{"id":31141,"date":"2026-07-27T09:30:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T07:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/ai-chatbot-agency\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T16:44:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T14:44:28","slug":"ai-chatbot-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Chatbot Agency: Pricing, Services and How to Choose (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>(function(){var s=document.createElement(\"style\");s.appendChild(document.createTextNode(\".bn-art{--bn-cream:#faf8f2;--bn-card:#faf6ea;--bn-sand:#ebe3cb;--bn-sand-2:#f3ecd9;--bn-sand-zebra:#f6f0df;--bn-coral:#fe716b;--bn-coral-soft:#fdeeed;--bn-coral-line:#f6c9c6;--bn-blue:#5b7bfb;--bn-blue-soft:#eef1fe;--bn-blue-line:#c9d4fb;--bn-green:#7bbf66;--bn-green-soft:#eef6ea;--bn-ink:#3d351f;--bn-text:#414b56;--bn-muted:#6d6653;--bn-border:#e6dcc2;--bn-r:16px;--bn-r-sm:11px;--bn-sp:22px;--bn-sh:0 1px 2px rgba(61,53,31,.05),0 10px 26px rgba(61,53,31,.07);--bn-sh-sm:0 1px 2px rgba(61,53,31,.05),0 4px 12px rgba(61,53,31,.05);--bn-mono:'IBM Plex Mono','SFMono-Regular',ui-monospace,'Courier New',monospace;color:var(--bn-text);font-size:18px;line-height:1.75;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}.bn-art *{box-sizing:border-box}.bn-art p{margin:0 0 1.15em;color:var(--bn-text)}.bn-art h2{color:var(--bn-ink);font-weight:700;line-height:1.25;font-size:1.72em;margin:2.2em 0 .7em;letter-spacing:-.01em}.bn-art h3{color:var(--bn-ink);font-weight:700;font-size:1.22em;margin:1.8em 0 .5em}.bn-art a{color:#3f5cd6;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:2px;text-decoration-thickness:1px}.bn-art a:hover{color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-art strong{color:var(--bn-ink);font-weight:700}.bn-art ul,.bn-art ol{margin:0 0 1.3em;padding-left:1.25em}.bn-art li{margin:.4em 0}.bn-art ul li::marker{color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-art ol li::marker{color:var(--bn-blue);font-weight:700}.bn-klabel{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:7px;font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:14px;font-weight:600;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.12em;color:var(--bn-coral);margin:0 0 .2em}.bn-klabel svg{width:15px;height:15px;flex:none}.bn-tldr{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-left:4px solid var(--bn-coral);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:20px 24px;margin:0 0 30px;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-tldr p{margin:0;color:var(--bn-text)}.bn-tldr p+p{margin-top:.6em}.bn-toc{background:var(--bn-sand-2);border:1px solid var(--bn-sand);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:18px 22px;margin:0 0 34px}.bn-toc .bn-klabel{color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-toc ol{margin:.4em 0 0;padding-left:1.2em;columns:2;column-gap:28px}.bn-toc li{margin:.25em 0;break-inside:avoid}.bn-toc a{color:var(--bn-ink);text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;font-size:.96em}.bn-toc a:hover{color:var(--bn-coral);text-decoration:underline}.bn-stats{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr);gap:16px;margin:28px 0}.bn-stat{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:20px 18px;text-align:center;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-stat b{display:block;font-size:2em;line-height:1.1;color:var(--bn-coral);font-weight:800;letter-spacing:-.02em}.bn-stat span{display:block;margin-top:6px;font-size:.86em;color:var(--bn-muted);line-height:1.45}.bn-stat:nth-child(2) b{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-stat:nth-child(3) b{color:var(--bn-ink)}.bn-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:18px;margin:26px 0}.bn-card{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:22px;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-card h4{margin:.1em 0 .35em;color:var(--bn-ink);font-size:1.06em;font-weight:700;display:flex;gap:9px;align-items:center}.bn-card h4 svg{width:20px;height:20px;flex:none;color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-card p{margin:0;font-size:.96em}.bn-ex{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:20px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh);position:relative}.bn-ex-h{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:13px;margin-bottom:14px}.bn-ex-n{flex:none;width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:11px;background:var(--bn-coral-soft);color:var(--bn-coral);display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:1.1em;font-family:var(--bn-mono)}.bn-ex-h h3{margin:0;font-size:1.18em}.bn-ex-tag{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:11px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.1em;color:var(--bn-muted);display:block;margin-top:2px}.bn-ex p{margin:.2em 0 .9em}.bn-ex .bn-ba{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:12px;margin-top:14px}.bn-ba div{border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);padding:13px 15px;font-size:.9em;line-height:1.5}.bn-ba .biz{background:var(--bn-blue-soft);border:1px solid var(--bn-blue-line)}.bn-ba .cli{background:var(--bn-green-soft);border:1px solid #cfe6c4}.bn-ba b{display:block;font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:10.5px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.08em;margin-bottom:4px;color:var(--bn-muted)}.bn-tablewrap{overflow-x:auto;margin:26px 0;border-radius:var(--bn-r);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-art table{width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;background:var(--bn-card);font-size:.94em;min-width:520px}.bn-art thead th{background:var(--bn-ink);color:#fbf7ec;text-align:left;font-weight:700;padding:13px 16px;font-size:16px}.bn-art tbody td{padding:12px 16px;border-top:1px solid var(--bn-border);color:var(--bn-text);vertical-align:top;font-size:16px}.bn-art tbody tr:nth-child(even){background:var(--bn-sand-zebra)}.bn-art tbody td:first-child{font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-ink)}.bn-cols{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:18px;margin:26px 0}.bn-col{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:22px;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-col h4{margin:0 0 12px;font-size:1.05em;color:var(--bn-ink);display:flex;align-items:center;gap:9px}.bn-col h4 svg{width:20px;height:20px;flex:none}.bn-col.biz h4 svg{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-col.cli h4 svg{color:var(--bn-green)}.bn-col ul{margin:0;padding:0;list-style:none}.bn-col li{position:relative;padding-left:26px;margin:.55em 0;font-size:.96em}.bn-col li::before{content:\\\"\\\";position:absolute;left:0;top:.5em;width:13px;height:13px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border:2px solid var(--bn-coral)}.bn-col.biz li::before{background:var(--bn-blue-soft);border-color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-col.cli li::before{background:var(--bn-green-soft);border-color:var(--bn-green)}.bn-call{display:flex;gap:14px;border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:18px 20px;margin:24px 0;background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-call svg{width:22px;height:22px;flex:none;margin-top:1px}.bn-call b{color:var(--bn-ink)}.bn-call p{margin:0;font-size:.95em}.bn-call .bn-klabel{margin-bottom:3px}.bn-tip{border-left:4px solid var(--bn-green)}.bn-tip svg{color:var(--bn-green)}.bn-tip .bn-klabel{color:var(--bn-green)}.bn-warn{border-left:4px solid var(--bn-coral)}.bn-warn svg{color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-warn .bn-klabel{color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-info{border-left:4px solid var(--bn-blue)}.bn-info svg{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-info .bn-klabel{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-def{background:var(--bn-blue-soft);border:1px solid var(--bn-blue-line);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:20px 24px;margin:24px 0}.bn-def .bn-klabel{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-def p{margin:0}.bn-steps{counter-reset:s;list-style:none;padding:0;margin:24px 0}.bn-steps li{position:relative;padding:0 0 4px 56px;margin:0 0 18px;min-height:40px}.bn-steps li::before{counter-increment:s;content:counter(s);position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:40px;height:40px;border-radius:12px;background:var(--bn-coral);color:#fff;font-weight:800;font-family:var(--bn-mono);display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm)}.bn-steps li b{display:block;color:var(--bn-ink);margin-bottom:2px}.bn-check{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-check h3{margin:.1em 0 .3em}.bn-check>p{font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin-bottom:14px}.bn-check ul{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 18px}.bn-check li{margin:0;border-top:1px solid var(--bn-border)}.bn-check li:first-child{border-top:none}.bn-check label{display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:13px;padding:12px 2px;cursor:pointer;font-size:.97em;color:var(--bn-text)}.bn-check input{appearance:none;-webkit-appearance:none;flex:none;width:22px;height:22px;margin-top:1px;border:2px solid var(--bn-coral-line);border-radius:7px;background:#fff;cursor:pointer;position:relative;transition:.15s}.bn-check input:checked{background:var(--bn-coral);border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-check input:checked::after{content:\\\"\\\";position:absolute;left:6px;top:2px;width:6px;height:11px;border:solid #fff;border-width:0 2.5px 2.5px 0;transform:rotate(45deg)}.bn-result{border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);padding:16px 18px;background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border:1px solid var(--bn-coral-line);font-size:.96em}.bn-result b{color:var(--bn-ink)}.bn-result .bn-score{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-result .bnc-res{display:none;margin-top:10px}.bn-result .bnc-res.on{display:block}.bn-result .bnc-res p{margin:0;color:var(--bn-text)}.bn-faq{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);margin:0 0 12px;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm);overflow:hidden}.bn-faq summary{cursor:pointer;padding:17px 20px;font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-ink);list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:14px;font-size:1.03em}.bn-faq summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.bn-faq summary::after{content:\\\"+\\\";font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:1.5em;color:var(--bn-coral);flex:none;line-height:1;transition:transform .2s}.bn-faq[open] summary::after{transform:rotate(45deg)}.bn-faq .bn-faq-b{padding:0 20px 18px;color:var(--bn-text)}.bn-faq .bn-faq-b p{margin:0}.bn-fig{margin:30px 