CenterChat vs Chatbase: an honest comparison
Both build an AI agent from your own content and put it on your website. They differ most in price structure and scope: Chatbase is a broad, multichannel platform that starts at $150 a month for one agent; CenterChat is a website-focused agent with a built-in scheduler and a talking-avatar voice mode that starts at $18.99 a month for 5 agents. Chatbase facts come from its own pages, checked on November 14, 2026.
- From $18.99/month vs $150/month
- 5 agents included vs 1
- One reply per answer, any model
- Lifetime plans available
Is CenterChat a good Chatbase alternative?
It is if your agent lives on your website and you want a lower cost per agent. CenterChat starts at $18.99 a month with 5 agents, counts one reply per answer whatever the model, includes a built-in scheduler and a talking-avatar voice mode, and offers lifetime plans. Choose Chatbase if you need WhatsApp, Instagram, email or phone channels, native helpdesk integrations, or SOC 2 and HIPAA.
Where CenterChat is different
- Lower entry price
- Starter is $18.99 a month, or $15.08 a month billed yearly. Chatbase's lowest self-serve plan, Basic, is $150 a month, or $120 a month billed yearly.
- More agents per plan
- 5, 10 or 25 agents are included. Chatbase's Basic and Business plans include one agent; each extra agent is $25 a month.
- A simple billing unit
- One completed answer is one AI reply, whichever model you choose and whether or not an action runs. Chatbase credits cost 1 to 5 per reply depending on the model, double when an action runs, and voice uses 6 credits a minute on top.
- Branding removal included
- Subscription plans can remove "Powered by CenterChat" at no extra cost. Chatbase lists branding removal as a $99-a-month add-on; full white-labeling is on Enterprise.
- A built-in scheduler
- CenterChat books into its own scheduler with double-booking protection, or links your Calendly or Cal.com page. Chatbase books through Calendly and Cal.com actions.
- A face for voice
- CenterChat's voice calls can show a talking avatar, built-in or from your own photo. Chatbase's voice mode shows a sound wave or an animated orb.
How to switch from Chatbase
Run both side by side until you are happy with the answers, then swap the embed code.
- Step 1
Rebuild the knowledge
Import the same website into CenterChat and copy over your Q&A and text sources. Upload exported documents as Markdown or plain text.
- Step 2
Recreate your actions
Turn on bookings, Shopify or API order lookup, lead capture and handoff, and add your custom API actions with their endpoint and a one-sentence description.
- Step 3
Test, then swap the script tag
Run your most common questions in the test studio, then replace the Chatbase embed code with CenterChat's script tag.
What a month actually costs
The two products bill in different units, so compare a realistic month rather than headline prices.
CenterChat counts AI replies: Starter includes 500 a month, Growth 2,500 and Scale 10,000. A reply that runs an action, or is spoken in a voice call, still counts once. Test conversations in the studio use replies too.
Chatbase counts message credits. By its own documentation a reply costs 1 to 5 credits depending on the model, a reply that triggers an action uses the model twice, and voice sessions use 6 credits a minute plus the replies. Basic's 4,000 credits therefore cover 4,000 one-credit replies without actions, about 2,000 if every reply uses an action, or 800 on a 5-credit model. Chatbase also includes separate test credits.
At roughly 10,000 replies a month, CenterChat Scale costs $199.99 a month with 25 agents. Chatbase Business costs $500 a month for 15,000 credits and one agent: 15,000 one-credit replies, or about 7,500 if every reply uses an action. At low volume the gap is wider: Chatbase Basic includes more credits than CenterChat Starter includes replies, but costs about eight times as much.
