Introduction
You have a WordPress site and you want to integrate a chatbot capable of answering your visitors’ questions. Most solutions offer a monthly subscription between 30 and 150 DH, sometimes with limitations underneath. The good news: it’s entirely possible to do this for free, without a subscription, without hidden limits, and with only one condition: having your own account with an AI API provider.
This is exactly what ChatCraft AI Free offers — the free version of the ChatCraft AI plugin, developed by Izri.Online. Here’s how to install it, configure it, and take advantage of the free tiers from Groq and OpenRouter to have a functional chatbot on your site, without paying a dirham.
Why an AI chatbot on WordPress can be free
A modern AI chatbot works like this:
1. Your website hosts the chat widget (the plugin)
2. The plugin sends user messages to an AI API provider (OpenAI, Groq, OpenRouter, etc.)
3. The AI generates a response and the plugin displays it in the chat
The plugin itself can be free. What can cost money is the AI call. Except that today, several providers offer generous free tiers that are more than enough for a standard site (showcase site, blog, small shop, local service).
The BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model of ChatCraft AI gives you full control: you create your own account with the provider, get your API key, and paste it into the plugin. You pay the provider directly for what you use — often zero initially.
What the free version of ChatCraft AI offers
The Free version of ChatCraft AI is designed to get started without commitment. Here’s what it includes:
| What you get | Details |
|---|---|
| 1 chatbot | A single bot on your site, which is enough for most sites |
| 1 WordPress site | You can install it on one site with a single license |
| 3 built-in AI providers | OpenAI, Groq, and OpenRouter — you choose which one to use |
| Lead capture | The bot can collect the name and email of visitors who interact |
| CSAT rating | Users can rate responses (useful for improving the bot) |
| Offline mode | You can configure an automatic message when the bot is unavailable |
| System prompt | Customize the bot’s behavior and tone via a system prompt |
| Appearance customization | Color, position, welcome message, avatar — to match your brand identity |
| Free forever | No expiration, no surprise billing. The license is free and permanent. |
What the free version doesn’t include (requiring Pro or Plus):
– Multilingual (FR, AR, ES, DE)
– RAG Knowledge Base (index your WordPress content)
– Keyword rules, business hours, negative guardrails
– Automatic fallback provider
– Conditional display (show the bot on specific pages only)
– WooCommerce (order tracking, product search, PDF invoices)
– Advanced stats / analytics
For a site that’s just getting started, the free version is more than enough.
The 3 providers included in the Free version
The Free version of ChatCraft AI gives you access to three AI providers right out of the box: OpenAI, Groq, and OpenRouter. You don’t need to buy anything to use them — just create a free account with the provider and copy your API key into the plugin.
1. Groq — the generous free tier
Groq is an AI inference provider known for speed. It offers free access to a certain monthly quota of requests, with high-performance models like Llama 3, Mixtral, etc.
What’s free at Groq:
– A monthly token quota (for non-commercial use, under current terms)
– Fast, high-quality models for standard use (FAQ, homepage, information)
How to use it with ChatCraft AI:
1. Go to console.groq.com and create a free account
2. In the API Keys section, generate an API key
3. In ChatCraft AI (WordPress > ChatCraft AI > Settings), select “Groq” as the provider
4. Paste your API key and choose the model (e.g., llama-3.1-8b-instant or mixtral-8x7b-3276q)
5. Test the chat in a preview tab or directly on your site
Note: Groq’s free quota is enough for a site with moderate traffic, but for a very busy site, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan. The transparency of the BYOK model lets you see exactly what you consume and switch providers if needed.
2. OpenRouter — a model aggregator with a free tier
OpenRouter is a platform that aggregates numerous AI models (open source and commercial) and provides access through a single API. It offers a starting free credit and a pay-as-you-go system.
What’s interesting about OpenRouter for free usage:
– Open source models accessible with a small initial free credit
– The ability to choose from many models (Llama, Mistral, etc.)
– Very detailed pay-as-you-go billing — you see exactly what you consume
– A simple administration portal
How to use it with ChatCraft AI:
1. Go to openrouter.ai and create an account
2. In the API settings, generate an API key
3. In ChatCraft AI, select “OpenRouter” as the provider
4. Choose the model that suits you (for example, a Llama or Mistral model available with the free tier)
5. Save and test
Note: OpenRouter’s free tier is based on an initial free credit. Once consumed, you’ll pay as you go — often just a few cents per standard chat session. This is very little for a standard site, and often far less than a typical monthly subscription.
3. OpenAI — the default provider, with limited free tier
OpenAI is the default provider included in the Free version. It offers high-quality models (like GPT-4o-mini) with a free tier on some accounts.
What’s free at OpenAI (for new accounts):
– A free credit amount assigned upon account creation (conditions vary, check the OpenAI page)
– Models accessible with this credit
How to use it with ChatCraft AI:
1. Go to platform.openai.com, create an account
2. Generate an API key in the API Keys section
3. In ChatCraft AI, select “OpenAI” as the provider
4. Paste the key and choose the model (e.g., gpt-4o-mini for cost-effective use)
5. Test the chat
Note: OpenAI’s free credit is useful for testing, but it erodes quickly if the bot is used regularly. For lasting free usage, Groq or OpenRouter are often more interesting.
