Chatbase alternative: hiy vs Chatbase.
Pick Chatbase for small teams that want one self-serve bot across many channels, WhatsApp and voice included. Pick hiy if you want answers tied to the passage they came from, a plain “I don’t know” when your docs run out, and that question handed to you.
We make hiy, so read this knowing that. Every Chatbase fact here comes from its own pages, checked 16 October 2026.
Side by side, row by row.
Each Chatbase cell says only what its own pages say. Where they’re silent, we don’t guess.
| Chatbase | hiy | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Hobby, $32/mo billed yearly, with 700 message credits a month. More credits are $40 per 1,000. | Starter, $40/mo, flat: no overage and no per-resolution fee. |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan on its pricing page; a 7-day trial. | A 14-day free trial, no card needed, one per account. The free plan is for an Expert Twin, not a Support Agent. |
| Shows its sources | Its product page says answers can show where they came from. | Yes, by default: an answer cites the passage it used, and a visitor can open it. On every plan; you can hide sources. |
| When the docs don’t cover it | Guardrails can send set requests, such as refunds, to a person. | It says so plainly and, by default, offers to hand the question to a person. |
| Handing over to a person | A helpdesk inbox where the AI and your team share a conversation, on Standard and up. | The visitor leaves an email and the conversation lands in your Inbox, or opens a ticket in Zendesk or Intercom. The question waits on Unanswered, where your answer becomes a correction. |
| What it learns from | Your documents, websites and databases; past tickets on Pro. | Your site’s pages by address, pasted text, PDF, Word and Markdown files, YouTube transcripts and lists. |
| Where it answers | Website chat, Slack, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email and voice; its API from Standard. | A bubble, bar or inline chat on your own site, and the chat API. Email and WhatsApp are in test, and voice in a pilot, for some workspaces. |
Checked 16 October 2026 from:
Where Chatbase is ahead.
hiy is new and small. If one of these is what you need, it’s the better pick today.
- Far more channels today, including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email and voice.
- A helpdesk inbox built in, so you don’t need a second tool.
- An Enterprise tier with SSO, audit logs and HIPAA eligibility.
A Chatbase alternative for creatorsIntercom Fin alternatives for small support teams
hiy and Chatbase: what differs.
From each product’s own pages. Prices are theirs, as published.
- hiy does one job: a Support Agent that answers from your site and hands the rest to your team. Chatbase spreads across many channels and a built-in helpdesk.
- hiy’s paid plan is flat, with no message-credit top-ups.
- hiy shows the passage behind an answer by default, and says so when your docs don’t cover a question.
Pricing side by side
- Chatbase, Hobby: $32/mo billed yearly, 700 message credits a month
- Chatbase, Standard: $120/mo billed yearly
- Chatbase, More credits: $40 per 1,000
- hiy: Starter, $40/mo, flat: no overage and no per-resolution fee.
Checked 16 October 2026 from chatbase.co/pricing and hiy.ai/pricing.
Where hiy is different.
What hiy is built around, whichever plan you’re on. Citations, the honest gap, the AI label and the report link are on every plan.
Answers show their source
An answer cites the passage it used, and a visitor can open it to check.
It says when it doesn’t know
When your material doesn’t cover a question, it says so rather than guessing, and offers a person.
Each miss is taught once
Handovers land in your Inbox. The question waits on Unanswered; answer it with Teach it and every similar question is covered.
One line on your site
Switch on Open on your site and paste one script tag, with no server. Signed-in visitors can get a token from your server instead.
Questions people ask first.
Is hiy a good Chatbase alternative?
It is if what matters most is answers your customers can check: hiy cites the passage behind its answers, says so when your docs don’t cover a question, and hands that question to a person. Chatbase is the better fit for small teams that want one self-serve bot across many channels, WhatsApp and voice included.
How much does Chatbase cost compared with hiy?
Chatbase’s cheapest plan, Hobby, is $32 a month billed yearly for 700 message credits, and Standard is $120 a month billed yearly. hiy’s Starter plan is $40 a month, flat, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed. What each plan includes, and how to start, is on the pricing page.
Does Chatbase show where its answers come from?
Chatbase’s product page says its answers can show where they came from. hiy cites the passage behind its answers by default, on every plan, and a visitor can open it; an owner can hide sources.
Does Chatbase have a free plan or trial?
No free plan on its pricing page; a 7-day trial. hiy: A 14-day free trial, no card needed, one per account. The free plan is for an Expert Twin, not a Support Agent.
How does Chatbase hand a chat to a person, compared with hiy?
Chatbase: A helpdesk inbox where the AI and your team share a conversation, on Standard and up. hiy: The visitor leaves an email and the conversation lands in your Inbox, or opens a ticket in Zendesk or Intercom. The question waits on Unanswered, where your answer becomes a correction.
Try hiy on your own docs. Start free; the paid plan is free for 14 days.
- 14-day free trial
- No card needed
- Paste a URL to start