What is Octane AI?
If you have an e-commerce brand you might have Octane AI. It is a conversational/ personalization tool built especially for e-commerce brands (especially Shopify). Through the use of quizzes, pop-ups, Messenger bots, and email/SMS opt-in flows, brands can collect data directly from the customers (zero-party data) and provide tailored product recommendations.
Octane AI is utilized by several merchants to:
- Develop interactive product recommendation quizzes (e.g., āwhat product suits you best?ā)
- Activate a pop-up or overlay opt-in for email, SMS, or Messenger
- Import quiz/opt-in data into ESPs like Klaviyo for segmentation
- Conduct A/B tests, use quiz logic branching, and personalize the appearance via CSS (for advanced plans)
Nonetheless, as businesses expand, the pricing and feature gating of Octane AI have led the merchants to weigh other options. If youāre exploring alternatives that combine conversational AI with ecommerce personalization, you can also check out our guide on the best AI chatbot for Shopify to see how different platforms compare and which might suit your storeās needs.
Octane AI Pricing Structure
Octane AI costs are calculated based on the monthly “engagements” (i.e. interactions with quizzes or pop-ups), rather than just completions. Moreover, the mere beginning of a session (e.g. an individual who answers one question and then leaves) is considered as an engagement.
| Plan / Tier | Monthly Engagements Included | Monthly Price | Key Feature Additions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octane (Base) | 200 | $50 | Unlimited quizzes, pop-ups, basic integrations (Klaviyo, Zapier, Meta Pixel) |
| Octane Plus | 1,500 | $200 | Hide branding, advanced quiz logic branching, shareable results pages, custom CSS, advanced pop-up targeting |
| Plus- higher tiers | 3,000 | $350 | Same feature set, more capacity |
| Enterprise | 4,500+ (scales) | $500+ | Dedicated account manager, managed services, custom terms |
| Higher volume tiers | up to 200,000+ | Up to $5,000+ | Custom pricing beyond published tiers |
Limitations
- Since “engagements” covers partial interactions, your consumption can increase in an unpredictable manner if numerous users click or start quizzes but do not finish them, reported Big Sur AI.
- Most of the “plus” features (branding removal, branching logic, custom CSS) are completely restricted in higher tiers.
- For extremely high traffic stores, the per-engagement cost at a large scale may become quite expensive if you do not negotiate enterprise terms.
- If you are not on Shopify, Octane AI may not be the right choice (it’s mainly Shopify-centric).
Reasons Behind Why Merchants Seek Alternatives
Below are just a few of the common issues that Octane AI users face upon their decision to switch from the platform:
- Rapid cost escalation: When quiz/pop-up traffic increases, basic usage tends to exceed the base plan very quickly. The additional cost per engagement then becomes so high that it takes away the joy of using the tool.
- Feature gating and āpaywallsā: A lot of advanced features (branching logic, custom CSS, branded removals) are only available in the higher tiers of the product, thus you are forced to upgrade even if you only need more capacity.
- Platform lock-in: Octane AI is a tool that works best with Shopify; therefore brands that are on WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or custom platforms, might find it difficult to use the product.
- Lack of advanced AI or agent-style features: Some alternatives have now turned to āassistantsā or agent experiences (real-time suggestions, conversational flows) as one of their features that make them different from static quizzes.
Consequently, competitors that combine AI-driven adaptability, flexible pricing, cross-platform compatibility, and more generous features are the ones that attract sellers who are looking for the āfuture proofā options.
Three Strong Alternatives to Octane AI (With Realities & Pricing)
Here are three alternatives that make sense. I present what they currently provide (derived from their public information) and indicate the aspects that you might want to explore deeper before making a final decision.
1. Big Sur AI: Best for AI-Driven Conversational Agent + Quiz Hybrid
What Sets it Apart
Big Sur AI implements an AI āSales Agentā model, which is basically a conversational interface on your site. It enables customers to find products in real time, (not just by using static quizzes). Their core features revolve around predictive question suggestions, AI-powered branching logic, and dynamic conversations.
Pricing
- Big Sur offers a free tier (up to 1,000 monthly site visitors) with the main features.
- The Pro plan is designed for up to 10,000 visitors/month at $99/month (if you pay for the year) and it comes with unlimited conversations, product catalog support, etc.
