Typebot
The French open-source alternative to Typeform and proprietary chatbots, with self-hosting option
Overview
Typebot is a conversational chatbot and form builder founded by French developer Baptiste Arnaud, available as SaaS or self-hosted (Fair Source license, converting to Apache 2.0 after two years). It packs 45+ blocks (text, image, video, input fields, logic) that you snap together via drag-and-drop to create lead qualification, support or data collection sequences far more engaging than a standard form. The interface is available in French, a real advantage against English-only competitors.
The free plan allows unlimited bots with 200 conversations per month, letting you seriously test before paying. The Starter plan ($39/month, 2,000 chats) and Pro plan ($89/month, 10,000 chats, WhatsApp channel) fit SMEs with growing traffic. Technical users can self-host Typebot for full data control and managed costs at scale, something few competitors allow so simply.
Our verdict
Best for French independents and SMEs wanting a chatbot or conversational form in their language, with the option to self-host to cut long-term costs. Not for you if you're after complex conversational AI with multi-step reasoning: Typebot is fundamentally a flow builder, not an autonomous agent.