0;text-align:center}.bn-fig img{width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:var(--bn-r);box-shadow:var(--bn-sh);display:block}.bn-fig figcaption{margin-top:10px;font-size:.85em;color:var(--bn-muted);font-style:italic}.bn-cta{background:var(--bn-ink);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:34px 32px;margin:36px 0 12px;text-align:center}.bn-cta h3{color:#fff;margin:0 0 .4em;font-size:1.4em}.bn-cta p{color:#e9e2cf;margin:0 auto 20px;max-width:560px;font-size:1em}.bn-cta-btn{display:inline-block;background:var(--bn-coral);color:#fff !important;text-decoration:none !important;font-weight:800;padding:15px 34px;border-radius:999px;font-size:1.02em;box-shadow:0 8px 22px rgba(254,113,107,.35);transition:.15s}.bn-cta-btn:hover{background:#ff8782;color:#fff !important}.bn-quiz{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-quiz .bnq-q{padding:14px 0;border-top:1px solid var(--bn-border)}.bn-quiz .bnq-q:first-of-type{border-top:none;padding-top:4px}.bn-quiz .bnq-qt{font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-ink);margin:0 0 10px;font-size:1.02em}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt{display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:12px;padding:9px 12px;margin:6px 0;cursor:pointer;font-size:.96em;color:var(--bn-text);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);background:#fff;transition:.15s}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt:hover{border-color:var(--bn-coral-line);background:var(--bn-coral-soft)}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt input{appearance:none;-webkit-appearance:none;flex:none;width:20px;height:20px;margin-top:1px;border:2px solid var(--bn-coral-line);border-radius:50%;background:#fff;cursor:pointer;position:relative;transition:.15s}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt input:checked{border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt input:checked::after{content:\\\"\\\";position:absolute;left:3px;top:3px;width:10px;height:10px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt:has(input:checked){border-color:var(--bn-coral);background:var(--bn-coral-soft)}.bn-quiz .bnq-btn{margin-top:16px;display:inline-block;background:var(--bn-coral);color:#fff;border:none;font-weight:800;font-size:1em;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:999px;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:0 6px 16px rgba(254,113,107,.28);transition:.15s;font-family:inherit}.bn-quiz .bnq-btn:hover{background:#ff8782}.bn-quiz .bnq-res{display:none;margin-top:18px;padding:18px 20px;border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);background:var(--bn-blue-soft);border:1px solid var(--bn-blue-line)}.bn-quiz .bnq-res.on{display:block}.bn-quiz #bnq-agent{background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border-color:var(--bn-coral-line)}.bn-quiz #bnq-hybrid{background:var(--bn-green-soft);border-color:#cfe6c4}.bn-quiz .bnq-rt{font-weight:800;color:var(--bn-ink);margin:0 0 6px;font-size:1.08em}.bn-quiz .bnq-res p{margin:0}.bn-spectrum{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-spectrum h3{margin:.1em 0 .3em}.bn-spectrum>p{font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:0 0 20px}.bn-spec-track{margin:26px 4px 4px}.bn-spec-range{-webkit-appearance:none;appearance:none;width:100%;height:8px;border-radius:999px;background:var(--bn-sand);outline:none;cursor:pointer;margin:0}.bn-spec-range::-webkit-slider-thumb{-webkit-appearance:none;appearance:none;width:26px;height:26px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-coral);border:3px solid #fff;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm);cursor:pointer}.bn-spec-range::-moz-range-thumb{width:26px;height:26px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-coral);border:3px solid #fff;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh-sm);cursor:pointer}.bn-spec-stops{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;margin-top:13px;font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:11px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.07em;color:var(--bn-muted);gap:8px}.bn-spec-stops span{flex:1;cursor:pointer;transition:.15s;text-align:center}.bn-spec-stops span:first-child{text-align:left}.bn-spec-stops span:last-child{text-align:right}.bn-spec-stops span.on{color:var(--bn-coral);font-weight:700}.bns-pane{display:none;margin-top:22px;border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);padding:20px 22px;background:var(--bn-sand-2);border:1px solid var(--bn-sand)}.bns-pane.on{display:block}.bns-pane h4{margin:0 0 3px;color:var(--bn-ink);font-size:1.14em}.bns-tag{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:11px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.1em;color:var(--bn-coral);display:block;margin-bottom:11px}.bns-pane>p{margin:0;font-size:.96em;color:var(--bn-text)}.bns-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:12px;margin-top:15px}.bns-grid div{background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);padding:11px 14px;font-size:.9em;color:var(--bn-text)}.bns-grid b{display:block;font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:10px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.07em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin-bottom:3px}.bn-roi{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-roi h3{margin:.1em 0 .3em}.bn-roi>p{font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:0 0 18px}.bn-roi-fields{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:20px 28px;margin:18px 0 24px}.bn-roi-field:last-child{grid-column:1\/-1}.bn-roi-field label{display:block;font-size:.9em;color:var(--bn-text);font-weight:600;margin-bottom:11px}.bn-roi-field output{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-roi-out{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr);gap:16px;margin-top:4px}.bn-roi-stat{background:var(--bn-sand-2);border:1px solid var(--bn-sand);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:20px 16px;text-align:center}.bn-roi-stat b{display:block;font-size:1.85em;line-height:1.05;color:var(--bn-coral);font-weight:800;letter-spacing:-.02em;font-family:var(--bn-mono)}.bn-roi-stat:nth-child(2) b{color:var(--bn-blue)}.bn-roi-stat:nth-child(3) b{color:var(--bn-ink)}.bn-roi-stat span{display:block;margin-top:7px;font-size:.82em;color:var(--bn-muted);line-height:1.4}.bn-roi-note{font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:16px 0 0;font-style:italic}.bn-bot{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:22px 24px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-bot h3{margin:.1em 0 .3em}.bn-bot>p{font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:0 0 16px}.bn-bot-win{border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);background:#fff;overflow:hidden}.bn-bot-bar{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:11px;padding:12px 16px;background:var(--bn-sand-2);border-bottom:1px solid var(--bn-border)}.bn-bot-ava{flex:none;width:32px;height:32px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-coral-soft);display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center}.bn-bot-ava svg{width:19px;height:19px;color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-bot-id b{display:block;color:var(--bn-ink);font-size:.95em;line-height:1.2}.bn-bot-id span{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:14px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.08em;color:var(--bn-green);display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:5px}.bn-bot-id span::before{content:\\\"\\\";width:7px;height:7px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-green)}.bn-bot-log{padding:16px;min-height:130px;max-height:320px;overflow-y:auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:10px}.bn-bot-msg{max-width:82%;padding:10px 14px;border-radius:15px;font-size:.95em;line-height:1.5}.bn-bot-msg.bot{align-self:flex-start;background:var(--bn-sand-2);color:var(--bn-text);border-bottom-left-radius:4px}.bn-bot-msg.user{align-self:flex-end;background:var(--bn-coral);color:#fff;border-bottom-right-radius:4px}.bn-bot-quick{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;padding:2px 16px 14px}.bn-art .bn-bot-qbtn{font-family:inherit;font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-ink);background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-coral-line);border-radius:999px;padding:7px 14px;cursor:pointer;transition:.15s}.bn-art .bn-bot-qbtn:hover{background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-bot-form{display:flex;gap:8px;padding:12px 16px;border-top:1px solid var(--bn-border);background:var(--bn-sand-2)}.bn-bot-input{flex:1;min-width:0;font-family:inherit;font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-ink);background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:999px;padding:10px 16px;outline:none}.bn-bot-input:focus{border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-art .bn-bot-send{flex:none;font-family:inherit;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;color:#fff;background:var(--bn-coral);border:none;border-radius:999px;padding:10px 20px;cursor:pointer;transition:.15s}.bn-art .bn-bot-send:hover{background:#ff8782}.bn-art .bn-bot-note{font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:14px 0 0;font-style:italic}.bbot-kb,.bbot-fallback{display:none}.bn-shot{margin:16px 0 2px;border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r-sm);background:#fff;overflow:hidden}.bn-shot-bar{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;padding:9px 13px;background:var(--bn-sand-2);border-bottom:1px solid var(--bn-border)}.bn-shot-dot{width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--bn-green);flex:none}.bn-shot-bar b{color:var(--bn-ink);font-size:.9em}.bn-shot-bar span{margin-left:auto;font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-size:10px;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em;color:var(--bn-muted)}.bn-shot-log{padding:13px 14px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:8px}.bn-shot .bn-bot-msg{max-width:86%;font-size:.9em}.bn-shot-quick{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:6px;margin-top:2px}.bn-shot-quick span{font-size:.78em;color:var(--bn-ink);background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-coral-line);border-radius:999px;padding:4px 11px}.bn-exlink{margin:13px 0 0;font-weight:700;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:6px}.bn-exlink svg{width:16px;height:16px;flex:none;color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-lb{background:var(--bn-card);border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:var(--bn-r);padding:24px 26px;margin:28px 0;box-shadow:var(--bn-sh)}.bn-lb h3{margin:.1em 0 .3em}.bn-lb>p{font-size:.95em;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:0 