SMS, email, hardware tokens, TOTP, U2F
  • Note: Data residency options not documented
  • Note: No explicit documentation on customer data usage for AI model training
  • International data transfers: Standard Contractual Clauses for EU compliance
  • Protects data in transit with SSL/TLS and at rest with 256-bit AES encryption.
  • Holds SOC 2 Type II certification and complies with GDPR, so your data stays isolated and private. Security Certifications
  • Offers fine-grained access controls—RBAC, two-factor auth, and SSO integration—so only the right people get in.
Observability & Monitoring
  • Pre-Configured Dashboard: Monthly users (total/new/returning), session counts, messages per session, 3-month trend overviews
  • Custom Analytics: Event tracking and custom boards require Team plan ($495/month)
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Live conversation feed in Conversations tab, runtime error visibility in Bot Dashboard
  • Usage Alerts: Notifications at 80% and 100% usage limit thresholds
  • AI Spend Tracking: Real-time cost monitoring with configurable spending caps
  • Conversation Logs: Accessible in Studio (development) and Dashboard (production) with expandable details and JSON payload viewers
  • Debugger: Step-by-step debugging (cmd/ctrl + j) with custom console.log() support in Code Cards
  • LLM Performance Metrics: Model speed comparison, error rates per model, token generation rates, AI spend per model
  • API Export: External BI tool integration (Tableau, Google Analytics)
  • Third-Party Analytics: Hooks for Mixpanel, Hotjar, Segment, Amplitude integration
  • Insights Dashboard: Guide views, unique visitors, bounce rates, step-by-step progression, drop-off analysis
  • NPS surveys: All plans
  • CSAT and CES surveys: Enterprise only
  • Flow reports: Update every 15 minutes (not real-time)
  • Data export: Integration with Segment, Zapier, Google Analytics
  • Note: No real-time visitor tracking
  • Note: No predictive analytics
  • Note: Basic compared to dedicated product analytics tools
  • Note: No heatmaps or A/B testing capabilities
  • Agent performance tracking: Relies on external help desk platform integration rather than native dashboards
  • Comes with a real-time analytics dashboard tracking query volumes, token usage, and indexing status.
  • Lets you export logs and metrics via API to plug into third-party monitoring or BI tools. Analytics API
  • Provides detailed insights for troubleshooting and ongoing optimization.
Support & Ecosystem
  • Free Plan Support: Community only - Discord (31,000+ members), documentation, forums
  • Plus Plan Support: Live chat with Botpress engineers ($89/month)
  • Team Plan Support: Advanced support + solution engineering ($495/month)
  • Enterprise Support: Named support manager, SLA-backed response times (~$2,000+/month)
  • Discord Community: 31,000+ highly active members with daily discussions, feature requests, troubleshooting
  • Community Reputation: Users praise as "hands down the best Discord experience I have had"
  • Enterprise SLA: 99.8% uptime guarantee with service credits (5-25% depending on severity)
  • Response Time SLAs: 2 business days (standard Level 1) to 2 hours (premium Level 1)
  • Service Credit Cap: Maximum monthly credit 50% of charges
  • Excused Downtime: Includes OpenAI unavailability (notable caveat for external dependency)
  • Training Resources: Botpress Academy with free courses, video tutorials, documentation at botpress.com/docs
  • Support Limitation: Non-Enterprise users lack formal ticketing system, may wait for engineers on complex issues
  • 4.8/5 G2 rating (132 reviews)
  • Ease of use praised in 32 G2 reviews
  • Help Center documentation
  • Email and chat support
  • Dedicated support: Enterprise plan
  • Learning resources: Pre-built templates, tutorials
  • Quick onboarding: Users report creating guides in under 30 minutes
  • Supplies rich docs, tutorials, cookbooks, and FAQs to get you started fast. Developer Docs
  • Offers quick email and in-app chat support—Premium and Enterprise plans add dedicated managers and faster SLAs. Enterprise Solutions
  • Benefits from an active user community plus integrations through Zapier and GitHub resources.
No- Code Interface & Usability
  • Visual Flow Builder: Node-based canvas with drag-and-drop conversation design
  • Action Cards: Text, Capture Information, Execute Code, AI Task, Knowledge Base, Integration actions
  • Autonomous Nodes: LLM decides action execution without manual flow definition
  • Knowledge Base UI: Drag-and-drop file upload (PDFs, documents), URL ingestion with automatic crawling, text input for manual content
  • Tables Feature: Visual structured data management without code
  • Visual Indexing: Available on Plus plan and above for knowledge base content organization
  • Pre-Built Templates: Recipe Bot, Recruitment Bot, Customer Support, Cinema Booking, AI Dungeon Master (~8 official templates + community contributions)
  • Template Customization: Predefined flows, knowledge bases, responses with full customization after import
  • Collaboration: Collaborator limits - 1 (free), 2 (Plus), 3 (Team), custom (Enterprise). Real-time simultaneous editing on Team plans
  • RBAC Requirement: Role-based access control requires Team plan ($495/month) - expensive for small teams
  • Code Extensibility: Execute Code cards allow TypeScript for advanced customization without leaving visual interface
  • 4.8/5 ease of use rating on G2
  • "Ease of use" mentioned 32 times in G2 reviews
  • Visual drag-and-drop editor requires no coding
  • Small learning curve - non-technical teams productive quickly
  • Guide creation in under 30 minutes reported by users
  • Pre-built templates for common scenarios
  • Intuitive interface for support teams
  • Note: Some navigation confusion reported in admin interface
  • Note: Cannot edit on mobile devices
  • Offers a wizard-style web dashboard so non-devs can upload content, brand the widget, and monitor performance.
  • Supports drag-and-drop uploads, visual theme editing, and in-browser chatbot testing. User Experience Review
  • Uses role-based access so business users and devs can collaborate smoothly.
R A G Capabilities
  • Platform Claim: "Most advanced RAG system in the market" - no independent benchmarks to validate
  • Standard RAG Pipeline: Document upload → format standardization → semantic chunking → embedding → vector storage → retrieval → generation
  • Semantic Chunking: Breaks documents into meaningful sections by topic rather than fixed character counts
  • Search API: contextDepth parameter for prepending/appending surrounding context to matching passages
  • Tag-Based Filtering: Scoped searches limited to specific knowledge subsets (max 50 results)
  • Multi-Layer Guardrails: RAG grounding + Policy Agent filtering + Knowledge Agent retrieval + HITL fallback
  • Client Results: Zero hallucinations in 100,000 conversations (health coaching client), 65% ticket deflection
  • Benchmark Gap: No RAGAS scores, latency measurements, or third-party validation published
  • Learnings System: Dynamically provides relevant examples at prompt-time to improve responses
