Best free AI agents in 2026: 7 options compared

The free AI agents worth trying in 2026 are Ageentiq if you sell on WhatsApp; Tidio, Chatbase or Chatling for your website chat; Botpress if you want to build your own; and Zapier Agents or n8n for automating tasks. Before you pick one, check one thing: that the free plan works on the channel your customers actually use.

We looked at more than a dozen tools and kept only the ones that have a real free plan today, not just a trial that ends in a few days. If you're still not sure what an AI agent does, start with what AI agents are.

Ageentiq is our product; we included it using the same criteria as the others. Prices and limits checked on October 10, 2026, on each tool's official pricing page.

Quick comparison

Tool	Best for	What the free plan gives you	Card needed?	WhatsApp?
Ageentiq	Small businesses that sell and serve customers on WhatsApp	Up to 50 conversations a month. Never expires. The first message of each conversation carries the Ageentiq signature	No	Yes, with your own number
Tidio (Lyro)	Online stores that serve customers through website chat	50 AI conversations, one time only. Plus 50 conversations a month handled by people. Shows Tidio branding	No, per its pricing page	Yes, the integration is on the free plan
Botpress	Builders who want a custom agent with more technical control	100 conversations, 3 agents and 3 seats. No top-ups. Webchat shows Botpress branding	Not stated	Yes, per its pricing table
Chatbase	Answering questions from your own documents	1 agent and 50 AI messages a month. The agent is deleted after 14 days of inactivity	Not stated	Not on the free plan
Chatling	An AI chat widget for your website	1 agent, unlimited chats and an AI allowance of 200 a month. Shows Chatling branding	Not stated	Not on the free plan
Zapier Agents	Automating internal work across your apps	400 activities a month. Plus 2 chatbots you share by link	No	Not stated
n8n (Community Edition)	Technical teams that can run their own server	Free if you host it yourself. You pay for the server and the AI model you connect	No, you host it	Yes, if you connect Meta's WhatsApp API yourself

Keep in mind that each tool counts its limit in a different unit. 50 conversations are not the same as 50 messages or 50 activities.

The 7 free AI agents, one by one

1. Ageentiq

What it is. A platform for AI agents that serve your customers on WhatsApp, using your own number, and over email. They work with your team in Slack. You set them up by talking, with no code, and they connect to 1,500+ apps.

What's free. Up to 50 conversations a month, no card. The plan renews every month and doesn't expire. You connect your WhatsApp number by logging in with Meta.

The catch. On the free plan, the first message of each conversation carries the Ageentiq signature. Paid plans add more conversations, remove the signature and come with a 14-day trial; that trial does ask for a card. It doesn't make phone calls or videos, and there's no website chat today.

Who it fits. Small businesses that sell and serve customers on WhatsApp, especially in Latin America. If you get lots of messages a day, 50 conversations a month will run short.

More detail on the free AI agent for WhatsApp page and in How the free plan works.

2. Tidio (Lyro)

What it is. Live chat for your website, with a support inbox and an AI agent called Lyro.

What's free. The free plan includes 50 conversations a month handled by your team. Only conversations someone on your team replies to count. The WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email integrations are included. Lyro comes with 50 free conversations.

The catch. Those 50 Lyro conversations are one time only, not monthly. Once they're gone, the AI needs a paid plan. The chat shows Tidio branding.

Who it fits. Online stores that mostly serve customers through website chat and want to try AI before paying.

3. Botpress

What it is. A platform for building AI agents with a visual editor. It gives you a lot of control, and asks for more setup in return.

What's free. 100 conversations, up to 3 agents and 3 seats for your team. Its pricing table checks webchat and WhatsApp on every plan, including Free.

The catch. The free plan has no top-ups: when you hit the cap, you have to change plans. The page doesn't say whether the 100 conversations reset monthly. Removing Botpress branding from the webchat is a paid feature. Its paid plan description also lists WhatsApp, so confirm it when you sign up.

Who it fits. Teams with someone technical who want to build the agent their own way.

4. Chatbase

What it is. You give it your documents or your website, and it builds an agent that answers questions from that content.

What's free. 1 agent, 1 seat and 50 AI messages a month. You can load up to 1 MB of text. You can share it through a public link, and the WordPress integration is included.

The catch. One reply can use more than one message, depending on the AI model. On the free plan, the agent is deleted after 14 days of inactivity. WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and Slack are on paid plans. Removing Chatbase branding is a paid add-on.

Who it fits. Anyone who wants to quickly try an agent that answers from their own documents.

5. Chatling

What it is. An AI chat builder for your website, with live chat for your team.

What's free. 1 agent, 1 seat, unlimited chats and an AI allowance of 200 a month. How much each reply uses depends on the model. It takes up to 500,000 characters of knowledge, and limits reset every month.

The catch. On the free plan it only works on the web. WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and Telegram are on paid plans. The chat shows Chatling branding.

Who it fits. Anyone who wants an AI chat on their website and doesn't need WhatsApp.

6. Zapier Agents

What it is. Agents that work inside your apps, like email, spreadsheets or your CRM, and get tasks done for you.

