A 24/7 assistant for your customers, and what it's worth.
What an AI support assistant on your website can do for any New Zealand business, what it costs in plain numbers, and how WillAi + DocsBot compares with nine other options available in NZ. Facts from each provider's own pages, with sources.
Provider details last checked 23 October 2026. Prices may change. "?" = not stated on their site.
What a 24/7 assistant brings your business
Trained on your own website, prices and policies. It answers from your information, and says so when it doesn't know.
After-hours enquiries answered
Evenings, weekends and busy days: customers get an answer straight away instead of waiting until you're free.
Leads captured, not lost
Collects name, contact details and what they need, and emails it to your team, so visitors don't just leave.
Bookings without phone tag
Offers your Calendly, Cal.com or TidyCal link so customers pick a time themselves.
Fewer repeat questions
Hours, prices, service areas, how bookings work: answered consistently, so your team spends less time on the same questions.
Customers' own languages
Answers in 100+ languages, including Chinese, from the same information you publish in English.
Handoff to your staff
Urgent or tricky questions become a handoff ticket with the chat history, so a person picks up where it left off.
Insight into what customers ask
Question analytics show the most common questions and the gaps in your information.
Stays up to date
Your website is re-read automatically every week, and changes can be added straight away. Also works on WhatsApp and Messenger.
What it costs, in plain numbers
One plan, DocsBot Standard, paid straight to DocsBot. Installation by WillAi is a one-off NZ$2,000 incl. GST NZ$1,000 incl. GST with an email code (Get 50% off: enter your email for a code).
US$149/month, billed by DocsBot in US dollars, so the NZ$ amount moves a little with the exchange rate (GST and FX to confirm).
Spread across the month (NZ$263 × 12 ÷ 365).
The same money buys about 10 hours of admin at NZ$25.52/hr (PayScale 2026). The assistant is on 24/7.
Compare NZ$8.65 a day with what an unanswered enquiry, a missed booking or an hour of repeat questions costs your business. You know those numbers best; a 30-day pilot measures them for you. NZ$ figures use US$1 = NZ$1.768 (18 October 2026).
How the NZ options compare
Ten options side by side, from each provider's public pages. WillAi + DocsBot is highlighted.
Swipe the table sideways to see every provider →
| Feature | WillAi + DocsBot Standard | Mārama AI | SwiftWebunverified | Automate AI | Go Digital | Kea AI | HiAndaphone | AnswRphone | Hey Jodiephone | Kayvoquote only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price NZ$/mo | ~263 (US$149) | 19 / 49 / 99 | 29 / 49 / 79 +GST | 99 / 249 / 499 +GST | from 149 standalone | 0 / 25 founding (39) | 79 / 149 / 299 +GST | 99 / 199 / 399 | 99 / 199 / 399 +tax | Not published (quote after free consult) |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee, not per resolution | Flat monthly | Flat monthly | Flat monthly | Flat monthly | Flat monthly, answer caps | Flat monthly, minute caps | Flat monthly, minute caps | Flat monthly | ? |
| Security / trust | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA available; public Trust Center | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Setup | No fee on 49/99; DIY on 19 | 299–599 | Included (most plans) | Included | Included | No setup fee | Included ($19 PAYG) | No setup fee | Custom build (quote) | |
| Usage | 15k AI credits/mo, shared across 3 bots | No limits | Unlimited (unverified) | ? | ? | 100 / 2,000 answers; +2k for $15 | 100 / 300 / 750 min | 200 / 500 / 1,500 min | Unlimited minutes | ? |
| Chinese / languages | Y · 100+ languages | ? | ? | $499 plan only | Y · Mandarin | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Lead capture | Y | Y | Y · $49+ | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | ? |
| Booking | Y · Calendly / Cal.com / TidyCal | ? | N | $249+ | Y | Email request; add-on | ? | Google Calendar | Y | ? |
| Handoff to a person | Y · tickets | Y | ? | Y | Y · email / SMS | Y | ? | ? | Call transfer | ? |
| Analytics | Y | Monthly (49/99) | $49+ | Monthly review | Y | Weekly | Call summaries | $399 plan | ? | ? |
| WhatsApp / Messenger | Y / Y | ? | ? | ? | ? | WhatsApp add-on | N | N | N | ? |
| Voice / phone | In-widget voice Y; phone line via Twilio (beta) | ? | ? | ? | ? | Browser voice | Y | Y | Y | ? |
| Content auto-refresh | Weekly | Managed ($99) | ? | Monthly ($249+) | They update | 4× per year | n/a | n/a | n/a | ? |
| Lock-in | None | ? | ? | ? | No lock-in | No minimum term | No contract | Cancel anytime | Cancel anytime | ? |
| NZ support | William, locally | Y | Y | Y | Y · Auckland | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y · Auckland |
Last checked 23 October 2026 (DocsBot security and pricing-model rows checked 24 October 2026); prices may change. "?" means not stated on the provider's site, not that it's unavailable. NZ$ per month as published, "+GST" where stated. SwiftWeb details could not be independently verified. HiAnda, AnswR and Hey Jodie are phone answering services rather than website chat. Please confirm details with each provider; corrections welcome at [email protected].