- By the way, their Shopify listing talks about āfixed fees or commission based on Big Surādriven salesā as a pricing option, therefore allowing payment models to be varied.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons / Things to check |
|---|---|
| Real-time conversational selling, not just quizzes | At high traffic, custom plan pricing can become opaque |
| Flexible pricing models (fixed or commission) | Fewer public integrations compared to older players |
| Scales across Shopify and other platforms | May need initial tuning to match brand voice and product logic |
So, Big Sur AI can be your go-to if you’re ready to shift from traditional quizzes to AI-driven Assistants. But before you do that make sure you cross check details like commission vs. fixed pricing for your traffic level.
2. Revenue Hunt: Best for Quiz-First Merchants Who Want More Volume for Less
What They Deliver
Revenue Hunt dives deep into a quiz building, logic branching, and analytics-like world. The emphasis is made that all features are included in each plan, what you pay for is volume (number of quiz responses).
Pricing & Tiers
- Free Plan: Up to 100 quiz responses/month
- Basic Plan: $39/month – Up to 500 quiz responses/month
- Pro Plan: $99/month – Up to 1,000 quiz responses/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons / Things to check |
|---|---|
| All core quiz features included in all plans (no gating) | Primarily quiz-first, less emphasis on conversational agents or live assistance |
| Clear, response-based pricing (more transparent) | At extreme scale, may still require negotiation |
| Good alternative for stores focused on guided selling via quizzes | If your business wants to move into AI agents later, may need to migrate |
3. Aiden (Guided Selling Platform): Best for Structured Product Advice & Discovery
Aiden is a “guided selling” machine that works like this: you (or your product team) create flows, scoring logic, weightings, and filters that reflect your product knowledge. The platform gives users dynamic, transparent recommendations.
It can be installed as a sidebar, pop-up, or in-page app and you can collect zero-party data for follow-up campaigns. Their workflows are more organized than pure chatbots, so they provide detailed logic, scoring, and reasoning for recommendation.
Pricing and Terms
Aiden does not have a set public pricing plan that is fixed (currently). Other sources give the estimate of $300 per month as a base. Usually, you would have to make a request for the demo and get a personalized quote according to the number of SKUs, the volume of visitors, features, etc.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons / Things to check |
|---|---|
| Highly structured logic and transparent recommendations | No public pricing, need to negotiate |
| Better fit when you want product-expert guidance, not just answers | More hands-on setup (you must design flows, weightings, logic) |
| Cross-platform support (Shopify, Magento, etc.) | If your catalog is huge or frequently changes, maintaining flows could be burdensome |
Side-by-Side Comparison & Decision Guide
This table can help you choose between the alternatives:
| Criteria | Octane AI | Big Sur AI | Revenue Hunt | Aiden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary model | Quiz + pop-up + Messenger | Conversational agent + quizzes | Quiz-centric with branching | Guided selling logic + flows |
| Pricing base metric | Engagements | Site visitors / commission / fixed fees | Quiz responses | Custom quotes / usage |
| Feature gating | Yes (many advanced features locked) | More inclusive, with optional commission model | All core features included | Custom per account, likely inclusive |
| Best for | Brands primarily on Shopify wanting quizzes + Messenger | Brands ready to move to conversational selling | Brands with quiz-first strategy that want clear cost | Brands needing product expertise, explainable flows |
| Setup overhead | Moderate | Moderate to high (tuning agent) | LowāMedium | High (flow design) |
How to choose
- Estimate your volume: Anticipate how many interactions, comments, or visitors you would get. Then compare the prices of different providers to see which suits you best.
- Decide your growth path: If you are thinking about using conversational agents or AI assistants next year, then you have to choose a platform that supports this.
- Feature vs cost tradeoff: Don’t be the user of those platforms where you are always forced to upgrade your account just to get a few key features. Go for those which either have a full feature set or pricing that is transparent.
- Integration needs: Check if the tool you are going to use is compatible with your ESP, analytics stack, and e-commerce platform.
- Ask for demos and custom quotes: In the case of Big Sur and Aiden, the cost that you will have to incur depends on your catalog size, traffic volume, and goals.
All three alternatives have competitive features that are more affordable than the higher tiers of Octane AI, with BigSur AI being the most remarkable because of its pioneering adaptive AI technology and complete merchant insights. The ideal option is a function of your budget, technical needs, and what you expect the customer shopping experience to be like on your website.