Choose CenterChat if
CenterChat is the better fit when most of these are true:
- Your customers ask their questions on your website
- You run several agents, for brands, sites or clients, and don't want to pay per agent
- You want bookings handled inside the agent, without a separate scheduling tool
- You want a voice agent with a face, charged per answer rather than per minute
- You prefer one predictable unit: one answer, one reply
- You would rather pay once: lifetime plans start at $180.99
CenterChat vs Chatbase at a glance
| CenterChat | Chatbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest self-serve price | $18.99/month, or $180.99/year | $150/month (Basic), or $1,440/year |
| Entry plan includes | 500 AI replies/month, 5 agents | 4,000 message credits/month, 1 agent, 3 team members |
| Largest self-serve plan | Scale: $199.99/month, 10,000 replies, 25 agents | Business: $500/month, 15,000 credits, 1 agent, 5 team members |
| Billing unit | One AI reply per answer, any model | 1–5 credits per reply by model; ×2 with actions; +6 per voice minute |
| Extra agents | Included in the plan | $25 per agent per month |
| Remove branding | Included on subscription plans | $99/month add-on; white-label on Enterprise |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan, no trial | No free plan; 7-day trial |
| Lifetime plan | Yes, from $180.99 once | No |
| Channels | Your website: chat and in-widget voice | Website, help page, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email, Slack, mobile SDKs, inbound phone |
| Voice | Talking avatar (4 built-in or your photo) or voice only; 6 English voices | Live voice in 7 languages, classic voice in 100+; custom and cloned voices; sound-wave or orb visual |
| Appointment booking | Built-in scheduler with double-booking protection, or Calendly/Cal.com | Calendly and Cal.com actions |
| Shopify | Order status after order number + email match | Orders, plus product search, carts, returns, exchanges and address updates |
| Custom API actions and webhooks | Yes; signed webhooks for leads, bookings and handoffs | Yes, custom actions |
| Native helpdesk and CRM integrations | None; webhooks, Zapier or Make | Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Freshdesk, Gorgias and more |
| Human handoff | Live inbox with takeover | Helpdesk inbox, or escalation to an external helpdesk |
| AI models | OpenAI or Google Gemini per agent, with fallback | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others per agent |
| Team members | One login per workspace | 3 on Basic, 5 on Business |
| Compliance claims | None | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR; HIPAA on Enterprise |
Chatbase details from chatbase.co pricing and documentation pages, checked November 14, 2026. Prices in USD before tax.
Where Chatbase is the better choice
Chatbase is the larger platform. It fits better if any of these matter to you:
- You need channels beyond your website: WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email, Slack, mobile apps or inbound phone calls.
- You want native integrations with helpdesks and CRMs such as Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom or Freshdesk.
- You need SOC 2 Type II or GDPR attestations, or HIPAA with a BAA. CenterChat holds no certifications.
- You want Shopify actions beyond order status, such as carts, returns, exchanges and address changes.
- You need several team members in one workspace, voice in many languages, or models from Anthropic and other providers.
- You want to try before paying: Chatbase offers a 7-day trial and CenterChat has no trial.
Questions, answered
More in the full FAQ.
Is Chatbase free?
Not any more. As of November 14, 2026, Chatbase's pricing page lists Basic ($150 a month), Business ($500 a month) and Enterprise, with a 7-day trial and no free plan. Older articles still mention Free and Hobby plans.
Is CenterChat cheaper than Chatbase?
At the entry level, yes: $18.99 a month for 500 replies and 5 agents, against $150 a month for 4,000 credits and one agent on Chatbase Basic. Chatbase includes more volume at its entry price, so compare the number of replies you expect to use.
How much does it cost to remove Chatbase branding?
Chatbase lists removing "Powered By Chatbase" as a $99-a-month add-on, with full white-labeling on Enterprise. On CenterChat's subscription plans, removing "Powered by CenterChat" is included.
Does CenterChat support WhatsApp or phone calls like Chatbase?
No. CenterChat runs on your website, as chat and in-widget voice calls. If you need WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email or phone, Chatbase covers those channels.
Can I move my Chatbase agent to CenterChat?
There is no automatic importer. Import the same website, copy your Q&A and text sources, recreate your actions, test in the studio, then swap the embed code.
Which is better for Shopify stores?
Both look up orders after verifying the customer. Chatbase supports more Shopify actions, such as carts, returns, exchanges and address updates; CenterChat focuses on verified order status plus product and policy answers, at a lower price.
Sources
Competitor details come from their own public pages, checked on . Plans and prices change; check the vendor's site before you buy, and tell us if something here is out of date.
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