0 16px}.bn-lb-ctrl{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:11px;align-items:center;margin:0 0 16px}.bn-lb-ctrl br{display:none}.bn-lb-search{flex:1;min-width:200px;font-family:inherit;font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-ink);background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-border);border-radius:999px;padding:11px 18px;outline:none}.bn-lb-search:focus{border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-lb-filters{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px}.bn-art .bn-lb-fbtn{font-family:inherit;font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-ink);background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--bn-coral-line);border-radius:999px;padding:9px 16px;cursor:pointer;transition:.15s}.bn-art .bn-lb-fbtn:hover{background:var(--bn-coral-soft)}.bn-art .bn-lb-fbtn.on{background:var(--bn-coral);color:#fff;border-color:var(--bn-coral)}.bn-lb .bn-lb-th{cursor:pointer;user-select:none;white-space:nowrap}.bn-lb .bn-lb-th:hover{color:#fbf7ec;opacity:.85}.bn-lb-rank{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-coral);text-align:center}.bn-lb-score{font-family:var(--bn-mono);font-weight:700;color:var(--bn-ink);text-align:right;white-space:nowrap}.lb-empty{padding:16px;text-align:center;color:var(--bn-muted);font-size:.95em}.bn-lb-foot{font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-muted);margin:14px 0 0;font-style:italic}@media(max-width:680px){.bn-art{font-size:17px}.bn-stats,.bn-grid,.bn-cols,.bn-ex .bn-ba,.bns-grid,.bn-roi-fields,.bn-roi-out{grid-template-columns:1fr}.bn-roi-field:last-child{grid-column:auto}.bn-toc ol{columns:1}.bn-art h2{font-size:1.5em}.bn-bot-msg{max-width:90%}}.bn-quiz br{display:none}.bn-quiz .bnq-opt span{display:block}.bn-quiz .bn-roi-out{margin:22px 0 0}.bn-quiz .bn-roi-stat b{font-size:1.1em}.bn-quiz .bnq-res p.bnq-rt{margin:0 0 8px}.bn-quiz #ag-a{background:var(--bn-green-soft);border-color:#cfe6c4}.bn-quiz #ag-b{background:var(--bn-blue-soft);border-color:var(--bn-blue-line)}.bn-quiz #ag-c{background:var(--bn-sand-2);border-color:var(--bn-sand)}.bn-quiz #ag-d{background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border-color:var(--bn-coral-line)}.agx-note{display:none;margin-top:16px;padding:13px 16px;border-radius:11px;background:var(--bn-coral-soft);border:1px solid var(--bn-coral-line);font-size:16px;color:var(--bn-text)}.agx-note.on{display:block}\"));document.head.appendChild(s);})();<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-art\">\n<div class=\"bn-tldr\">\n<p><strong>In short.<\/strong> An AI chatbot agency rarely sells a chatbot: it sells <strong>scoping<\/strong>, <strong>conversation design<\/strong>, <strong>integrations<\/strong> with your tools and an <strong>ongoing run<\/strong>. The rate cards published by French providers in July 2026 range from <strong>\u20ac500<\/strong> for a simple bot to <strong>more than \u20ac100,000<\/strong> for a project wired into the information system.<\/p>\n<p>That gap is not an anomaly: these are not the same products. The real questions are not \u201cwhich agency?\u201d but <strong>\u201cwhat level of project do I actually have?\u201d<\/strong> and <strong>\u201cdo I need a middleman between me and the platform?\u201d<\/strong>. The estimator below answers in six questions, and the rest of this guide gives you the criteria, the questions to ask and the contract clauses you should never let slide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>You type \u201cAI chatbot agency\u201d into Google and you get twenty pages of agencies all promising the same thing: an assistant available around the clock, fewer calls, more leads. Not one of them shows a clear price. Not one of them tells you when you don\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n<p>This guide does the opposite. It describes what an agency actually delivers, what it costs in 2026 using ranges taken from the providers themselves, how to compare the <strong>five<\/strong> ways of getting a chatbot (agency, freelancer, no-code platform, the platform vendor\u2019s own team, in-house team), and what to lock down in the contract.<\/p>\n<p>Full disclosure: Botnation is both <strong>the publisher of a no-code platform<\/strong> for building chatbots <strong>and<\/strong> a provider that builds custom chatbots for its clients, through the Enterprise plan, delivered by our chatbot creation experts. So we are on the market this page describes, and we have a bias. Better to state it than to dress it up. Further down you will see the cases where hiring a <strong>third-party agency<\/strong> is clearly the right call (they exist, and there are plenty of them), and the cases where nobody, us included, needs to sell you anything.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Summary<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #3d351f;color:#3d351f\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #3d351f;color:#3d351f\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#AI_chatbot_agency_what_it_really_does\" >AI chatbot agency: what it really does<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_seven_deliverables_of_an_agency_project\" >The seven deliverables of an agency project<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_a_project_actually_looks_like\" >What a project actually looks like<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#How_much_does_an_AI_chatbot_cost_in_2026\" >How much does an AI chatbot cost in 2026?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_the_providers_themselves_publish\" >What the providers themselves publish<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Estimator_agency_freelancer_platform_or_vendor\" >Estimator: agency, freelancer, platform or vendor?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_level_of_project_do_you_actually_have\" >What level of project do you actually have?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Agency_freelancer_platform_vendor_or_in-house_team\" >Agency, freelancer, platform, vendor or in-house team?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#An_agency_is_the_right_call_when%E2%80%A6\" >An agency is the right call when\u2026<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#It_is_not_when%E2%80%A6\" >It is not when\u2026<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_fifth_route_have_the_platform_vendor_build_your_chatbot\" >The fifth route: have the platform vendor build your chatbot<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_seven_deliverables_vendor_version\" >The seven deliverables, vendor version<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_changes_compared_with_a_third-party_agency\" >What changes compared with a third-party agency<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#No_middleman\" >No middleman<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#No_dependency_after_delivery\" >No dependency after delivery<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_account_is_yours_from_day_one\" >The account is yours from day one<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_it_does_not_replace\" >What it does not replace<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#How_you_get_it_and_what_it_costs\" >How you get it, and what it costs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Have_your_chatbot_built_by_the_team_that_publishes_the_platform\" >Have your chatbot built by the team that publishes the platform<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#How_to_choose_an_AI_chatbot_agency_8_criteria\" >How to choose an AI chatbot agency: 8 criteria<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Live_bots_you_can_test\" >Live bots you can test<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#A_written_scoping_method\" >A written scoping method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#How_the_bot_is_fed\" >How the bot is fed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_technical_foundation\" >The technical foundation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_cost_of_AI_tokens\" >The cost of AI tokens<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Hosting_and_GDPR\" >Hosting and GDPR<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Measurement\" >Measurement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Skills_transfer\" >Skills transfer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_ten_questions_to_ask_before_signing\" >The ten questions to ask before signing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#The_contract_six_clauses_not_to_let_slide\" >The contract: six clauses not to let slide<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Doing_without_an_agency_the_no-code_route_in_five_steps\" >Doing without an agency: the no-code route in five steps<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#And_if_you_want_both\" >And if you want both?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Frequently_asked_questions\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#What_to_take_away\" >What to take away<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/ai-chatbot-agency\/#Test_it_or_have_it_built\" >Test it, or have it built<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"que-fait-une-agence-chatbot-ia\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AI_chatbot_agency_what_it_really_does\"><\/span>AI chatbot agency: what it really does<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"bn-def\">\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"><\/circle><path d=\"M12 16v-4M12 8h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n<p>An <strong>AI chatbot agency<\/strong> is a service provider that designs, builds, deploys and maintains a conversational agent on behalf of a company. It usually does not publish the technology itself: it assembles a language model, a platform (often an off-the-shelf one) and your business data to deliver one specific use case.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>That is the part most agency pages leave in the dark. You are not buying \u201cAI\u201d. You are buying <strong>expert time<\/strong> across seven fairly standard deliverables.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_seven_deliverables_of_an_agency_project\"><\/span>The seven deliverables of an agency project<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scoping.<\/strong> Which use cases, in what order, for what measurable gain. It is the piece with the most value and the one that gets skipped most often.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conversation design.