What about Intercom Fin or Zendesk AI?
The big overseas helpdesk AIs are built for support teams already living in those tools. Here's how they differ, from DocsBot's and the providers' public pages.
| WillAi + DocsBot Standard | Intercom Fin | Zendesk AI agents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat US$149/month (about NZ$263), not per resolution | US$0.99 per outcome (such as a resolution), plus Intercom seats if you use its helpdesk | Per resolution, after an allowance, on top of per-agent seats |
| What it learns from | 38+ source types: your website, documents, Google Drive, YouTube and other videos, and helpdesk tickets | Intercom content and conversations, plus external sources | Zendesk help centre and connected sources |
| Security / trust | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA available; public Trust Center | Publishes SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, ISO and GDPR credentials | Trust Center lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO |
| Needs their helpdesk? | No. Works on its own, or alongside a helpdesk | Works best inside Intercom | Works best inside Zendesk |
Why per resolution matters: with Fin or Zendesk, a busier month means a bigger bill. With DocsBot you know the fee up front; usage comes from your monthly AI credits. Checked 24 October 2026 on DocsBot vs Intercom Fin, DocsBot vs Zendesk and Intercom's Fin outcomes page. Prices may change; confirm with each provider.
Why DocsBot is worth the money
It isn't the cheapest. Here's what the extra buys, honestly.
The feature combination
In this comparison, it's the only option where 100+ languages, bookings, handoff to staff, and WhatsApp + Messenger are all confirmed on one plan, along with lead capture, analytics and a weekly refresh. Lower-priced options may cover some of these, or include them on higher plans or as add-ons.
Your own account
The DocsBot account is in your business's name. If you stop working with William, you keep it and its data.
No lock-in
No contract with WillAi. Cancel with DocsBot any month; 14-day money-back from DocsBot.
Installation NZ$1,000 incl. GST with email code (normally NZ$2,000 incl. GST)
William trains, tests and tunes your assistant, and stays on hand locally as your business changes.
Security you can check
DocsBot is SOC 2 Type II certified and GDPR compliant, with HIPAA available. It doesn't sell your data, and your AI model providers keep zero data retention. Details are in its public Trust Center.
Your content only
Each assistant is trained only on your own website and documents, and your workspace is kept separate from everyone else's.
Learns from more than tickets
Website pages, documents, Google Drive, YouTube and other videos, and helpdesk tickets: 38+ source types, refreshed automatically.
Guardrails you set
You choose how strictly it sticks to your information, what it won't answer, and how it handles questions about competitors.
Maintained for you
DocsBot runs and maintains the platform, so there are no servers or updates for you to look after.
Disclosed commission
William is paid through a referral commission from DocsBot, stated openly. It doesn't change your price.
Trade-offs, and when another option may suit
Every option has limits. These are worth knowing before you choose.