What's free. The free Agents plan includes 400 activities a month. An activity is each action the agent takes, each web search or each lookup in its knowledge. Zapier's free plan adds 100 tasks a month in two-step automations, plus up to 2 chatbots.

The catch. It's built more for internal work than for talking to customers. Free chatbots are shared by link; embedding one on your website is a paid feature, and so is removing the Zapier logo.

Who it fits. People and teams already on Zapier who want to hand off repetitive work.

7. n8n (Community Edition)

What it is. A tool for building automations and AI agents by connecting blocks. It's popular with technical teams.

What's free. The Community Edition is the free edition, and it runs on your own server. It has almost the full feature set. It includes a block that receives WhatsApp messages through Meta's WhatsApp API.

The catch. You install and maintain it, and you pay for the server. You also connect an AI model with your own key, and that usage may cost extra. It lacks some team features, such as shared projects and version control. n8n's cloud version is paid, from €20 a month billed annually, with a free trial that doesn't ask for a card.

Who it fits. Teams with someone technical who want full control.

Tools we checked that didn't make the list

These often show up in "free AI agent" lists, but today they don't have a free plan with AI:

• Voiceflow: its pricing page shows no free plan. It offers a no-card free trial for agencies and custom pricing for businesses.
• Lindy: gives you $50 of free usage that lasts 7 days, no card. That's a trial, not a plan.
• Relevance AI: its pricing page only shows the Enterprise plan.
• Landbot: has a free-forever plan with 100 chats a month, but no AI chats. WhatsApp only works with a test number.
• Respond.io and WATI: popular for WhatsApp, but they offer a 7-day trial, not a free plan.

What to check before choosing a free AI agent

Whatever tool you're looking at, check these before you set up your agent.

1. Does it work on your channel?

This is the most overlooked limit. Many free plans only work in a website widget or a shared link. If your customers message you on WhatsApp, make sure you can connect your real number.

2. Is it a free plan or a trial?

A trial gives you everything for a few days, then you pay or it shuts off. A free plan has fewer features but no end date. To test calmly, the second is better.

3. Does it ask for a card?

If it asks for a card, there's often a trial behind it that turns into an automatic charge. Not always, but it's worth confirming.

4. How much is included, and in what unit?

Look for the number and the unit: conversations, messages, activities or tasks. A plan with lots of messages can go less far than it sounds if each conversation has several.

5. Does it renew, or is it one time only?

Some allowances renew every month. Others are given once and never come back.

6. What branding does it show?

Almost every free plan shows the tool's branding in the chat or the messages. That's usually fine to start, but ask yourself whether you mind customers seeing it.

7. What happens when it runs out?

Does the agent stop? Are you charged? Can you buy a bit more? Better to know before a busy day.

8. Does it know your real prices?

An agent that only reads a long block of text can make up prices. One that works from a catalog of products and prices is more reliable for selling.

9. Can it hand the conversation to a person?

There will always be cases the agent shouldn't handle alone. Check whether it can pass those conversations to your team.

How to pick yours

• Your customers message you on WhatsApp: try Ageentiq. Tidio also includes a WhatsApp integration on its free plan, and Botpress checks it in its pricing table.
• Most of your conversations happen in website chat: Tidio, Chatbase or Chatling.
• You want to offload internal work, like email or spreadsheets: Zapier Agents.
• You have someone technical and want full control: n8n or Botpress.

A free plan is for getting started. If you run out before the end of the month, want the agent to speak only under your brand, or your business already depends on it to sell, it's time to compare paid plans.

How to try Ageentiq for free

1. Create your account at app.ageentiq.com/register. No card needed.
2. Tell it what work you want off your plate, in your own words. No code.
3. Teach it your business, also by talking: what you sell, what it costs and how you serve customers.
4. Connect your WhatsApp number by logging in with Meta. See Connect WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best free AI agent?

It depends on where your customers reach you. For selling on WhatsApp we recommend Ageentiq, which is our product. For website chat, Tidio, Chatbase or Chatling. For internal tasks, Zapier Agents.

Are there free AI agents for WhatsApp?

Yes. Ageentiq includes it on its free plan with your own number. Tidio includes the integration on its free plan, and Botpress checks it in its pricing table. You can also do it with n8n, but you set it up yourself.

Do free AI agents ask for a card?

It depends. Ageentiq and Zapier don't. Tidio says its trial doesn't, and that accounts move to the free plan afterwards. Botpress, Chatbase and Chatling don't say on their pricing pages.

What's the difference between a free trial and a free plan?

A trial lasts a few days, then you pay or it shuts off. A free plan has limits but doesn't expire.

Does the Ageentiq free plan expire?

No. It includes up to 50 conversations a month, renews every month and doesn't ask for a card.

Do I need to know how to code?

Not for Ageentiq: you set it up by talking, in your own words. Installing n8n on your own server does take technical skills.

What's better, a free chatbot or a free AI agent?

A traditional chatbot follows a fixed menu of options. An AI agent understands what the customer writes and can do tasks, like taking an order or booking an appointment. We explain the difference in What is an AI employee.