Chatbot alternative
A chatbot alternative that shows the answer on your page.
A chat widget answers in a box in the corner. A guide answers by voice or text and shows the answer on the page itself. Both have their place. Here's an honest look at when each one fits.
Side by side
One question, two answers.
A visitor on a spa website asks: “How much is a weekend for two?” Press play and watch a typical chat box and a guide answer.
A visitor asks How much is a weekend for two?
Thermal pools in the pine forest
- Rooms Superior double with forest viewFrom €140 a night with breakfast
- Weekend for Two 2 nights, breakfast, pools and saunaOne 50-minute massage each €420 for two AI guide A weekend for two is €420: two nights, breakfast, the pools and a massage each. Here it is, and here's where you book.
- Pools and sauna Open daily 9:00–21:00
Visitor: How much is a weekend for two?
Thank you for your question! Our Weekend for Two package includes two nights in a Superior double room with forest view, breakfast both mornings, unlimited entry to the thermal pools and the sauna world, one 50-minute massage per person, bathrobes and slippers, and free parking. The price for the package is €420 for two people for the whole stay. Please note that prices may differ in high season and on public holidays. Late check-out is possible on request for an extra charge. You can book the package on our Packages page or by contacting reception. Is there anything else I can help you with?
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A chat box
Both answers are right. The chat box gives a paragraph to read, and the visitor then looks for the price on the page.
- Reads the paragraph
- Looks for the price
- Looks for the booking button
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A guide
The guide gives one line and shows the price and the booking button.
- Reads one line
- Sees the price
- Sees where to book
The comparison
Chat widget or guide: what each one does.
| Feature | Chat widget | VocaGuide |
|---|---|---|
| Answers questions | Yes, in text | Yes, by voice or text |
| Shows the answer on the page | Usually writes it out or sends a link | Scrolls to it, points at it, opens the photo |
| Talks out loud | Usually text only | Yes, after the visitor taps, with captions |
| A face for your brand | An icon or an avatar | A character that moves and points, or your own mascot |
| Live chat with your staff | Many tools offer it | No, the guide answers on its own |
| Order lookups and support tickets | Often built in | No, it answers from your website's content |
| In-app browsers (email, LinkedIn) | Text works | Text works, voice where the microphone is allowed |
| Setup | Add a widget; many tools learn from your site, others need answers written in | We build it from your site, you check the answers, one script tag |
| Price | Varies by tool | €49 or €149 a month, after a demo on your site and 30 days free |
Chat tools differ a lot. This table describes typical website chat widgets, not any one product.
When each one fits
Pick the tool for the job.
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A chat widget is a good fit when…
Most questions are about orders or accounts, you want your staff to take over the conversation, or you need support tickets behind it.
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A guide that shows fits when…
Your site has a lot to show, such as rooms, prices, exhibits or products, and visitors ask where things are. The answer is already on the page, and the guide takes them to it.
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Already paying for a chat tool?
Tell us. We'll look at your site together and see which pages a guide would help on.
Questions about chatbots and guides
How is it different from a chatbot?
A chatbot answers in a text box. VocaGuide answers by voice or text and then shows the answer on your page, so the visitor sees the price or the photo where it already is. It also has a face: a character that moves and points. A chat tool is still a good fit for order questions or live chat with your staff.
Can it take bookings?
It leads visitors to your booking button or booking page and shows them where to click. The booking itself stays in your own booking system. The guide doesn't take reservations or payments.
What happens if it doesn't know the answer?
The guide answers from your site's content, and it is built to say plainly when your site doesn't have the answer. On the Growth plan, the monthly report lists the questions your site doesn't answer yet, so you can add them.
Does it work on phones and in in-app browsers?
Yes. Links from email, LinkedIn or Facebook often open in an in-app browser where the microphone is blocked. Text works fully there. Visitors who want to talk can do so in a browser that allows the microphone.
See it on your site
See the difference on your own website.
Tell us your website. We build a demo of the guide from your own pages and email you a link, so you can compare for yourself.
Thank you. We have your website.
We'll build a demo of the guide on your site and email you a link when it's ready.