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When you create a chatbot, you choose one of two display templates: Chat Assistant or Website Chatbot. The template controls how the chatbot appears to your users. Both templates connect to the same Agent or pipeline and support the same features for customization, prompts, and analytics. The difference is purely in the visual layout and how users access the chatbot.

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Key differences

AspectChat AssistantWebsite Chatbot
What it isA standalone, full-page chat interfaceA collapsible widget that floats on your website
LayoutOccupies the full browser window with a conversation list on the leftOpens as an overlay in the corner of the page
Best forInternal tools, dedicated support portals, team-facing assistantsCustomer-facing websites where the chatbot supplements existing content
Typical use casesKnowledge base Q&A for employees, onboarding assistants, research toolsLive support widgets, product recommendation bots, FAQ assistants
How users access itVia a shareable link (optionally protected with SSO or password)Via an embedded script tag or iFrame on your website
Conversation persistenceBuilt-in: users see their full conversation listConfigurable: you set how long conversations persist for returning visitors (default: 1 week)
LauncherNot applicable (the chatbot is the full page)Customizable launcher button with configurable icon, text, and position
Setup complexitySimpler: share a link or protect with SSOSlightly more involved: embed a code snippet, configure launcher position and appearance

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Choosing a template

Choose Chat Assistant when you want to give users a dedicated, full-screen chat experience. This works well for internal teams, knowledge portals, and any situation where the chatbot is the primary interface the user interacts with. Chat Assistant full-page interface example Choose Website Chatbot when you want to add chat functionality to an existing website without disrupting the page layout. The chatbot appears as a small launcher button in the corner of the screen and expands into a chat window when clicked. Website Chatbot embedded widget example You can change the template at any time from the chatbot builder by opening the settings and selecting a different interface type.
Switching between templates resets all deployment options (colors, messages, launcher settings) to the new template’s defaults. Save any custom settings you want to preserve before switching.

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Next steps

Chat Assistant

Deploy and customize a full-page chat experience

Website Chatbot

Embed and customize a chat widget on your website