Step-by-step installation
Here’s how to install ChatCraft AI Free on your WordPress site in under 10 minutes.
Step 1 — Download the plugin
- Go to the Izri.Online Gumroad store: izrionline.gumroad.com/l/chatcraft-free
- Click “Get Free Key” to download the plugin ZIP file
- The file is usually named
chatcraft-ai-free.zip(or similar)
Step 2 — Install the plugin on WordPress
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard (back office)
- Go to Plugins > Add New
- Click Upload Plugin (top left)
- Choose the ZIP file you downloaded
- Click Install Now
- Once installation is complete, click Activate Plugin
Step 3 — Configure your AI provider
- In the WordPress menu, go to ChatCraft AI (the plugin entry is added automatically)
- You arrive at the first chatbot configuration page
- In the “AI Provider” section, choose Groq (or OpenRouter if you prefer)
- In “API Key”, paste your API key from the provider
- Choose the model (e.g.,
groq/llama-3.1-8b-instantor the model you selected with the provider) - Click Save
Step 4 — Customize the chatbot
In the same configuration page, you can:
- Chatbot name: the name displayed in the chat window (e.g., “Support”, “Welcome”, “Ask your question”)
- Welcome message: the first message shown when a visitor opens the chat (e.g., “Hello! How can I help you today?”)
- System prompt: instructions given to the AI to define its behavior (e.g., “You are a friendly assistant for a Moroccan SME. Reply in clear French, with short sentences. If you don’t know, simply say so.”)
- Colors: background, text, accent — to match your brand guidelines
- Window position: bottom right (default) or other
- Avatar: an image or color for the bot’s icon
Step 5 — Test and publish
- In the plugin’s preview section, you can test the chat directly without leaving the back office
- Publish your changes
- Go to your site — the chat widget is visible in the corner (bottom right by default)
- You’re all set — your AI chatbot is live
Concrete example of a free configuration
Here’s a typical setup that works perfectly without paying anything:
| Element | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| Plugin | ChatCraft AI (Free version) |
| AI provider | Groq |
| Model | llama-3.1-8b-instant (fast, good quality-to-cost ratio, free tier enough for a standard site) |
| Bot name | “Support” |
| Welcome message | “Hello! I’m the assistant for [your company name]. How can I help you?” |
| System prompt | “You answer visitors’ questions on [name]’s website. Your tone is friendly and professional. You reply in French. If you don’t know the answer, simply say you don’t have that information and offer to leave a message.” |
| Colors | Dark background, gold accents, light text (ideal for an elegant brand identity) |
| Position | Bottom right (standard, non-intrusive) |
This configuration handles most common questions: business hours, location, contact details, service descriptions, pricing, FAQ. All of this without a monthly subscription.
When the free version isn’t enough (and what to do)
The free version of ChatCraft AI is perfect for getting started. But there are cases where you’ll need advanced features:
| Need | Required version |
|---|---|
| Multiple bots on the same site | Pro or Plus (unlimited bots) |
| Index your site content (pages, articles, products) so the bot answers with your exact info | Pro or Plus (RAG Knowledge Base) |
| Multiple languages (FR, AR, ES, DE) | Pro or Plus (Multilingual) |
| Show the bot only on specific pages | Pro or Plus (Display Rules) |
| WooCommerce order tracking, product search, in-chat cart | Plus only (WooCommerce Suite) |
| Bot usage statistics (how many came in, what questions, how many converted to leads) | Pro or Plus (Token Analytics, Dashboard Charts) |
| Voice (TTS/STT) to speak with the bot | Plus only (Voice Chat) |
| Send conversations to an external tool (Zapier, Make, n8n) | Pro or Plus (Webhooks) |
Upgrading from Free to Pro or Plus takes a single click: you simply swap your license key. All your configurations, leads, and conversations are preserved. No data loss.
Conclusion
Installing a free AI chatbot on WordPress is entirely possible today, without a monthly subscription, without hidden limits, and without compromising on quality. The key is the right combination of a free plugin (ChatCraft AI Free) and AI provider free tiers (Groq and OpenRouter in particular, OpenAI for testing).
It’s a simple tool to set up that can:
– Welcome your visitors 24/7
– Answer frequently asked questions (contact details, services, pricing, location)
– Capture leads (names, emails, inquiries)
– Strengthen your brand image (a site that “dialogues” inspires confidence)
And if you eventually need advanced features, you can upgrade to Pro or Plus without rebuilding everything.
Want to install an AI chatbot on your site without paying a monthly fee? Start with the free version of ChatCraft AI and configure Groq or OpenRouter in under 10 minutes.
👉 Install ChatCraft AI Free
Need help choosing the right AI provider or configuring the bot for your business? Get a free audit: https://izri.online/diagnostic
