--- title: "Skolbot vs Mainstay: which AI agent for student recruitment?" description: "SMS-first student engagement, from enrollment to success" url: "https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/comparison/skolbot-vs-mainstay" language: "en" dateModified: "2026-11-09" --- # Skolbot vs Mainstay: which AI agent for student recruitment? Updated on November 9, 2026 Mainstay, formerly AdmitHub, supports students mostly by SMS, from access and enrollment to success, with proactive messages. It was acquired in March 2026 by Lemnis, a public charity. Skolbot handles recruitment only, with four agents on three channels: the website, WhatsApp and Instagram. ## The differences that matter ### The whole journey, or recruitment only Mainstay sums up its approach as: start with access, finish with success. It covers enrollment and summer melt, then student persistence. Skolbot handles recruitment only: it answers the applicant from the school's knowledge base, qualifies them against your rules and, with their consent, sends their record to your CRM with a score and a call brief. ### WhatsApp and Instagram, not only SMS Mainstay's channels are SMS, live chat, web chat and social media. The pages reviewed do not list WhatsApp. Skolbot has two WhatsApp agents, Capture and Activate, and an Instagram agent. ### The service, plus a check of your sources Mainstay's Expert Services Team writes scripts and campaigns with the school. Skolbot also does the work, and also checks your sources: a brochure and a pricing page that contradict each other are shown to you before go-live. ## Criterion by criterion | Criterion | Skolbot | Mainstay | | --- | --- | --- | | Agent on the school website | Documented. Answers on your website and hands over to your team when it has no answer ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions/web-agent), 2026-10-26) | Documented. Web chat and live chat listed among the channels ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-10-26) | | WhatsApp: answers when the prospect writes first | Documented. Answers inbound messages, voice notes included ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions/whatsapp-capture), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-10-26) | | WhatsApp: messages CRM leads first | Documented. Re-engages a CRM cohort towards an open day, an application or a meeting ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions/whatsapp-activate), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-10-26) | | Instagram: answers direct messages | Documented. Answers Instagram direct messages, day and night ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions/instagram-answer), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-10-26) | | Built only for higher education | Documented. Built for student recruitment in higher education ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions), 2026-10-26) | No. Serves schools and businesses, students and employees alike ([source](https://mainstay.com/), 2026-10-26) | | Setup done by the vendor | Documented. Our team builds the knowledge base, connects the CRM and configures the agents ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/onboarding), 2026-10-26) | Documented. Expert Services writes scripts and campaigns; a dedicated specialist tunes the chatbot ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform-2024/expert-services/), 2026-10-26) | | Contradictions between your sources found and resolved with you | Documented. Finds contradictions between your sources and has your team validate them ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/onboarding), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform-2024/expert-services/), 2026-10-26) | | Score and call brief in your CRM | Documented. Study level, programme, campus, score and call brief in the CRM ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/integrations), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-10-26) | | Data processing agreement signed with each school | Documented. DPA signed with each school ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/security), 2026-10-26) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/), 2026-10-26) | | Multilingual (6+ languages) | Documented. Answers in the candidate's language ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/solutions), 2026-08-13) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/platform), 2026-11-09) | | EU data residency | Documented. Data hosted in the EU, DPA signed with each school ([source](https://www.skolbot.ai/en-CA/security), 2026-08-13) | Not stated ([source](https://mainstay.com/), 2026-11-09) | ## Verdict Mainstay fits an institution that wants to support its students mostly by SMS, from access and enrollment to success. For a school that wants to capture and follow up applicants on its website, WhatsApp and Instagram, with the setup handled and its current CRM, Skolbot is the one to choose. **Choose Skolbot if**: You recruit students and want the setup handled for you: our team builds the knowledge base from your sources, connects your CRM and configures the agents. Your team provides access, settles contradictions and approves before go-live. Skolbot talks to applicants before enrolment, on WhatsApp and Instagram as much as on the website. Four agents answer on three channels: the website, WhatsApp and Instagram. When an applicant leaves their details and gives consent, their record reaches your CRM with the information collected and a score based on your qualification rules. **Choose Mainstay if**: You want to support your students mostly by SMS, with proactive messages, from access and enrollment to success. ## What Mainstay does well - Expert Services Team that writes scripts and campaigns with the school - Two-way sync with Slate, plus Salesforce, HubSpot and Ellucian - Proactive messages: the institution writes to students first, from access to success - More than 200 US institutions according to the acquisition release - Approach grounded in behavioural science ## Check before you choose - Pricing not published on the official website - WhatsApp and Instagram not stated on the official pages reviewed - Supported languages and data hosting location not stated on the pages reviewed ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Mainstay answer on WhatsApp? Mainstay's official pages, reviewed on 9 November 2026, list SMS, live chat, web chat and social media, not WhatsApp. For a school that wants to answer and follow up applicants on WhatsApp, Skolbot is the one to choose: WhatsApp Capture answers inbound messages, voice notes included, and WhatsApp Activate follows up a cohort from your CRM toward one action. ### Is Mainstay used for recruitment? Partly: Mainstay covers access and enrollment, including summer melt, then student success, mostly by SMS. For a school that wants to capture applicants on its website, WhatsApp and Instagram and receive their records in its CRM with a score and a call brief, Skolbot is the one to choose, because it is built only for higher-education recruitment. ### Who acquired Mainstay? Lemnis, a US public charity, according to a release dated 24 March 2026; Mainstay becomes a division of Lemnis. For a school that wants to capture and follow up applicants on its website, WhatsApp and Instagram, Skolbot remains the one to choose, because it is built only for higher-education recruitment.