  • Vector Storage: Purpose-built vector database with plan-based scaling (100MB to custom Enterprise)
  • AI Answers (Enterprise Add-On): Generative AI responses grounded in Stonly guides, external websites, and selected PDFs
  • Knowledge-Grounding: Responses anchored to structured content (interactive guides, decision trees, checklists) reducing hallucinations vs generic chatbots
  • Confidence-Based Fallback: Automatic switch to ML-powered search when AI confidence is low preventing unreliable answers
  • Multi-Source Ingestion: PDF uploads, public website crawling, Zendesk help center content indexing
  • Interactive Guide Format: Proprietary content model combining structured workflows with AI-generated answers
  • Limited Data Sources: No Google Drive, Dropbox, Notion, SharePoint, or YouTube transcript extraction
  • Manual Content Updates: Updates through Stonly's visual editor—no automatic syncing from external sources
  • 71% Self-Serve Success Rate: Documented effectiveness of AI Answers in reducing support escalations
  • Hallucination Controls: Strong grounding in structured content vs open-ended conversational AI
  • Core architecture: GPT-4 combined with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology, outperforming OpenAI in RAG benchmarks RAG Performance
  • Anti-hallucination technology: Advanced mechanisms reduce hallucinations and ensure responses are grounded in provided content Benchmark Details
  • Automatic citations: Each response includes clickable citations pointing to original source documents for transparency and verification
  • Optimized pipeline: Efficient vector search, smart chunking, and caching for sub-second reply times
  • Scalability: Maintains speed and accuracy for massive knowledge bases with tens of millions of words
  • Context-aware conversations: Multi-turn conversations with persistent history and comprehensive conversation management
  • Source verification: Always cites sources so users can verify facts on the spot
Omnichannel Deployment
  • Messaging Platforms: WhatsApp (Meta Business API), Slack (OAuth + Bot Framework), Microsoft Teams (Azure portal registration)
  • Social Media: Telegram (BotFather setup - easy), Messenger, Instagram (Meta integration - medium complexity)
  • SMS Support: Twilio and Vonage integrations for text messaging channels
  • Web Deployment: JavaScript widget (recommended), DOM element mounting, React component library for SPAs
  • Mobile Apps: React Native SDK (BpWidget, BpIncomingMessagesListener) for iOS/Android cross-platform integration
  • Webhook Architecture: Unique webhook URL per bot with optional x-bp-secret header authentication
  • CORS Configuration: Customizable for web embedding and API access
  • Deployment Complexity: Ranges from easy (Telegram) to complex (Microsoft Teams Azure setup, WhatsApp Meta Business)
  • Hub Marketplace: 100+ integrations for extended channel and platform support
N/A
N/A
Visual Bot Building
  • Node-Based Canvas: Drag-and-drop conversation flow design with visual connections between nodes
  • Action Cards: Pre-built components for Text responses, Capture Information (forms), Execute Code (TypeScript), AI Tasks, Knowledge Base queries
  • Integration Actions: Direct connections to CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot), support (Zendesk), data sources
  • Autonomous Nodes: LLM-driven decision making for dynamic conversation paths without manual flow definition
  • Code Extensibility: Execute Code cards allow full TypeScript programming within visual flows
  • Knowledge Base Management: Visual drag-and-drop file upload, URL ingestion, text input, Tables for structured data
  • Template Library: ~8 official pre-built bots (Recipe, Recruitment, Support, Cinema, AI Dungeon Master) + community contributions
  • Real-Time Testing: Test conversations directly in Studio before deployment
  • Version Control: No native system - requires external Git integration and manual management
N/A
N/A
R A G-as-a- Service Assessment
  • Platform Type: CONVERSATIONAL AI PLATFORM WITH RAG (not pure RAG service)
  • Core Architecture: Full bot builder with integrated RAG capabilities (semantic chunking, vector storage, retrieval)
  • Service Model: Cloud SaaS with visual development environment and omnichannel deployment
  • RAG Implementation: Standard pipeline with semantic chunking, Policy Agent guardrails, Knowledge Agent retrieval
  • LLM Integration: Native OpenAI support only - alternatives require custom workarounds
  • Citation Support: Knowledge Agent provides source references but specificity level not documented
  • Enterprise Readiness: SOC 2 in progress (not certified), no EU data residency, not HIPAA compliant
  • Target Users: Enterprise customer support teams, e-commerce businesses, multi-channel engagement needs
  • Key Differentiator: Visual bot building + omnichannel deployment + 750K+ bot scale validation
  • RAG Focus: RAG is one feature within comprehensive conversational AI platform, not standalone RAG API
  • Note: NOT a RAG-as-a-Service platform - fundamentally a knowledge base tool with embedded AI
  • Data source flexibility: Limited (PDF, public web, Zendesk only) vs comprehensive RAG platforms
  • LLM model options: None (undisclosed proprietary model, no user selection)
  • API-first architecture: Weak (widget-focused, limited SDKs, no server-side SDKs)
  • Performance benchmarks: Not published
  • Self-service AI pricing: Not available (Enterprise-gated, ~$39K/year)
  • Help desk integration depth: Excellent (best-in-class Zendesk, Salesforce, Freshdesk)
  • Hallucination controls: Strong (grounded in structured content)
  • Best for: Customer support ticket deflection, not flexible RAG backends
  • Not ideal for: Developers seeking pure RAG API, multi-tenant SaaS RAG backends, use cases needing model selection/fine-tuning
  • Platform Type: TRUE RAG-AS-A-SERVICE PLATFORM - all-in-one managed solution combining developer APIs with no-code deployment capabilities
  • Core Architecture: Serverless RAG infrastructure with automatic embedding generation, vector search optimization, and LLM orchestration fully managed behind API endpoints
  • API-First Design: Comprehensive REST API with well-documented endpoints for creating agents, managing projects, ingesting data (1,400+ formats), and querying chat API Documentation
  • Developer Experience: Open-source Python SDK (customgpt-client), Postman collections, OpenAI API endpoint compatibility, and extensive cookbooks for rapid integration
  • No-Code Alternative: Wizard-style web dashboard enables non-developers to upload content, brand widgets, and deploy chatbots without touching code
  • Hybrid Target Market: Serves both developer teams wanting robust APIs AND business users seeking no-code RAG deployment - unique positioning vs pure API platforms (Cohere) or pure no-code tools (Jotform)
  • RAG Technology Leadership: Industry-leading answer accuracy (median 5/5 benchmarked), 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription, proprietary anti-hallucination mechanisms, and citation-backed responses Benchmark Details