<\/strong> The structure of the journeys, the tone, the fallback messages, the moments when the bot hands over to a human.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The knowledge base.<\/strong> Gathering, cleaning and structuring your content so the model answers from your information rather than from its general knowledge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Integrations.<\/strong> CRM, ticketing tool, calendar, product catalog, messaging apps. This is where budgets either explode or stay sane.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deployment.<\/strong> Going live, load testing, access management, compliance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The run.<\/strong> Reading real conversations every week, fixing missed answers, growing the knowledge base. A chatbot is never \u201cfinished\u201d.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Handover.<\/strong> Training your team so they can change an answer without raising a purchase order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Out of those seven lines, only two call for rare technical skill: deep integrations and retrieval architecture. The rest is method work, which you can learn, outsource, or pay a premium for.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_a_project_actually_looks_like\"><\/span>What a project actually looks like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol class=\"bn-steps\">\n<li><b>Scoping (1 to 2 weeks)<\/b>Workshops with your teams, an inventory of the questions people really ask, prioritization, success metrics and the scope of version 1.<\/li>\n<li><b>Build (3 to 8 weeks)<\/b>Journeys, knowledge base, tool connections, internal testing, fixes. The French agency Webotit advertises <strong>8 to 12 weeks to launch a first scope<\/strong>; simpler projects ship in 2 to 3 weeks.<\/li>\n<li><b>Staged launch<\/b>Open to part of your traffic, watch the conversations, adjust the answers before opening to everyone.<\/li>\n<li><b>Run and optimization (ongoing)<\/b>Monthly review of unresolved conversations, knowledge base updates, new journeys. Billed as a monthly retainer or by the day.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure class=\"bn-fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/botnation-agence-chatbot-ia-img2.jpg\" alt=\"Two people seen from behind facing a board covered in colored sticky notes arranged as a tree, during a chatbot scoping workshop\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>The scoping workshop: the most profitable phase of an agency project, and the easiest one to rush.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-info\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"><\/circle><path d=\"M12 16v-4M12 8h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">What stays on your side<\/span>\n<p>No agency can write your knowledge base for you. It can structure it, clean it, index it. But the raw material (procedures, terms of sale, exceptions, edge cases) has to come from your own team. Budget that internal time: it is the first line everyone underestimates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"prix-agence-chatbot-ia\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_does_an_AI_chatbot_cost_in_2026\"><\/span>How much does an AI chatbot cost in 2026?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Search for the price of an AI chatbot and you will find everything and its opposite: \u20ac500, \u20ac39 per month, \u20ac25,000, \u20ac150,000. Those figures do not contradict each other. They describe four different products sold under the same word.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the orders of magnitude recorded in July 2026 in the rate cards published by French providers, sorted by project level.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-tablewrap\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Level<\/th>\n<th>What you get<\/th>\n<th>Setup<\/th>\n<th>Recurring cost<\/th>\n<th>Time to launch<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1. FAQ widget<\/td>\n<td>Answers to frequent questions, redirects, contact capture. One channel only.<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac0 (1 to 3 days of your own time)<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac0 to \u20ac60\/month<\/td>\n<td>2 to 5 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2. AI chatbot on your data<\/td>\n<td>Answers generated from your content, 1 to 2 channels, simple connections (calendar, spreadsheet, email).<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac0 to \u20ac3,000<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac40 to \u20ac300\/month + AI credits<\/td>\n<td>1 to 4 weeks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3. Scoped agency project<\/td>\n<td>Scoping, conversation design, structured knowledge base, CRM integration, production rollout.<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac8,000 to \u20ac25,000<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac300 to \u20ac2,000\/month<\/td>\n<td>6 to 12 weeks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4. Project wired into the information system<\/td>\n<td>Several business journeys, ERP and internal applications, multilingual, service level commitments, governance.<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac30,000 to \u20ac100,000 and up<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac1,000 to \u20ac5,000\/month<\/td>\n<td>3 to 9 months<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_providers_themselves_publish\"><\/span>What the providers themselves publish<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>These ranges did not come out of thin air. They line up with what the players in the market display publicly: the agency IA Agency advertises <strong>\u20ac500 to \u20ac2,000<\/strong> for a simple conversational agent and <strong>\u20ac5,000 to \u20ac30,000<\/strong> for an advanced chatbot, with subscriptions from \u20ac290 per month. YouFeel puts custom work on a limited scope between <strong>\u20ac8,000 and \u20ac25,000<\/strong>, complex multichannel work between <strong>\u20ac30,000 and \u20ac100,000<\/strong>, and maintenance between \u20ac500 and \u20ac2,000 per month. Yield Studio, further up the market, estimates the budget for an enterprise AI chatbot at <strong>\u20ac30k to \u20ac150k<\/strong>, with a return on investment in 5 to 8 months.<\/p>\n<p>On the agency directory <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sortlist.fr\/s\/developpement-de-chatbot\/france-fr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sortlist<\/a>, the French agencies listed under chatbot development most often show an entry budget of \u201cfrom \u20ac1,000\u201d. Those floors are self-declared: they exist to attract quote requests, not to describe a complete project.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"bn-fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/botnation-agence-chatbot-ia-shot-sortlist.jpg\" alt=\"Sortlist directory listing French chatbot development agencies with their ratings and entry budgets\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>The Sortlist directory, chatbot development category in France, captured on July 27, 2026. The entry budgets shown are declared by the agencies themselves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-warn\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 2.5 20h19L12 3Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">The three costs everyone forgets<\/span>\n<p><strong>AI credits.<\/strong> Every generated answer burns tokens billed by the model provider. On a high-traffic bot, that line overtakes the subscription fast. <strong>Content updates.<\/strong> A price changes, a procedure evolves: someone has to fix the knowledge base, every month. <strong>Integrations.<\/strong> Plugging into a proprietary CRM often costs more than the whole rest of the chatbot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"estimateur\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Estimator_agency_freelancer_platform_or_vendor\"><\/span>Estimator: agency, freelancer, platform or vendor?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Six questions about the real scope of your project. The tool works out the matching level, a <strong>market<\/strong> budget range and an indicative timeline, then recommends the most coherent of the five routes. The figures are orders of magnitude collected from third-party providers, not a quote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-quiz\" id=\"ag-tool\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_level_of_project_do_you_actually_have\"><\/span>What level of project do you actually have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">1. What should the chatbot do?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq1\" data-p=\"0\"><span>Answer frequent questions and point people to the right page or the right person<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq1\" data-p=\"2\"><span>Several journeys: support, lead qualification, appointment booking<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq1\" data-p=\"4\"><span>Complex business journeys, with business rules and several languages<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">2. What information should it rely on?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq2\" data-p=\"0\"><span>A few pages of my website, one document or a list of questions and answers<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq2\" data-p=\"2\"><span>My whole website plus internal documents (procedures, terms, guides)<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq2\" data-p=\"4\"><span>A product database or a repository that changes continuously<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">3. On how many channels?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq3\" data-p=\"0\"><span>My website only<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq3\" data-p=\"2\"><span>The website plus one messaging app (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram)<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq3\" data-p=\"4\"><span>Three channels or more, with a consistent experience across them<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">4. Which connections to your tools?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq4\" data-p=\"0\"><span>None, or a simple email notification<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq4\" data-p=\"2\"><span>Standard off-the-shelf tools: online CRM, spreadsheet, calendar, automation<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq4\" data-p=\"4\"><span>An internal information system, an ERP or in-house APIs<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">5. Who will look after it on your side?