You search for a chatbot online and see hundreds of options for €19/month. Then you hear agencies quoting €3,000+.
And now people are talking about AI agents.
What’s the difference? And what do you really need?
Here’s a practical guide to help you understand the options and make the right choice.
Cheap SaaS Chatbots — The Entry Level
These are the bots you’ll find everywhere: quick, low-cost, and easy to set up. Platforms like Tidio, ManyChat, and Intercom offer plug-and-play chat widgets you can install on your site in minutes.
Pros:
- Very affordable (€19–€99/month)
- Fast to deploy
- Good for basic FAQs and lead capture
Cons:
- Limited customization
- Minimal integrations with your systems
- Generic look and feel
- Data often stored outside your control (compliance risk)
Best for: Businesses that only need a simple FAQ bot or a lightweight sales assistant.
Custom Chatbots — Built for Your Business
This is where Clevacat comes in. Our Custom Chatbots are designed specifically for your workflows, customers, and brand identity.
What makes them different?
- Fully branded conversations in your tone of voice
- Natural language processing (NLP) for more human-like interactions
- Deep integration with ERP, CRM, and helpdesk systems
- GDPR-compliant hosting and data management
- Configurable flows that align with your business processes
Example: A real estate chatbot that not only answers property FAQs but also qualifies leads, checks availability in your CRM, and schedules viewings.
Best for: SMEs that want measurable ROI, better customer engagement, and reduced support costs.
AI Agents — Your Digital Employees
AI Agents are the next step. They don’t just chat — they act.
What they can do:
- Understand context and reason across conversations
- Take proactive actions without needing a prompt
- Complete multi-step workflows across multiple systems
- Learn and adapt from ongoing interactions
Example: A sales AI agent that checks stock levels, prepares a personalized quote, and emails it directly to a client — all without human intervention.
Best for: Businesses looking to automate processes, reduce workload, and scale without hiring more staff.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| | Cheap SaaS Chatbot | Clevacat Custom Chatbot | Clevacat AI Agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Plug-and-play | Designed for your brand | Designed as a digital employee |
| Converstation Style | Scripted Q&A | Natural, branded NLP | Context-aware, reasoning |
| Integrations | Very limited | Deep (ERP, CRM, Helpdesk) | Full system orchestration |
| Autonomy | Reactive only | Reactive, smart routing | Proactive, autonomous actions |
| Customization | Minimal | Full business logic | Adaptive learning |
| Data & Compliance | Vendor-controlled | GDPR-compliant | Enterprise-grade governance |
| Best for | FAQs, simple leads | Sales assistance, support | Automated business processes |
| Investment | Low monthly fee | From €3,000+ | From €5,000–20,000+ |
An Easy Analogy
- Cheap SaaS Chatbot = a shop assistant with a script.
- Custom Chatbot = a trained support rep who knows your catalog and CRM.
- AI Agent = an operations manager who can make decisions and complete tasks for you.
How SMEs Should Choose
- If you just need FAQs covered → A cheap SaaS chatbot is enough.
- If you want measurable ROI and integrations → A custom chatbot is the right choice.
- If you want to automate business tasks → You’re ready for an AI agent.
Why Work With Clevacat?
At Clevacat, we help SMEs choose the right level of conversational AI for their goals. Sometimes that’s a smart but simple chatbot. Sometimes it’s a fully autonomous AI agent. Our mission is to ensure you get measurable ROI, not just another widget on your website.
Ready to explore the right option for your business?
Get in touch with us and let’s talk about your goals.