  • Deployment Flexibility: Cloud-hosted SaaS with auto-scaling, API integrations, embedded chat widgets, ChatGPT Plugin support, and hosted MCP Server for Claude/Cursor/ChatGPT
  • Enterprise Readiness: SOC 2 Type II + GDPR compliance, full white-labeling, domain allowlisting, RBAC with 2FA/SSO, and flat-rate pricing without per-query charges
  • Use Case Fit: Ideal for organizations needing both rapid no-code deployment AND robust API capabilities, teams handling diverse content types (1,400+ formats, multimedia transcription), and businesses requiring production-ready RAG without building ML infrastructure from scratch
  • Competitive Positioning: Bridges the gap between developer-first platforms (Cohere, Deepset) requiring heavy coding and no-code chatbot builders (Jotform, Kommunicate) lacking API depth - offers best of both worlds
Competitive Positioning
  • Primary Advantage: Visual bot building with code extensibility - accessible to non-developers, powerful for developers
  • Scale Validation: 750,000+ active bots and 1 billion+ messages processed prove production reliability at massive scale
  • Omnichannel Strength: Comprehensive native support for WhatsApp, Slack, Teams, Telegram, Messenger, SMS, web, mobile
  • Community Power: 31,000+ Discord members provide peer support, troubleshooting, best practices, feature validation
  • Primary Challenge: SOC 2 not certified, no EU data residency - critical gaps for enterprise buyers with compliance needs
  • Security Gap: Not HIPAA compliant, no ISO 27001 - blocks regulated industry adoption (healthcare, finance)
  • Cost Trade-Off: Free tier available but AI Spend unpredictability + feature paywalls (RBAC at $495/month) add complexity
  • Market Position: Conversational AI platform competing with Dialogflow, Rasa, Microsoft Bot Framework vs. pure RAG services
  • Use Case Fit: Ideal for teams needing visual bot building + multi-channel deployment vs. pure RAG API integrations
  • Platform vs. API: Full development environment with Studio, not lightweight RAG API - different target audience than CustomGPT
  • Unique strength: Interactive guide format for structured support content
  • vs CustomGPT: Not comparable - different product categories (knowledge base vs RAG-as-a-Service)
  • vs Zendesk: Lighter-weight alternative focused on self-service guides vs full customer service platform
  • vs traditional chatbots: Interactive guides provide structured paths vs free-form conversation
  • Target audience: Support teams using Zendesk/Salesforce, not developers building RAG applications
  • 70-76% ticket reduction documented in case studies
  • 71% self-serve success rate with AI Answers
  • Enterprise compliance suitable for regulated industries
  • Market position: Leading all-in-one RAG platform balancing enterprise-grade accuracy with developer-friendly APIs and no-code usability for rapid deployment
  • Target customers: Mid-market to enterprise organizations needing production-ready AI assistants, development teams wanting robust APIs without building RAG infrastructure, and businesses requiring 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription (YouTube, podcasts)
  • Key competitors: OpenAI Assistants API, Botsonic, Chatbase.co, Azure AI, and custom RAG implementations using LangChain
  • Competitive advantages: Industry-leading answer accuracy (median 5/5 benchmarked), 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription, SOC 2 Type II + GDPR compliance, full white-labeling included, OpenAI API endpoint compatibility, hosted MCP Server support (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT), generous data limits (60M words Standard, 300M Premium), and flat monthly pricing without per-query charges
  • Pricing advantage: Transparent flat-rate pricing at $99/month (Standard) and $449/month (Premium) with generous included limits; no hidden costs for API access, branding removal, or basic features; best value for teams needing both no-code dashboard and developer APIs in one platform
  • Use case fit: Ideal for businesses needing both rapid no-code deployment and robust API capabilities, organizations handling diverse content types (1,400+ formats, multimedia transcription), teams requiring white-label chatbots with source citations for customer-facing or internal knowledge projects, and companies wanting all-in-one RAG without managing ML infrastructure
A I Models
  • Native OpenAI Support: GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, GPT-4 Turbo with in-Studio presets ("Best Model" and "Fast Model" for quick selection)
  • Claude Models: Claude 4 Sonnet, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, Claude 4.5 Sonnet accessible via custom integrations or Execute Code cards
  • Google Gemini: Gemini Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash available through external API calls in custom integrations
  • Open Source Options: LLaMA, DeepSeek accessible via Execute Code cards with external API integration
  • Model Access within Days: Platform provides access to latest LLMs within days of release for every chatbot built on Botpress
  • No Automatic Routing: Deliberately avoided for "concerns about unpredictability and latency" - users manually select models per task
  • LLMz Engine: Proprietary inference layer with claimed improvements - better tool calling, token efficiency, TypeScript type definitions, V8 isolate execution
  • AI Spend Pricing: Charged at-cost with no Botpress markup on OpenAI tokens; option to use Botpress-managed credits or BYOK (bring your own key)
  • No Fine-Tuning: RAG recommended as primary approach, supplemented by "learnings" system providing relevant examples at prompt-time
  • Undisclosed Proprietary LLM: Stonly does not publicly disclose the specific model powering AI Answers feature
  • No Model Selection: Users cannot choose between GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, or other LLM providers
  • No Temperature Controls: No user-facing controls for adjusting response creativity, randomness, or formatting
  • No Fine-Tuning or Model Routing: Cannot customize model behavior beyond predefined AI Profiles and Custom Instructions
  • AI Profiles (Up to 20): Define tone, boundaries, and behavior for different use cases or audiences
  • Custom Instructions (Up to 100): Set specific rules and style guidelines for AI response generation
  • Guided AI Answers: Predefined responses for specific questions bypassing AI generation for sensitive scenarios
  • Automatic Fallback: Low-confidence scenarios trigger fallback to ML-powered search rather than forcing unreliable AI answer
  • Knowledge-Grounded Approach: AI responses anchored in Stonly guides, external websites, and PDFs to reduce hallucinations
  • Primary models: GPT-5.1 and 4 series from OpenAI, and Anthropic's Claude 4.5 (opus and sonnet) for enterprise needs
  • Automatic model selection: Balances cost and performance by automatically selecting the appropriate model for each request Model Selection Details
  • Proprietary optimizations: Custom prompt engineering and retrieval enhancements for high-quality, citation-backed answers
  • Managed infrastructure: All model management handled behind the scenes - no API keys or fine-tuning required from users