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq5\" data-p=\"0\"><span>Someone can give it two or three days, then an hour a week<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq5\" data-p=\"2\"><span>One part-time person, with no technical background<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq5\" data-p=\"4\"><span>Nobody: the project has to be handled end to end<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-q\">\n<p class=\"bnq-qt\">6. What compliance constraints?<\/p>\n<p><label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq6\" data-p=\"0\"><span>Nothing in particular<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq6\" data-p=\"2\"><span>Customer personal data goes through the bot<\/span><\/label><br>\n<label class=\"bnq-opt\"><input type=\"radio\" name=\"agq6\" data-p=\"4\"><span>Regulated industry, data protection officer, public sector or formal tender<\/span><\/label>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"bnq-btn\" id=\"ag-go\">Estimate my project<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"agx-note\" id=\"ag-note\">Answer all six questions to get an estimate.<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-roi-out\">\n<div class=\"bn-roi-stat\"><b id=\"ag-setup\">0<\/b><span>euros of setup, market ballpark<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-roi-stat\"><b id=\"ag-run\">0 to 60<\/b><span>euros per month, subscription and run<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-roi-stat\"><b id=\"ag-time\">2 to 5<\/b><span>days before going live<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-res on\" id=\"ag-a\" data-setup=\"0\" data-run=\"0 to 60\" data-time=\"2 to 5\" data-unit=\"days before going live\">\n<p class=\"bnq-rt\">Recommended route: the no-code platform, on your own<\/p>\n<p>Your project fits inside a no-code tool. Any provider, us included, would mostly bill you for assembly time that you can put in yourself in two or three days. Start with a narrow scope (the ten most frequent questions), put it live, then widen it based on real conversations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-res\" id=\"ag-b\" data-setup=\"0 to 3,000\" data-run=\"40 to 300\" data-time=\"1 to 4\" data-unit=\"weeks before going live\">\n<p class=\"bnq-rt\">Recommended route: the no-code platform, with a hand on the scoping<\/p>\n<p>You have a genuine need for AI on your content, but no heavy technical complexity. The best result-to-price ratio is a platform you keep in your own hands, plus a few days of support on the scoping, the knowledge base and the first integration: a freelancer, or the platform vendor\u2019s own experts. Keep the account in your name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-res\" id=\"ag-c\" data-setup=\"8,000 to 25,000\" data-run=\"300 to 2,000\" data-time=\"6 to 12\" data-unit=\"weeks before going live\">\n<p class=\"bnq-rt\">Recommended route: a build by the vendor\u2019s team, on a limited scope<\/p>\n<p>The complexity justifies delegating the build, but not necessarily leaving the platform. Having the bot built by the experts who publish the tool (here, the Enterprise plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\">on quote<\/a>) removes the middleman and hands you back the keys in the no-code editor the day it ships. A <strong>third-party agency<\/strong> is still the right call when the project demands very specific industry expertise, or has to go through an integrator already working with you. Either way: <strong>one<\/strong> measurable use case first, with reversibility in writing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bnq-res\" id=\"ag-d\" data-setup=\"30,000 to 100,000\" data-run=\"1,000 to 5,000\" data-time=\"3 to 9\" data-unit=\"months before going live\">\n<p class=\"bnq-rt\">Recommended route: a paid scoping phase, then a build by the vendor\u2019s team<\/p>\n<p>Heavy integrations, multichannel, compliance: this is an information systems project, not a widget. Start with a paid scoping phase, kept separate from development (a few thousand euros), which leaves you free to choose another provider afterwards. For the build, the vendor\u2019s Enterprise plan (<a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/pricing\/\">on quote<\/a>) removes one link between you and the platform; a <strong>third-party agency<\/strong> keeps all its value if you need an on-site team, a highly specialized industry skill set, or the integrator already installed at your company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"bn-roi-note\">Indicative <strong>market<\/strong> ranges, built from the public rate cards of French providers collected in July 2026. They match no Botnation price: our Enterprise plan is \u201ccustom\u201d, so it is priced on quote. A quote always depends on your own context.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"agence-freelance-plateforme\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Agency_freelancer_platform_vendor_or_in-house_team\"><\/span>Agency, freelancer, platform, vendor or in-house team?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The word \u201cagency\u201d covers only one of the <strong>five<\/strong> ways to get a chatbot. Compare them on what really counts: the time before you go live, who keeps control, and what happens when you want to change something.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-tablewrap\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Criterion<\/th>\n<th>No-code platform<\/th>\n<th>Platform + vendor\u2019s team<\/th>\n<th>Freelancer<\/th>\n<th>Agency<\/th>\n<th>In-house team<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Starting budget<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac0 to \u20ac700\/year<\/td>\n<td>On quote, Enterprise plan<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac1,000 to \u20ac6,000<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac8,000 to \u20ac100,000<\/td>\n<td>Salary cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>First bot live<\/td>\n<td>2 to 5 days<\/td>\n<td>Depends on the scope in the quote<\/td>\n<td>1 to 3 weeks<\/td>\n<td>6 to 12 weeks<\/td>\n<td>Varies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Who edits an answer<\/td>\n<td>You, in one minute<\/td>\n<td>You, in the same editor<\/td>\n<td>You, or they do on a retainer<\/td>\n<td>The run contract<\/td>\n<td>You<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lock-in<\/td>\n<td>Low<\/td>\n<td>Low: nothing custom-built<\/td>\n<td>High, on one person<\/td>\n<td>Varies with the contract<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Good for<\/td>\n<td>FAQ, leads, appointments, 1 to 2 channels<\/td>\n<td>Complex project, no internal time, kept in your hands<\/td>\n<td>A first AI bot with one integration<\/td>\n<td>Infor\u00admation systems, multichannel, formal tenders<\/td>\n<td>Strategic, permanent use<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Main risk<\/td>\n<td>The internal time never appears<\/td>\n<td>Scope bounded by the platform<\/td>\n<td>The freelancer becomes unavailable<\/td>\n<td>Cost, slowness, loss of control<\/td>\n<td>Fixed cost that is hard to absorb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"bn-fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/botnation-agence-chatbot-ia-img1.jpg\" alt=\"Light wood scale weighing a provider's briefcase against assembled no-code blocks, with chat bubbles\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>The decision is rarely made on technology: it is made on how much internal time you actually have.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"bn-cols\">\n<div class=\"bn-col biz\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_agency_is_the_right_call_when%E2%80%A6\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M20 6 9 17l-5-5\"><\/path><\/svg>An agency is the right call when\u2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The bot has to read from or write to an internal system (ERP, business tool, in-house API).<\/li>\n<li>You need to cover three channels or more, with a consistent experience.<\/li>\n<li>The subject is sensitive: healthcare, finance, personal data, regulated industry.<\/li>\n<li>You are going through a formal tender and need a partner who commits contractually.<\/li>\n<li>Nobody in-house can spend any time on it, however little.<\/li>\n<li>You need an outside audit of your existing journeys before you decide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-col cli\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_is_not_when%E2%80%A6\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"><\/circle><path d=\"m15 9-6 6M9 9l6 6\"><\/path><\/svg>It is not when\u2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Your need fits into an FAQ, an appointment booking or a conversational form.<\/li>\n<li>You first want to test whether your visitors will even use a chatbot.<\/li>\n<li>Your content changes often: every edit would go through a quote.<\/li>\n<li>The quote does not separate scoping, build and run.<\/li>\n<li>The agency refuses to give you access to the platform account.<\/li>\n<li>Your total budget is under \u20ac3,000: you would be funding sales effort, not a product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The useful shortcut: an agency mainly sells <strong>integration<\/strong> and <strong>taking the project off your hands<\/strong>. If your project needs neither, you are paying a premium for work the platform already does. And if it needs the second without needing the middleman, the next section describes the fifth route. To frame your need before you call anyone, our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/type-of-chatbot\/\">three main types of chatbot<\/a> will stop you from ordering an over-engineered system for what is really an FAQ.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"creation-par-editeur\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_fifth_route_have_the_platform_vendor_build_your_chatbot\"><\/span>The fifth route: have the platform vendor build your chatbot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Between \u201cI build the whole thing myself\u201d and \u201cI hand the whole thing to an agency\u201d, there is a route the comparisons almost always forget: asking <strong>the team that publishes the platform<\/strong> to build the chatbot. That is what Botnation offers with its <strong>Enterprise plan<\/strong> and its <strong>chatbot creation experts<\/strong>, our botmakers, in-house. We are judge and jury on this point, so here is exactly how it works, and you can judge on the evidence.