Alternative to Lyro AI (Tidio) Chatbot for WordPress Sites
Why WordPress Site Owners Look for a Tidio Lyro AI Alternative
Tidio’s Lyro AI chatbot sounds great on paper. Smart automation, multi-channel support, a polished interface. But then the invoices start arriving.
Between the base plan and the Lyro AI add-on, you’re looking at $690 to $8,988 per year — and that’s before you hit your conversation cap during a busy weekend. The free tier? It gives you 50 Lyro chats total. Not monthly. Total. That’s gone in a few days for most sites.
If you’re running a WordPress or WooCommerce store, there’s a fundamental mismatch too. Lyro isn’t WordPress-native. It’s an embedded widget sitting on top of your site, with your data stored on Tidio’s servers. You can’t pick your AI provider, can’t run semantic search with vector embeddings, and Lyro AI costs extra on top of already pricey plans.
So what’s the alternative?
AI Chat & Search Pro — WordPress-Native, One-Time Payment
AI Chat & Search Pro takes a different approach. Instead of monthly SaaS fees and conversation quotas, you pay once and own the plugin forever. It installs directly inside your WordPress admin — no external widgets, no third-party data hosting.
Here’s what sets it apart:
- One-time payment — no recurring charges, no surprise invoices
- Unlimited conversations — your chatbot doesn’t stop working during Black Friday
- Multi-AI provider support — switch between ChatGPT, Gemini, or Mistral anytime
- RAG + vector embeddings — semantic search that understands meaning, not just keywords
- WooCommerce product search — natural language product recommendations built in
- Image and speech input — customers can upload photos or speak their questions
- Self-hosted data — everything stays on your server, GDPR-friendly
You bring your own API key from OpenAI, Google, or Mistral. That means you control the cost per conversation and can switch providers whenever pricing or quality changes. No vendor lock-in.
Tidio Lyro AI vs AI Chat & Search Pro — Feature Comparison
| Feature | Tidio Lyro AI | AI Chat & Search Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | SaaS ($24–749/mo + Lyro add-on) | One-time payment |
| Annual Cost (Typical) | $690–$8,988/year | $0 after purchase |
| Conversation Limits | 50–5,000/month caps | Unlimited |
| AI Providers | Proprietary Lyro only | ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral |
| Search Type | Keyword-based | Semantic (RAG + vectors) |
| WordPress Integration | Embedded widget | Native WP plugin |
| WooCommerce AI Search | No | Yes |
| Data Hosting | Tidio servers | Your server (self-hosted) |
| Image & Speech Input | Text only | Image upload + speech-to-text |
| Live Chat Handoff | Yes | No |
| Multi-Channel (Instagram, WhatsApp) | Yes | No (WordPress only) |
The Real Cost: 9 Once vs 0–,988/Year
Let’s do the math. A typical Tidio setup with Lyro AI runs $690 to over $5,000 per year depending on your plan and conversation volume. Over three years, that’s $2,070 to $15,000+.
AI Chat & Search Pro? You pay once. Your only ongoing cost is the AI provider API usage — typically a few dollars per month for small-to-medium sites. The difference adds up fast, especially for WordPress site owners tired of monthly chatbot fees.
What Tidio Lyro Does Better (Let’s Be Fair)
Tidio isn’t bad. It’s a solid platform for specific use cases:
- Live chat handoff — route conversations to human agents when the bot can’t help
- Multi-channel support — manage Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and email from one dashboard
- Video calls — built-in video calling within the chat widget
- Ticketing system — track and manage support requests
If you need a full customer support platform with live agents across social channels, Tidio makes sense. It’s built for support teams, not solo site owners.
Who Should Switch?
Pick AI Chat & Search Pro if you:
- Run a WordPress or WooCommerce site and want native AI chat
- Don’t want monthly fees eating into your margins
- Need semantic search that actually understands customer questions
- Want to choose your own AI provider (and switch whenever you want)
- Care about keeping data on your own server
Stick with Tidio if you:
- Need live human agents handling chats alongside the bot
- Run support across Instagram, WhatsApp, and email
- Want video calls and a ticketing system
- Have the budget for enterprise SaaS pricing
For most WordPress site owners who just need a smart AI chatbot — one that answers questions, helps visitors find products, and doesn’t cost a fortune — AI Chat & Search Pro is the straightforward choice. Pay once, own it, move on.
Is there a free alternative to Tidio Lyro AI for WordPress?
AI Chat & Search Pro doesn’t have a free tier, but its one-time payment model costs less than a single year of most Tidio plans. You get unlimited conversations with no monthly fees — much cheaper long-term than Tidio’s free plan that caps you at 50 lifetime Lyro chats.
Can I use ChatGPT or Gemini instead of Lyro AI on WordPress?
Yes. AI Chat & Search Pro supports multiple AI providers including ChatGPT (GPT-4.1, GPT-5), Google Gemini, and Mistral. You bring your own API key and can switch providers anytime — unlike Lyro which locks you into their proprietary AI.
How much does Tidio Lyro AI cost per year?
Tidio’s base plans range from $24 to $749 per month, but Lyro AI is a separate add-on starting at $32.50/month for just 50 AI conversations. A typical setup costs between $690 and $8,988 per year depending on your plan and conversation volume.
Does AI Chat & Search Pro work with WooCommerce?
Yes. It includes native WooCommerce AI product search with semantic understanding. Customers can ask questions like “red summer dress under $50” and get relevant product recommendations — something Lyro AI doesn’t offer.