  • Anti-hallucination technology: Advanced mechanisms ensure chatbot only answers based on provided content, improving trust and factual accuracy
Use Cases
  • Customer Support: Most popular use case with 98% of chats resolved without human intervention (Ruby Labs: 4 million support chats monthly)
  • Sales Automation: Majority of deployed bots part of sales process - appointment scheduling, lead nurturing, product suggestions, competitive comparisons, automated follow-ups
  • Sales Impact: Businesses report average 67% sales increase using chatbots, projected $112 billion in retail sales for 2024
  • Enterprise Internal Use: HR chatbots for vacation requests, IT chatbots for employee tech troubleshooting, repetitive high-volume task automation
  • Lead Generation: AI lead generation qualifies leads through conversational engagement, needs assessment, information gathering, automated follow-up
  • Cost Savings: One bank saved €530,000 by deploying chatbot, demonstrating measurable enterprise ROI
  • Multi-Channel Engagement: WhatsApp Business API, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, SMS (Twilio/Vonage) for comprehensive reach
  • Scale Validation: 750,000+ active bots, 1 billion+ messages processed provide real-world production reliability proof
  • Customer Support Ticket Deflection: 70-76% ticket reduction through interactive self-service guides and AI Answers
  • Help Desk Integration: Deep Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk, ServiceNow integration for unified support workflows
  • Interactive Onboarding: Step-by-step guides, decision trees, and checklists for product onboarding and user education
  • Knowledge Base Enhancement: Augment traditional help centers with interactive guides and AI-powered search
  • Agent Assistance: Provide support agents with guided workflows and AI answers during live interactions
  • Multi-Language Support: Auto-translation on Enterprise plan for global support teams and multilingual customers
  • Complex Troubleshooting: Decision tree logic guides users through multi-step troubleshooting processes
  • Compliance & Training: Structured guides ensuring consistent information delivery for regulated industries
  • Customer support automation: AI assistants handling common queries, reducing support ticket volume, providing 24/7 instant responses with source citations
  • Internal knowledge management: Employee self-service for HR policies, technical documentation, onboarding materials, company procedures across 1,400+ file formats
  • Sales enablement: Product information chatbots, lead qualification, customer education with white-labeled widgets on websites and apps
  • Documentation assistance: Technical docs, help centers, FAQs with automatic website crawling and sitemap indexing
  • Educational platforms: Course materials, research assistance, student support with multimedia content (YouTube transcriptions, podcasts)
  • Healthcare information: Patient education, medical knowledge bases (SOC 2 Type II compliant for sensitive data)
  • Financial services: Product guides, compliance documentation, customer education with GDPR compliance
  • E-commerce: Product recommendations, order assistance, customer inquiries with API integration to 5,000+ apps via Zapier
  • SaaS onboarding: User guides, feature explanations, troubleshooting with multi-agent support for different teams
Security & Compliance
  • SOC 2 Type 2: Certification in progress but NOT yet completed - critical gap for enterprise compliance requirements
  • GDPR Compliance: Claimed but NO EU data residency available - all data processed/stored in United States only
  • NOT HIPAA Compliant: Blocks healthcare use cases requiring protected health information handling
  • NOT ISO 27001 Certified: Information security management certification absent
  • US-Only Data Residency: All data processed and stored in United States - EU hosting "on roadmap" but not available
  • SSO Support: OAuth2 with Google, GitHub, Azure available on Enterprise plan only
  • RBAC: Role-based access control available on Team tier ($495/month) and above
  • SCIM: User provisioning available on Enterprise plan only for automated user management
  • Audit Logs: Enterprise plan includes comprehensive activity logging for compliance tracking
  • Security Assessments: KPMG-conducted penetration testing, Drata monitors GDPR compliance controls
  • Data Retention: Automatic deletion of personal log data, API endpoints for GDPR "right to be forgotten" compliance
  • Training Privacy: Conversation data NOT used to train Botpress or third-party models
  • SOC 2 Type 2: Service Organization Control certification for security, availability, and confidentiality
  • GDPR Compliant: European data protection regulation compliance with data processing agreements
  • HIPAA Compliant: Healthcare data protection requirements for medical organizations and patient information
  • ISO 27001: International information security management system standard
  • PCI Compliant: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard for handling payment information
  • CSA Star Level 1: Cloud Security Alliance STAR self-assessment certification
  • Trust Center: Public trust.stonly.com with security documentation, subprocessor lists, and controls information
  • SAML 2.0 SSO (Enterprise): Single sign-on integration with enterprise identity providers
  • IP Allowlisting (Enterprise): Restrict access to specific IP ranges for enhanced security
  • Advanced RBAC (Enterprise): Role-based access control with granular permissions and activity tracking
  • Two-Factor Authentication: SMS, email, hardware tokens, TOTP, U2F for account security
  • International Data Transfers: Standard Contractual Clauses for EU compliance and data protection
  • Data Residency: Options not publicly documented—may limit deployment in certain jurisdictions
  • Encryption: SSL/TLS for data in transit, 256-bit AES encryption for data at rest
  • SOC 2 Type II certification: Industry-leading security standards with regular third-party audits Security Certifications
  • GDPR compliance: Full compliance with European data protection regulations, ensuring data privacy and user rights
  • Access controls: Role-based access control (RBAC), two-factor authentication (2FA), SSO integration for enterprise security
  • Data isolation: Customer data stays isolated and private - platform never trains on user data
  • Domain allowlisting: Ensures chatbot appears only on approved sites for security and brand protection
  • Secure deployments: ChatGPT Plugin support for private use cases with controlled access
Pricing & Plans
  • Pay-as-you-go (Free): $0/month + AI Spend, 500 messages, 100MB vector storage, 1 bot, 1 collaborator, $5 AI credit included
  • Plus Plan: $89/month + AI Spend, 5,000 messages, 1GB vector storage, white-label, HITL, live chat support
  • Team Plan: $495/month + AI Spend, 50,000 messages, 2GB vector storage, RBAC, collaboration, 3 bots, custom analytics
  • Enterprise Plan: ~$2,000+/month custom pricing, unlimited messages/storage, SSO, SLA (99.8% uptime), dedicated manager