<\/p>\n<p>The principle fits in one sentence: the chatbot is built by specialists, but it is built <strong>inside the no-code editor you will be using after delivery<\/strong>. No custom code to take over, no proprietary component to maintain, no purchase order to fix one sentence.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_seven_deliverables_vendor_version\"><\/span>The seven deliverables, vendor version<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Let us take the seven deliverables of an agency project described above, one by one. The exact scope is always set in the quote: this table describes how the roles split, not a contractual commitment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-tablewrap\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Deliverable<\/th>\n<th>Handled by the vendor\u2019s team<\/th>\n<th>What stays on your side<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Scoping<\/td>\n<td>Yes, with a dedicated account manager, on the scope agreed in the quote.<\/td>\n<td>The real use cases and the success metrics.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Conversation design<\/td>\n<td>Yes: structure of the journeys, tone, fallback messages, handover to a human.<\/td>\n<td>Signing off on the tone and the sensitive messages.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Knowledge base<\/td>\n<td>Yes: collection, structuring, wiring into the answer engine.<\/td>\n<td>The raw material: procedures, prices, terms, real answers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Integrations<\/td>\n<td>Within the limits of the platform\u2019s connectors and the scope of the quote.<\/td>\n<td>Opening up access to your tools.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Deployment<\/td>\n<td>Yes, on the channels the platform covers; unlimited chatbots on the Enterprise plan.<\/td>\n<td>Acceptance testing before you open to the public.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Run<\/td>\n<td>Premium client support, analytics and updates included in the plan.<\/td>\n<td>The weekly read-through of conversations: nobody can do it for you.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Handover<\/td>\n<td>Personalized onboarding, though there is nothing to \u201chand over\u201d: the bot lives in the no-code editor, on your account.<\/td>\n<td>Actually using it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"bn-fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/botnation-pricing-en-shot.jpg\" alt=\"Botnation pricing page in English showing the For Free, Basic 39 euros, Pro 59 euros and custom Enterprise plans\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Botnation\u2019s pricing table on July 27, 2026: the custom-priced Enterprise plan explicitly includes <strong>chatbot creation management<\/strong>, a dedicated account manager and personalized onboarding.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_changes_compared_with_a_third-party_agency\"><\/span>What changes compared with a third-party agency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bn-grid\">\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No_middleman\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M10.5 13.5a4.5 4.5 0 0 0 6.4 0l2.6-2.6a4.5 4.5 0 0 0-6.4-6.4l-1 1\"><\/path><path d=\"M13.5 10.5a4.5 4.5 0 0 0-6.4 0l-2.6 2.6a4.5 4.5 0 0 0 6.4 6.4l1-1\"><\/path><\/svg>No middleman<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The team that builds is the team that writes the platform. A product limitation, a missing connector, an unexpected behavior: it gets handled internally, not through tickets bouncing between you, the agency and the vendor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No_dependency_after_delivery\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M20.5 12a8.5 8.5 0 1 1-2.9-6.4\"><\/path><path d=\"M20.5 3.5v5h-5\"><\/path><\/svg>No dependency after delivery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The bot rests on no custom development. Adding an answer, correcting a price or plugging in another channel depends neither on a quote nor on a provider\u2019s availability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_account_is_yours_from_day_one\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"15\" r=\"4\"><\/circle><path d=\"m11 12 8-8M17 6l2.5 2.5M14.5 8.5 17 11\"><\/path><\/svg>The account is yours from day one<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The ownership, reversibility and account access clauses detailed below do not have to be wrung out of a negotiation: your journeys and your knowledge base live in your account, exportable, exactly as in self-service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_it_does_not_replace\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 2.5 20h19L12 3Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>What it does not replace<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Highly specialized industry expertise, an on-site team, an integrator already installed at your company, or a need that falls outside the platform\u2019s scope: in those cases a third-party agency is still the right choice, and we will tell you so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_you_get_it_and_what_it_costs\"><\/span>How you get it, and what it costs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Let us be precise about what is public and what is not. The self-service plans are published: <strong>\u20ac0<\/strong> for the Free plan, <strong>\u20ac39 per month<\/strong> for Basic, <strong>\u20ac59 per month<\/strong> for Pro. A build by our experts falls under the <strong>Enterprise plan<\/strong>, listed as \u201ccustom\u201d: it is priced <strong>on quote<\/strong>, because the price depends on the number of journeys, the integrations and the volume, exactly as at an agency.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-warn\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 2.5 20h19L12 3Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">What we do not publish<\/span>\n<p>We publish neither a price nor a timeline for custom builds, and we are not going to invent one in an article that criticizes agencies for hiding theirs. The ranges quoted above are <strong>market<\/strong> figures, collected from third-party providers: do not transpose them to our offer. The only honest answer here is a quote drawn up on your own scope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Three ways in, depending on what you are looking for: the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/pricing\/\">pricing<\/a> page, where the Enterprise plan opens onto \u201cContact sales team\u201d; the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\">quote request form for the creation of your chatbot<\/a>; or the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/contact\/\">contact<\/a> page, where our chatbot creation experts answer directly online, and by phone at +33 9 74 59 58 72 (standard rate).<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-cta\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Have_your_chatbot_built_by_the_team_that_publishes_the_platform\"><\/span>Have your chatbot built by the team that publishes the platform<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Describe your scope and we come back to you with a quote. The bot is built in the no-code editor: on delivery, the account, the journeys and the knowledge base are yours.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"bn-cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\" style=\"margin:6px 5px\">Get a quote<\/a><a class=\"bn-cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/pricing\/\" style=\"margin:6px 5px;background:transparent;border:2px solid #fe716b;box-shadow:none;padding:13px 32px\">See the Enterprise plan<\/a>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"comment-choisir\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_choose_an_AI_chatbot_agency_8_criteria\"><\/span>How to choose an AI chatbot agency: 8 criteria<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sales pages all look the same. These eight criteria, on the other hand, cleanly separate the serious providers from the sellers of promises. To get a feel for what a good chatbot actually produces, start by browsing our <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-example\/\">twelve examples of chatbots in production<\/a>: you will know what to ask to see.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-grid\">\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Live_bots_you_can_test\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M2 12s3.5-7 10-7 10 7 10 7-3.5 7-10 7-10-7-10-7Z\"><\/path><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"3\"><\/circle><\/svg>Live bots you can test<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Ask for three URLs of chatbots in production, not screenshots. Ask them an awkward question. You will learn more in five minutes than from ten pages of references.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_written_scoping_method\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M4 4h16v16H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M8 9h8M8 13h5\"><\/path><\/svg>A written scoping method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>A serious agency sends you its workshop framework before talking price: priority use cases, metrics, what is deliberately out of scope. Without that, the quote is a bet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_bot_is_fed\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3v18M5 8l7-5 7 5\"><\/path><\/svg>How the bot is fed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Answers written by hand, or generated from your documents? Both are defensible, but the maintenance costs are nothing alike. Get it in writing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_technical_foundation\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><rect x=\"3\" y=\"4\" width=\"18\" height=\"14\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><path d=\"M8 21h8\"><\/path><\/svg>The technical foundation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Off-the-shelf platform or custom development? Custom code costs more, ages worse and ties you long term to the agency that wrote it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_cost_of_AI_tokens\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"9\"><\/circle><path d=\"M12 7v5l3 2\"><\/path><\/svg>The cost of AI tokens<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Who pays for the calls to the language model, at what price, with what cap? An agency that resells tokens without a rate card is keeping an adjustment lever at your expense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hosting_and_GDPR\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><rect x=\"4\" y=\"10\" width=\"16\" height=\"10\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><path d=\"M8 10V7a4 4 0 0 1 8 0v3\"><\/path><\/svg>Hosting and GDPR<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Where do the conversations live, for how long, with which subprocessors? Demand a data processing agreement and the list of hosts, including the one running the language model.