WillAi + DocsBot Standard
- Highest monthly fee in this comparison. Entry prices for the other options range from NZ$0 to NZ$149 a month (Kayvo doesn't publish prices).
- Billed in US dollars. US$149/month; the NZ$ amount moves with the exchange rate. GST and card FX fees to confirm.
- Usage cap. 15,000 AI credits a month, shared across up to 3 bots. William monitors usage.
- Phone line is beta. Voice in the chat widget is included; a phone number via Twilio is a DocsBot beta feature.
Good to know about other options (as published)
- If budget comes first: Kea AI (from NZ$0) and Mārama AI (from NZ$19) have lower entry prices. Mārama's $19 plan is self-setup; Kea's plans include 100 or 2,000 answers a month, with 2,000 more for $15.
- If you mainly need phones answered: HiAnda, AnswR and Hey Jodie are built for calls. HiAnda and AnswR plans include set minutes (100–1,500 a month); Hey Jodie lists unlimited minutes.
- Automate AI lists multilingual support on its $499 + GST plan and booking from $249 + GST. SwiftWeb lists a NZ$299–599 setup fee (unverified).
- Kayvo (Auckland) focuses on ecommerce and product businesses and lists an AI sales assistant among its services. It doesn't publish prices or chatbot feature details (quote after a free consultation), so most of its cells are "?".
- "?" in the table means it isn't stated on the provider's site. It may still be available; worth asking.
"That's a lot for a chatbot."
Fair question. NZ$263 a month is about NZ$8.65 a day, or roughly 10 hours of admin time at NZ$25.52 an hour. The difference is that the assistant is on 24/7, including evenings and weekends, answers in your customers' languages, and passes the right enquiries to your team.
There's no contract and a 14-day money-back guarantee from DocsBot. Installation by WillAi is NZ$1,000 incl. GST with an email code (normally NZ$2,000 incl. GST). The simplest way to judge it is a 30-day pilot measured on your own numbers.
A 30-day pilot, measured
William installs it (about 3 days; NZ$2,000 incl. GST NZ$1,000 incl. GST with an email code), tests it with real questions, then tunes it weekly. At day 30 you keep, change or cancel based on:
- After-hours enquiries answered
- Leads and bookings captured
- Chats in languages other than English
- Questions it couldn't answer (so they get fixed)
Sources
Each provider's public pages, last checked 23 October 2026. Prices may change.
- DocsBot pricing: docsbot.ai/pricing
- DocsBot security and comparisons (checked 24 October 2026): trust.docsbot.ai, docsbot.ai/legal/privacy-policy, DocsBot vs Intercom Fin, DocsBot vs Zendesk
- Mārama AI: maramaai.co.nz/ai-chatbot
- SwiftWeb: swiftweb.co.nz/services/ai-chatbotUnverified
- Automate AI: automateai.co.nz/solutions/ai-chatbot/
- Go Digital: godigital.co.nz/services/ai-chatbot
- Kea AI: keaai.co.nz
- HiAnda (AI phone): hianda.nz/pricing
- AnswR (AI phone): answr.co.nz/pricing
- Hey Jodie (AI phone): heyjodie.com/en-nz/pricing/
- Kayvo (single-page site; no pricing page published): kayvo.ai/
- AI receptionist price roundup, NZ (written by FirstVoice, a competitor; used only as a cross-check): firstvoice.co.nz/compare/ai-receptionist-prices-nz
- Admin wage NZ$25.52/hr, Administrative Assistant, NZ, 2026 (PayScale): payscale.com/research/NZ/Job=Administrative_Assistant/Hourly_Rate
Disclosure: William McIntosh (WillAi) is a DocsBot partner and receives a referral commission from DocsBot on subscriptions. It does not change the price you pay. Competitor details are summarised factually from their own pages and may be incomplete; corrections welcome at [email protected].
Want to see it on your website?
Have a quick chat with Will. Installation NZ$2,000 incl. GST NZ$1,000 incl. GST with an email code, then the DocsBot plan.