  • AI Spend Unpredictability: Token consumption varies significantly with conversation length, tool usage, model selection
  • Spending Caps: $100/month (Plus), $500/month (Team), custom (Enterprise) to control AI costs
  • Overage Pricing: $20 per 5,000 messages, $20/GB vector storage, $10/bot/month Always Alive feature
  • Third-Party Costs: WhatsApp, SMS, voice integrations incur separate Meta/Twilio fees beyond Botpress pricing
  • Enterprise Contracts: May require multi-year commitments (3-year contracts mentioned in reviews)
  • Enterprise SLA: 99.8% uptime guarantee with service credits (5-25% depending on severity), maximum monthly credit 50% of charges
  • Basic (Free): 5 guides, 400 views/month, 1 seat, single language, Stonly branding
  • Small Business ($249/mo or $199/mo annual): Unlimited guides, 4,000 views/month, 5 seats, 3 knowledge bases, CSS customization, Zapier, NPS surveys
  • Enterprise (Custom, ~$39K/year avg): Custom views, unlimited seats, white-label, SAML SSO, auto-translation, CSAT/CES surveys, Mobile SDKs
  • AI Answers (Enterprise Add-On): Available only as paid add-on to Enterprise plan—not included in Small Business tier
  • Overage Pricing: +15K views = $200/month, +30K views = $400/month (escalates quickly)
  • Automatic Tier Upgrades: Exceeding limits for 2 consecutive months triggers automatic upgrade and billing adjustment
  • Enterprise-Gated Features: AI Answers, Mobile SDKs, SAML SSO, white-labeling all require Enterprise plan
  • Average Enterprise Contract: ~$39,000 annually according to Vendr procurement data
  • Standard Plan: $99/month or $89/month annual - 10 custom chatbots, 5,000 items per chatbot, 60 million words per bot, basic helpdesk support, standard security View Pricing
  • Premium Plan: $499/month or $449/month annual - 100 custom chatbots, 20,000 items per chatbot, 300 million words per bot, advanced support, enhanced security, additional customization
  • Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing - Comprehensive AI solutions, highest security and compliance, dedicated account managers, custom SSO, token authentication, priority support with faster SLAs Enterprise Solutions
  • 7-Day Free Trial: Full access to Standard features without charges - available to all users
  • Annual billing discount: Save 10% by paying upfront annually ($89/mo Standard, $449/mo Premium)
  • Flat monthly rates: No per-query charges, no hidden costs for API access or white-labeling (included in all plans)
  • Managed infrastructure: Auto-scaling cloud infrastructure included - no additional hosting or scaling fees
Support & Documentation
  • Free Plan Support: Community only - Discord (31,000+ members), documentation, forums - no direct support
  • Plus Plan Support: Live chat with Botpress engineers ($89/month) for direct technical assistance
  • Team Plan Support: Advanced support + solution engineering ($495/month) for complex implementations
  • Enterprise Support: Named support manager, SLA-backed response times (2 hours to 2 business days), ~$2,000+/month
  • Discord Community: 31,000+ highly active members with daily discussions, feature requests, troubleshooting - praised as "best Discord experience"
  • Documentation: Comprehensive docs at botpress.com/docs with API references, video tutorials, "Ask AI" feature for guided help
  • Botpress Academy: Free training courses covering bot development, best practices, advanced features
  • Response Time SLAs: 2 business days (standard Level 1) to 2 hours (premium Level 1) for Enterprise customers
  • Service Credits: 99.8% uptime SLA with credits for downtime, includes OpenAI unavailability (notable external dependency caveat)
  • Support Limitation: Non-Enterprise users lack formal ticketing system, may experience wait times for complex issues
  • 4.8/5 G2 Rating: 132 reviews with consistently high satisfaction scores
  • Ease of Use Praised: "Ease of use" mentioned 32 times in G2 reviews indicating intuitive platform
  • Help Center Documentation: Comprehensive guides and tutorials for platform features
  • Email and Chat Support: Standard support channels for all paid plans
  • Dedicated Support (Enterprise): Priority support with dedicated account team and faster response times
  • Pre-Built Templates: Common support scenario templates accelerating guide creation
  • Quick Onboarding: Users report creating guides in under 30 minutes with small learning curve
  • REST API Documentation: API reference for user provisioning, content management, and widget control
  • Mobile SDKs (Enterprise): iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter for native app integration
  • Limited Developer Resources: No Python/Node.js SDKs, GraphQL, OpenAPI specs, or API Explorer/sandbox
  • Documentation hub: Rich docs, tutorials, cookbooks, FAQs, API references for rapid onboarding Developer Docs
  • Email and in-app support: Quick support via email and in-app chat for all users
  • Premium support: Premium and Enterprise plans include dedicated account managers and faster SLAs
  • Code samples: Cookbooks, step-by-step guides, and examples for every skill level API Documentation
  • Open-source resources: Python SDK (customgpt-client), Postman collections, GitHub integrations Open-Source SDK
  • Active community: User community plus 5,000+ app integrations through Zapier ecosystem
  • Regular updates: Platform stays current with ongoing GPT and retrieval improvements automatically
Additional Considerations
  • High learning curve: Platform highly flexible but non-technical users struggle with advanced flow builder and developer-oriented features
  • Developer dependency: No quick copy-and-paste solution for real enterprise - company needs long-term employees ready to see it through with recommended 1-2 developers and 1-2 business-side employees per project
  • Performance under load: Live users report latency and webhook timeout issues under spiky high-concurrency loads - high-traffic teams should stress-test with projected peak traffic
  • Self-hosting complexity: For enterprise deployments with large numbers of bots or conversations self-hosting might be required shifting maintenance and scaling challenges to your team
  • Technical requirements: Configuring Docker, Kubernetes, databases, and certificates can become roadblock - requires skills in JavaScript, API integration, NLP, state management
  • DevOps investment needed: Teams should be prepared for additional DevOps investment for autoscaling, database sharding, and backup strategies
  • Unpredictable AI usage costs: Every message, retrieval, or workflow call consumes tokens making monthly bills swing dramatically depending on traffic and complexity
  • Hidden expenses: Third-party services like WhatsApp, SMS, voice integrations billed separately - advanced use cases often require engineering hours, enterprise deployments may require onboarding packages, compliance audits, or custom module builds costing thousands
  • Scaling costs: Growing from 5,000 to 20,000 MAUs means moving from $495/month to much higher custom enterprise price - multiple bots, custom integrations, or premium add-ons can push monthly spend well past initial plan quote