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Measurement\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M4 20V10M10 20V4M16 20v-7M22 20H2\"><\/path><\/svg>Measurement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Answer rate, escalation rate to a human, unresolved questions, satisfaction. If the agency offers no dashboard, nobody will ever know whether the project worked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-card\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Skills_transfer\"><\/span><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 3 8l9 5 9-5-9-5Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M3 14l9 5 9-5\"><\/path><\/svg>Skills transfer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>At the end of the project, will you be able to correct a wrong answer without an email and a purchase order? If the answer is no, the real cost of your chatbot is not the one on the quote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_ten_questions_to_ask_before_signing\"><\/span>The ten questions to ask before signing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Who owns the journeys, the knowledge base and the conversations?<\/li>\n<li>Which platform is the bot built on, and is the account in my name?<\/li>\n<li>What happens if I end the contract in six months? What can I take with me, and in what format?<\/li>\n<li>What is included in maintenance, and what triggers an extra quote?<\/li>\n<li>How much does it cost to add a new journey after launch?<\/li>\n<li>Who pays for the language model tokens, and at what rate?<\/li>\n<li>Where is the data hosted, and for how long?<\/li>\n<li>Which metrics will be tracked, and how often do we review them together?<\/li>\n<li>Can I talk to two clients with a project comparable to mine?<\/li>\n<li>What scope are you refusing to cover in version 1?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The tenth is the most revealing. A provider who agrees to everything has scoped nothing; the one who says no on two or three points has understood the project. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-mistakes\/\">ten most common chatbot creation mistakes<\/a> will give you more angles for that meeting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-warn\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 2.5 20h19L12 3Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">Red flags<\/span>\n<p>A fixed-price quote with no scoping workshop first. The phrase \u201cautonomous AI agent\u201d without a single action actually being demonstrated. A refusal to give access to the platform account. No mention of AI tokens in the price. And a quantified automation rate promised before anyone has read your conversations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"contrat\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_contract_six_clauses_not_to_let_slide\"><\/span>The contract: six clauses not to let slide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is the part nobody reads, and the one that decides everything two years later, the day you want to change provider.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-tablewrap\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Clause<\/th>\n<th>What to insist on<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Ownership<\/td>\n<td>The journeys, the knowledge base and the content produced belong to you unconditionally, including if the contract ends.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reversibility<\/td>\n<td>Export of the journeys, the knowledge base and the conversation history, in a readable format, at any time and at no cost.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Accounts and access<\/td>\n<td>The platform account is opened in your company\u2019s name, with an administrator on your side. The agency is invited, not the owner.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cost of AI<\/td>\n<td>The token price, any markup the agency adds and a monthly cap, in writing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Maintenance<\/td>\n<td>The explicit line between fixes (included) and changes (billed), with a response time.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Personal data<\/td>\n<td>A data processing agreement under Article 28 of the GDPR, the hosting location and the retention period for conversations.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-warn\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 3 2.5 20h19L12 3Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 10v4M12 17h.01\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">The August 2, 2026 deadline<\/span>\n<p>Article 50 of the European AI Act requires that anyone interacting with an AI system be informed of it, \u201cunless this is obvious\u201d to a reasonably observant user. That transparency obligation <strong>applies from August 2, 2026<\/strong> and covers every consumer-facing chatbot, whatever the size of the company. In practice: your bot has to say it is an AI in its very first message. Check that your provider has planned for it, and that the disclosure is not billed as an option.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Beware the calendar mix-up.<\/strong> The Digital Omnibus, adopted by the European Parliament on June 16, 2026 and confirmed by the Council on June 29, did push some deadlines back, but not this one: the obligations for Annex III high-risk systems move to December 2, 2027, and those of Annex I to August 2, 2028, while <strong>Article 50 still applies from August 2, 2026<\/strong>. Only the machine-readable marking of generated content gets an extension, until December 2, 2026, and only for systems already in service. A provider who tells you that \u201ceverything has been postponed\u201d is reading the wrong text.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The penalty figures are just as often wrong.<\/strong> A breach of Article 50 falls under a cap of <strong>\u20ac15 million or 3% of worldwide annual turnover<\/strong>, whichever is higher (whichever is lower for an SME). The \u20ac35 million and 7% figures doing the rounds apply to the prohibited practices of Article 5, not to a transparency obligation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"bn-fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/botnation-agence-chatbot-ia-img3.jpg\" alt=\"Hands in a cream sweater reviewing a blank document on a clipboard, next to a smartphone showing chat bubbles\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Ownership, reversibility, token costs: three lines of contract that weigh more than the headline price.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"sans-agence\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Doing_without_an_agency_the_no-code_route_in_five_steps\"><\/span>Doing without an agency: the no-code route in five steps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If the estimator pointed you to level 1 or 2, here is the shortest path. It calls for no technical skill, and it has the advantage of producing real data before any heavy investment.<\/p>\n<ol class=\"bn-steps\">\n<li><b>List your twenty most frequent questions<\/b>Pull them out of your inbox, your chat and your phone line. Those are the ones that cover most of the volume, not the rare cases that keep you up at night.<\/li>\n<li><b>Pick a scope you know you can handle<\/b>A chatbot that is excellent on ten questions beats a mediocre one on a hundred. Write down what the bot will not do, and who it hands over to.<\/li>\n<li><b>Feed it your content<\/b>Import your website, your documents or a simple file of questions and answers. That work, not the choice of model, is what determines the quality of the answers. Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/train-chatbot-own-data\/\">training a chatbot on your own data<\/a> walks through the method.<\/li>\n<li><b>Go live on a single channel<\/b>Your website first. Messaging apps come once the answers are stable. Adding a channel takes a few minutes; repairing a bad reputation takes months.<\/li>\n<li><b>Read the conversations every week<\/b>Thirty minutes a week is enough to spot the missed questions and fix them. That is exactly the work an agency bills inside its run retainer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>On the question of return on investment, better to decide on numbers than on a sales promise: our <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-vs-form\/\">chatbot versus form<\/a> comparison quantifies the conversion gaps actually observed, with the studies to back them up.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_if_you_want_both\"><\/span>And if you want both?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That is exactly the <a href=\"#creation-par-editeur\">fifth route described above<\/a>: the platform stays in your name, but the vendor\u2019s experts build the chatbot. At Botnation that comes under the Enterprise plan (dedicated account manager, personalized onboarding and chatbot creation management), while the self-service plans run from \u20ac0 to \u20ac59 per month with no commitment. The right reflex: build the simple version yourself first, and you will know exactly what to have priced in the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\">quote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-call bn-tip\">\n<svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M9 18h6M10 22h4\"><\/path><path d=\"M12 2a7 7 0 0 0-4 12.7V17h8v-2.3A7 7 0 0 0 12 2Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<div>\n<span class=\"bn-klabel\">Negotiating tip<\/span>\n<p>Build a simple version in-house first, imperfect as it may be, before you consult agencies. You will walk into the meeting with real conversations, a rate of unresolved questions and a quantified scope. The quotes you get back will be more precise, often cheaper, and you will spot the one selling you a scoping phase you have already done.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"faq\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>How much does an AI chatbot cost?