What is add-on pricing?
Add-on pricing means a software tool sells extra features or capacity separately from its main plans, each with its own monthly price. The plan price is where the bill starts, and add-ons come on top.
Also called: paid add-ons, add-on fees, bolt-on pricing.
By Santhul Joseph, AI EngineerUpdated
How add-on pricing works
Instead of putting a feature in a higher tier, the vendor sells it on its own. In chatbot and support tools, common add-ons are the AI agent itself, extra AI conversations, extra seats and AI help for human agents.
On Tidio, for example, the Lyro AI agent is an add-on from $32.50 a month for 50 AI conversations, so Starter at $24.17 plus Lyro comes to $56.67 a month on annual billing. Intercom sells Copilot at $29 per agent a month on annual billing. Chatbase includes 1 AI agent per plan and sells extra agents at $25 a month each, extra message credits at $40 per 1,000, and removal of its branding at $99 a month.
The trade-off
- In its favour: you pay only for the extras you use, and the base plan stays cheap.
- Against it: the advertised price isn't the price you pay. Two or three add-ons can double the total.
- Before you buy, list every feature you need and add up the plan plus each add-on.
The SimplyBoost approach
SimplyBoost doesn't sell the AI agent or channels as add-ons. Starter at €39 a month includes 500 AI replies, the website chat widget, WhatsApp, Instagram, calendar booking, lead capture, workflows and handover to your team.
What changes between plans is the number of AI replies and a few extras: the Shopify store assistant and advanced analytics start on Growth at €89, and analytics export and dedicated support come with Pro at €169. They're part of the plan, not separate charges.
Questions people ask
What add-ons do chatbot tools usually charge for?
Most often the AI agent or extra AI conversations, extra agents, extra seats and AI help for human agents. Tidio sells Lyro AI and Flows as add-ons, and Chatbase sells extra agents, extra credits and branding removal.
Does SimplyBoost have paid add-ons?
No. Each plan is one monthly price. For more AI replies or the Shopify store assistant, you move to a higher plan.
How do I compare prices when tools use add-ons?
Write down what you need on day one, such as AI answers, WhatsApp and booking, and add up the plan plus every add-on that covers it. Compare that total, not the starting price.