  • Resource-heavy features: Botpress LLM features can be resource-heavy requiring wise CPU/memory allocation planning
  • Commercial license threshold: Planning more than 150K interactions per month requires commercial license
  • Ongoing maintenance: Deployment is just start - bots must be continuously monitored, tested, and iterated to stay effective and aligned with evolving business goals
  • Limited UI customization: Limited ability to customize user interface and workflows to match specific brand requirements is primary user concern
  • Basic collaboration tools: Without real-time editing or advanced team management features can hinder team productivity when multiple people need to work together
  • No offline access: Guides unavailable without internet connectivity reducing usability in areas with unreliable internet
  • Performance degradation: Can degrade with very large or complex guides causing slower responsiveness indicating scalability concerns
  • Restricted language options: Limit efficient creation of multilingual content which may be barrier for global organizations
  • Mixed media support missing: Users find missing features wishing for mixed media support and enhanced reporting tools
  • Step ordering difficulties: Users report limitations in feature usability and difficulties with step ordering though support offers helpful workarounds
  • Requires coding knowledge: Unlike most competitors, doesn't advertise as no-code platform - need coding knowledge to track events, target users, stream data, and style content
  • Image workflow limitations: Inability to use images in base offering limits utility in some workflows with some advanced features requiring extra costs
  • View-based pricing: Charges additional fees based on guide views - customers exceeding 4,000 guide views/month pay extra $250-500 monthly depending on volume
  • Integration reliability: Users find lack of integrations limits ability to fully connect Stonly with other tools - Stonly/Zendesk integration isn't as reliable as desired (stops working every few weeks)
  • Slashes engineering overhead with an all-in-one RAG platform—no in-house ML team required.
  • Gets you to value quickly: launch a functional AI assistant in minutes.
  • Stays current with ongoing GPT and retrieval improvements, so you’re always on the latest tech.
  • Balances top-tier accuracy with ease of use, perfect for customer-facing or internal knowledge projects.
Core Chatbot Features
  • Advanced AI capabilities: Extremely advanced AI with multiple sophisticated AI agents - automatic translation, conversation summarization, Vision Agent for image understanding
  • LLMz custom inference engine: Core of every Botpress agent with proprietary engine for enhanced performance
  • Conversational memory: Rich conversational memory maintaining context across long interactions, understanding complex multi-turn queries, and generating human-like responses
  • User memory across sessions: Agent remembers conversation history of specific users across different times - recalls user preferences, where they left off, and preferred tone of voice
  • Visual flow builder: Drag-and-drop interface for designing complex conversational flows without coding
  • Built-in AI features: Intent recognition, entity extraction, knowledge base integration, and AI agents
  • Custom data training: Train chatbot on custom data like website and documents
  • Multi-channel deployment: Create and launch chatbots on many channels including website, Facebook, WhatsApp, Slack, Instagram and more platforms
  • API integrations: Integrates with APIs, CRMs, databases, and other business applications
  • Automatic translation: Over 100 languages for global reach
  • AI Swarms/Teams (2025): Platform transformed into mature "AI workforce deployment and management center" with AI team collaboration capabilities
  • Live Database Connectors: Breakthrough feature allowing direct secure connection to SQL or NoSQL database in addition to traditional API connections
  • Open-source flexibility: Users have access to application source code and can contribute to development - skilled developers can push envelope to tailor to unique needs
  • Interactive step-by-step guides: Visual flow builder for creating structured content paths
  • Decision trees and branching logic: Guide users through complex troubleshooting with intelligent path selection
  • Checklists and task management: Help users complete multi-step processes with progress tracking
  • Contact forms and lead capture: Integrated forms for collecting customer information during interactions
  • Content versioning: Side-by-side comparison and instant restore on Business and Enterprise plans for content management
  • Multi-language support: Auto-translation on Enterprise plan for global deployments
  • Knowledge bases: 3 on Small Business plan, unlimited on Enterprise for organizing content
  • Guide views tracking: 400 (Free), 4,000 (Small Business), custom (Enterprise) for monitoring usage
  • NPS surveys: Available on all plans for measuring customer satisfaction
  • CSAT and CES surveys: Enterprise only for comprehensive satisfaction and effort measurement
  • Reduces hallucinations by grounding replies in your data and adding source citations for transparency. Benchmark Details
  • Handles multi-turn, context-aware chats with persistent history and solid conversation management.
  • Speaks 90+ languages, making global rollouts straightforward.
  • Includes extras like lead capture (email collection) and smooth handoff to a human when needed.
Customization & Flexibility ( Behavior & Knowledge)
  • Knowledge Bases: Upload in variety of formats ranging from website or document to custom text file or Table
  • Knowledge Base scoping: Scope which Knowledge Bases Autonomous Node searches by organizing documents into folders limiting availability to certain workflows
  • Search field configuration: Configure search fields such as name, description, power, price to refine bot responses
  • Dynamic management: Programmatically manage Knowledge Base files with Botpress API to dynamically add, update, or remove content in real time keeping AI agent knowledge current
  • Behavior customization: Define specific behaviors in instructions to avoid unintended outputs - specify prices are final and include all discounts to prevent bot from fabricating discounts
  • Custom responses: Program custom response by adding Transition Card in Autonomous Node and handle transition however wanted with custom error messages
  • Bot templates: Pre-configured projects containing predefined conversational flows, Knowledge Bases, and responses serving as starting point - easily customized and extended to meet specific requirements with full developer control
  • Visual customization: Give bot name, store avatar URL for custom icon, provide general description, formulate placeholder text displayed before user enters first text
  • ChatGPT consultation: Customize bot behavior deciding when to consult ChatGPT based on knowledge base responses
  • Highly customizable workflows: Unlimited variables and open-source flexibility for advanced customization