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>From \u20ac0 to more than \u20ac100,000, depending on the level. An FAQ widget built on a no-code platform costs between \u20ac0 and \u20ac60 per month. An AI chatbot fed with your content, with one or two integrations, runs between \u20ac40 and \u20ac300 per month plus \u20ac1,000 to \u20ac3,000 of optional support. A scoped agency project starts around \u20ac8,000 of setup, and a chatbot wired into the information system frequently passes \u20ac30,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>Do you really need an agency for an AI chatbot?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>No. It becomes useful when the bot has to connect to an internal system, cover several channels, meet strict regulatory constraints, or when nobody on your side can follow the project. And even then: in that last case, the platform vendor can build it for you without adding a middleman. For an FAQ, lead qualification or appointment booking, a no-code platform produces the same result in a few days, for a fraction of the price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>Can the platform vendor build your AI chatbot for you?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>Yes, and it is often the shortest path when the project is complex but fits inside a platform. At Botnation, the Enterprise plan includes <strong>chatbot creation management<\/strong>, a dedicated account manager and personalized onboarding: our experts build the bot, then you take it over in the no-code editor, on your own account. The price is \u201ccustom\u201d, so it is set by quote, exactly as at an agency. The difference is that there is no middleman between you and the platform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>How long does it take to build an AI chatbot?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>Two to five days for an FAQ bot built in-house. One to four weeks for an AI chatbot fed with your documents. Six to twelve weeks for an agency project on a scoped perimeter: the French agency Webotit advertises 8 to 12 weeks to launch a first scope. Beyond that, count three to nine months for a rollout wired into the information system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>Agency or freelancer: which one should you pick?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>A freelancer costs two to five times less and often moves faster on a simple scope, but you depend on one single person for maintenance. An agency brings a team, continuity of service and a contact who commits contractually, which becomes decisive as soon as there are integrations, a formal tender or compliance requirements. On a first project under \u20ac5,000, the freelancer is almost always the better result-to-price ratio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>Who owns a chatbot created by an agency?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>That depends entirely on the contract, and the default is not always in your favor. Insist in writing that the journeys, the knowledge base and the conversations belong to you, that the platform account is opened in your company\u2019s name and that export is possible at any time. Without those three lines, changing provider means rebuilding everything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>Does a chatbot have to say it is an artificial intelligence?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>Yes, in the European Union. Article 50 of the AI Act requires informing people that they are interacting with an AI system, unless that is obvious to a reasonably observant user. The obligation applies from August 2, 2026, with no company size threshold. A simple line in the bot\u2019s first message is enough to comply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>How do you find a serious AI chatbot agency?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>Specialized directories (Sortlist, HelloDarwin) let you filter by location, size and budget, but the ratings there are self-declared. The best filter stays operational: ask for three chatbots in production that you can test yourself, two client references on a comparable project, and the written framework of their scoping workshop. Three requests that eliminate half the candidates in a week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"bn-faq\">\n<summary>How much does AI chatbot maintenance cost?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"bn-faq-b\">\n<p>Between \u20ac500 and \u20ac2,000 per month at an agency for a custom project, according to the rate cards published by French providers. On a no-code platform, maintenance comes down to the subscription (\u20ac0 to \u20ac60 per month) plus the AI credits consumed, with the update work done in-house. Either way, budget at least half a day a month to read back through the conversations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_take_away\"><\/span>What to take away<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cAI chatbot agency\u201d does not name a product, it names a way of buying, one of five. Before comparing providers, compare the routes: most FAQ, lead qualification and appointment booking needs are handled in a few days on a no-code platform, for the price of one lunch a month.<\/p>\n<p>When the agency is justified (integration with the information system, multichannel, strong compliance requirements), three rules are enough to avoid nasty surprises: have a <strong>scoping phase separate from development<\/strong> paid for and delivered, limit version 1 to <strong>a single measurable use case<\/strong>, and lock down <strong>ownership, reversibility and account access<\/strong> before you sign.<\/p>\n<p>And ask the middleman question before signing: if your project fits inside a platform, having it built by <a href=\"#creation-par-editeur\">the team that publishes that platform<\/a> removes a link in the chain, leaves the account in your name and hands you the editor from the day it ships. On our side, that is the Enterprise plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\">on quote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And in every case, the quality of your chatbot will depend less on the provider than on the material you give it: your real questions, your real answers, reviewed every week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bn-cta\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Test_it_or_have_it_built\"><\/span>Test it, or have it built<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Build a first AI chatbot on your own content in a few hours, free and with no credit card. Or hand the build to our chatbot creation experts, in the same editor, on quote. Either way, you are the one who keeps control afterwards.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"bn-cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/pricing\/\" style=\"margin:6px 5px\">See the plans and pricing<\/a><a class=\"bn-cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\" style=\"margin:6px 5px;background:transparent;border:2px solid #fe716b;box-shadow:none;padding:13px 32px\">Get a quote<\/a>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-size:16px;line-height:1.6;color:#6d6653;margin-top:26px\"><strong>Sources.<\/strong> Public rate cards collected on July 27, 2026: IA Agency (AI chatbot quote), YouFeel, Yield Studio, Webotit, Radiank, the Sortlist directory. Transparency obligation: Regulation (EU) 2024\/1689 on artificial intelligence, Article 50, applicable from August 2, 2026; Digital Omnibus adopted by the European Parliament on June 16, 2026 and confirmed by the Council on June 29, 2026, which postpones the \u201chigh-risk\u201d obligations without touching Article 50; penalty cap in Article 99. Botnation plans recorded on July 27, 2026 on the <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/pricing\/\">pricing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/chatbot-request\/\">chatbot quote<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/contact\/\">contact<\/a> pages; the Enterprise plan is shown there as custom, with no public price or timeline. The ranges quoted are market orders of magnitude and do not replace a quote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>(function(){(function(){function init(){var root=document.getElementById('ag-tool');if(!root){return;}var btn=document.getElementById('ag-go');var note=document.getElementById('ag-note');var outS=document.getElementById('ag-setup');var outR=document.getElementById('ag-run');var outT=document.getElementById('ag-time');if(!btn||!note||!outS||!outR||!outT){return;}var lbl=outT.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('span')[0];var ids=['ag-a','ag-b','ag-c','ag-d'];function compute(){var total=0,answered=0,i,n,list;for(i=1;i<7;i++){list=root.querySelectorAll('input[name=\"agq'+i+'\"]');for(n=0;n<list.length;n++){if(list[n].checked){answered=answered+1;total=total+parseInt(list[n].getAttribute('data-p'),10);}}}if(answered!==6){note.className='agx-note on';return;}note.className='agx-note';var k=0;if(total>6){k=1;}if(total>13){k=2;}if(total>19){k=3;}for(i=0;i<4;i++){var p=document.getElementById(ids[i]);if(p){p.className=(i===k)?'bnq-res on':'bnq-res';}}var w=document.getElementById(ids[k]);outS.textContent=w.getAttribute('data-setup');outR.textContent=w.getAttribute('data-run');outT.textContent=w.getAttribute('data-time');if(lbl){lbl.textContent=w.getAttribute('data-unit');}}btn.addEventListener('click',compute);var all=root.querySelectorAll('.bnq-opt input');for(var j=0;j<all.length;j++){all[j].addEventListener('change',function(){if(note.className.indexOf('on')!==-1){compute();}});}}if(document.readyState==='loading'){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',init);}else{init();}})();})();<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In short. An AI chatbot agency rarely sells a chatbot: it sells scoping, conversation design, integrations with your tools and an ongoing run. The rate cards published by French providers in July 2026 range from \u20ac500 for a simple bot to more than \u20ac100,000 for a project wired into the information system. That gap is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":30948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[362],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chatbot-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31141"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31142,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31141\/revisions\/31142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/botnation.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}