  • CSS and HTML customization: Change layout and look of knowledge base with custom code capabilities
  • Intuitive customization tools: Easy-to-use tools that don't require code for basic customization
  • Layout customization: Decide how content is structured and presented with flexible options
  • Design controls: Manage visual components like colors, logo, or cover image for brand alignment
  • Personalized content: Use customer data to show personalized content from knowledge base for targeted experiences
  • Data-driven personalization: Customers see what they need right away when first accessing knowledge base
  • Analytics insights: Guide usage analytics provide insight into customer behavior for continuous improvement
  • Highly flexible platform: Users appreciate ability to use Stonly for knowledge bases and guided tours with target properties based on specific user needs
  • Rich media support: Add images, GIFs, videos, and annotations to bring knowledge base content to life
  • Third-party scripts: Install scripts from other tools like Google Analytics for extended functionality
  • Lets you add, remove, or tweak content on the fly—automatic re-indexing keeps everything current.
  • Shapes agent behavior through system prompts and sample Q&A, ensuring a consistent voice and focus. Learn How to Update Sources
  • Supports multiple agents per account, so different teams can have their own bots.
  • Balances hands-on control with smart defaults—no deep ML expertise required to get tailored behavior.
Limitations & Considerations
  • Steep Learning Curve: Platform highly flexible but non-technical users struggle with advanced flow builder and developer-oriented features
  • Developer Dependency: Requires developer involvement making it less suitable for small businesses needing quick setup
  • Performance Issues: Users report latency and laggy software experience impacting workflow efficiency
  • Bug Disruptions: Various bugs may disrupt workflows and cause functionality problems requiring troubleshooting
  • Missing Features: White-labeling, global compliance, seamless live support require heavy effort or unavailable, slowing adoption
  • Data Visibility Gap: Cannot see user variables (name, email, custom fields) in chatbot conversations - limits analytics capabilities
  • Cost for SMBs: Enterprise-level security, compliance, dedicated support cost prohibitive for smaller teams ($495-$2,000+/month)
  • Resource Requirements: Self-hosted deployment requires IT resources for deployment and ongoing management
  • Complex Setup: Publishing on Facebook/Instagram technically complex, live chat only available on higher-priced plans
  • Limited Analytics: Standard plans offer limited analytical capabilities - advanced analytics require Team plan ($495/month)
  • LLM Provider Dependency: Reliance on third-party LLM providers (primarily OpenAI) impacts operational costs, scalability, and control
  • Complex Issue Handling: Chatbots may struggle with handling complex, nuanced customer issues requiring human judgment
  • Multi-Instance Challenges: Setting up multiple instances from one installation proven difficult for some enterprise users
  • Compliance Gaps: SOC 2 incomplete, no HIPAA, no ISO 27001, US-only data residency blocks regulated industries and EU enterprises
  • NOT a RAG-as-a-Service Platform: Fundamentally a knowledge base tool with embedded AI—not a flexible RAG backend
  • AI Answers Enterprise-Gated: Core AI capabilities require expensive Enterprise plan (~$39K/year)—not available on $249/month Small Business tier
  • Undisclosed AI Model: No transparency on LLM provider—users cannot select or customize models
  • Limited Data Source Flexibility: PDF, public web, Zendesk only—missing Google Drive, Dropbox, Notion, SharePoint, YouTube
  • No Automatic Content Syncing: Manual updates through visual editor—no real-time integration with external knowledge sources
  • Missing Consumer Messaging: No Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram, Microsoft Teams native integrations (confirmed by user reviews)
  • No Omnichannel Messaging: Primarily website embedding and help desk integration—limited multi-channel support
  • Cannot Edit on Mobile: Guide creation and editing restricted to desktop—mobile limitation for on-the-go teams
  • Angular Compatibility Issues: Reported "random" behavior with Angular framework dynamic code
  • No Real-Time Analytics: Flow reports update every 15 minutes—not true real-time monitoring
  • Limited Developer API: No Python/Node.js SDKs, GraphQL, Swagger specs, or API sandbox for testing
  • Overage Pricing Escalation: View limits can trigger expensive automatic upgrades after 2 consecutive months
  • Not Ideal For: Developers seeking pure RAG API, multi-tenant SaaS RAG backends, use cases needing model selection/fine-tuning, or flexible data source integration
  • Managed service approach: Less control over underlying RAG pipeline configuration compared to build-your-own solutions like LangChain
  • Vendor lock-in: Proprietary platform - migration to alternative RAG solutions requires rebuilding knowledge bases
  • Model selection: Limited to OpenAI (GPT-5.1 and 4 series) and Anthropic (Claude, opus and sonnet 4.5) - no support for other LLM providers (Cohere, AI21, open-source models)
  • Pricing at scale: Flat-rate pricing may become expensive for very high-volume use cases (millions of queries/month) compared to pay-per-use models
  • Customization limits: While highly configurable, some advanced RAG techniques (custom reranking, hybrid search strategies) may not be exposed
  • Language support: Supports 90+ languages but performance may vary for less common languages or specialized domains
  • Real-time data: Knowledge bases require re-indexing for updates - not ideal for real-time data requirements (stock prices, live inventory)
  • Enterprise features: Some advanced features (custom SSO, token authentication) only available on Enterprise plan with custom pricing
Core Knowledge Base Features
N/A
  • Interactive step-by-step guides with visual flow builder
  • Decision trees and branching logic
  • Checklists and task management
  • Contact forms and lead capture
  • Content versioning: Side-by-side comparison, instant restore
  • Multi-language support: Auto-translation on Enterprise plan
  • Knowledge bases: 3 on Small Business, unlimited on Enterprise
  • Guide views tracking: 400 (Free), 4,000 (Small Business), custom (Enterprise)
  • NPS surveys: All plans
  • CSAT and CES surveys: Enterprise only
N/A
A I Answers Feature ( Enterprise Only)
N/A
  • Note: Available only as paid Enterprise add-on - not included in Small Business plan
  • Generative AI responses grounded in Stonly guides, external websites, and selected PDFs
  • 20 AI Profiles per team: Define tone, boundaries, and behavior
  • 100 Custom Instructions per team: Detailed response rules
  • Guided AI Answers: Predefined responses for specific questions
  • Confidence-based fallback: Automatically switches to ML-powered search when AI confidence is low
  • 71% self-serve success rate achieved with AI Answers
  • Hallucination reduction: Knowledge-grounding approach vs generic chatbots
N/A

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Final Thoughts

Final Verdict: Botpress vs Stonly

After analyzing features, pricing, performance, and user feedback, both Botpress and Stonly are capable platforms that serve different market segments and use cases effectively.

When to Choose Botpress

  • You value visual drag-and-drop builder with extensive code extensibility via execute code cards
  • Massive scale validation: 750,000+ active bots, 1 billion+ messages processed
  • Comprehensive omnichannel support: WhatsApp, Slack, Teams, Telegram, Messenger, SMS, web

Best For: Visual drag-and-drop builder with extensive code extensibility via Execute Code cards

When to Choose Stonly

  • You value exceptional ease of use - 4.8/5 g2 rating with intuitive visual editor praised in 32 reviews
  • Deep help desk integrations - bidirectional Zendesk, Salesforce, Freshdesk, ServiceNow connections
  • Strong compliance - SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI, CSA Star Level 1

Best For: Exceptional ease of use - 4.8/5 G2 rating with intuitive visual editor praised in 32 reviews

Migration & Switching Considerations

Switching between Botpress and Stonly requires careful planning. Consider data export capabilities, API compatibility, and integration complexity. Both platforms offer migration support, but expect 2-4 weeks for complete transition including testing and team training.

Pricing Comparison Summary

Botpress starts at custom pricing, while Stonly begins at $249/month. Total cost of ownership should factor in implementation time, training requirements, API usage fees, and ongoing support. Enterprise deployments typically see annual costs ranging from $10,000 to $500,000+ depending on scale and requirements.

Our Recommendation Process

  1. Start with a free trial - Both platforms offer trial periods to test with your actual data
  2. Define success metrics - Response accuracy, latency, user satisfaction, cost per query
  3. Test with real use cases - Don't rely on generic demos; use your production data
  4. Evaluate total cost - Factor in implementation time, training, and ongoing maintenance
  5. Check vendor stability - Review roadmap transparency, update frequency, and support quality

For most organizations, the decision between Botpress and Stonly comes down to specific requirements rather than overall superiority. Evaluate both platforms with your actual data during trial periods, focusing on accuracy, latency, ease of integration, and total cost of ownership.

📚 Next Steps

Ready to make your decision? We recommend starting with a hands-on evaluation of both platforms using your specific use case and data.

  • Review: Check the detailed feature comparison table above
  • Test: Sign up for free trials and test with real queries
  • Calculate: Estimate your monthly costs based on expected usage
  • Decide: Choose the platform that best aligns with your requirements

Last updated: December 11, 2025 | This comparison is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the latest platform capabilities, pricing, and user feedback.

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Priyansh Khodiyar's avatar

Priyansh Khodiyar

DevRel at CustomGPT.ai. Passionate about AI and its applications. Here to help you navigate the world of AI tools and make informed decisions for your business.

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