The ManyChat alternative: pay half or less, for life
A shared inbox, an included AI assistant, broadcasts and a sales pipeline. If you switch, you pay the lower of 50% of what you pay ManyChat or the list price of the plan that matches or beats yours, for life. Compare every feature and price below, with sources.
ManyChat today · team of 5
ChatSales, matching plan · BasicUS$49/moWhat is ManyChat?
Manychat is a chat-automation platform built around Instagram, with flows that reply to comments and DMs, plus TikTok, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS and email. It's an official Meta Business Partner, says it's used by more than 1 million creators, marketers and brands, and prices by active contacts per month. Its site is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Why teams look for ManyChat alternatives
- WhatsApp isn't available on Free or Essential; it starts at Pro (US$39/month billed monthly), and Pro connects only 3 channels in total. ↗
- Pricing scales with active contacts, so a busy month adds per-contact overage fees on top of the plan, and some reviewers on Trustpilot mention being billed for contacts they didn't expect. ↗ ↗
- It's built for marketing automation rather than team selling: Business includes 5 logins but only 3 inbox seats, and no deal pipeline is listed. ↗
- WhatsApp coexistence is still labelled beta, works only in select countries and only for new WhatsApp connections. ↗
When ManyChat is still the better choice
Stay with Manychat if Instagram and TikTok comment-to-DM automation is the core of your growth, WhatsApp is a secondary channel, and you value its template library and ease of building flows that reviewers on G2 and Capterra highlight.
Sources (checked 2026-10-12)
What ManyChat users say in reviews
What they like
What they complain about
- Support that's hard to reach, with issues left unresolved after a week of back-and-forth. ↗
- Billing complaints, including an annual charge after the free trial without a refund and contact-based charges for known contacts. ↗
- Difficulty cancelling and charges that continued afterwards. ↗
- Keyword automations that fire inconsistently. ↗
- Customer support scores 4.0 on Capterra, below its other sub-scores. ↗
Ratings and themes from public review sites, checked 2026-10-12. We paraphrase; follow the links for the full reviews.
ManyChat vs ChatSales: the questions buyers ask
| Question | ManyChat | ChatSales |
|---|---|---|
| What does a team of 5 pay per month? | US$99/month on Business billed monthly (US$69/month billed yearly), the first plan with 5 users, though it includes only 3 inbox seats. Covers 7,500 active contacts; extra contacts cost US$0.025 each per month. ↗ | US$49/mo (Basic plan, 5 users); US$39/mo billed annually |
| Does it mark up Meta's per-message fees? | No, according to Manychat's blog on Meta's October 2026 pricing changes, which says it doesn't add a markup to Meta's messaging rates. ↗ | 0% markup: you pay Meta directly with your own payment method |
| Can I keep my number and use the WhatsApp Business app at the same time (coexistence)? | Yes, in beta. It's only available in select countries and only for new WhatsApp connections, not ones already set up. ↗ | Yes: keep the WhatsApp Business app and the API on the same number (if your number meets Meta's conditions) |
| Is there a visual sales pipeline? | Not found. The pricing page lists automations, broadcasts, inbox and AI, but no pipeline, kanban or deal stages. ↗ | Yes: visual kanban pipeline, multiple pipelines, value and owner per deal |
| Is AI included or an add-on? | Included from Pro upward: Manychat AI replies to DMs and comments based on what you teach it. Free and Essential don't include it. ↗ | Included in every plan up to a usage limit; then pay as you go |
| Is there a minimum term or a refund policy? | Monthly plans can be cancelled any time, and you can get a refund if you cancel within 30 days of buying. Annual plans can't be downgraded or switched to monthly until the year ends. ↗ | No lock-in; switchers get a 100% refund within 7 days |
Brands that use our platform
ManyChat vs ChatSales: a quick feature comparison
Both put your chats in one place. Here is where they differ, row by row, from each vendor's public pages.
| ChatSales | ManyChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and billing | ||
| Cost for a team of 5, per month | US$49 Basic plan, 5 seats | US$149 (Business + 2 extra seats) ↗ |
| Cheapest plan | US$29/mo 3 users | US$17/mo ↗ |
| How you pay Meta's fees | Official API: directly to Meta, 0% markup | Through the platform's prepaid credits or balance ↗ |
| Published price | From US$29 a month, public prices | Displayed price is annual; monthly costs 18–30% more ↗ |
| How the price grows | Flat team plan; extras at US$29 a month | Rises with your contact count ↗ |
| Free trial | Yes | 14 days ↗ |
| Official WhatsApp API | ↗ | |
| WhatsApp coexistence (app + API) | ↗ | |
| Broadcasts | ↗ | |
| Channels and inbox | ||
| Supported channels | ↗ | |
| Shared team inbox | ↗ | |
| Instagram DMs | ↗ | |
| Facebook Messenger | ↗ | |
| Spanish interface | ↗ | |
| Sales and automation | ||
| Sales pipeline (CRM) | Not published ↗ | |
| No-code flow builder | ↗ | |
| AI | ||
| AI assistant that replies | Included in your plan up to a usage limit, then pay as you go | ↗ |
| Switching | ||
| Refund | 100% in your first 7 days (if you switch) | Not published ↗ |
| Your price | Half or less of what you pay, for life | |
| Export your contacts | Not published ↗ | |
| Free migration guide | Not published | |
Why ChatSales is the best alternative to ManyChat
Pay half or less, for life
- Switch from ManyChat and pay the lower of 50% of your bill or our list price for the plan that matches or beats yours, for life.
- Pay Meta's fees directly to Meta on the official API: 0% markup.
- 100% refund in your first 7 days if you switch.
AI included, not an add-on
- An AI assistant that answers 24/7 from your own business info.
- It hands the chat to your team when a customer wants to buy.
- Included in every plan up to a usage limit; then pay as you go.
Switch in a day, on your own
- Keep your WhatsApp number with the official API or coexistence.
- Import your contacts from CSV with our free step-by-step guide.
- Try it free first. No card, no contract.
Switch from ManyChat in 4 steps, on your own
- 1Gather your ManyChat contacts in a CSV file (check what ManyChat lets you export).
- 2Create your ChatSales account and try it for free.
- 3Import your contacts with their tags using our free step-by-step guide.
- 4Connect your WhatsApp number through the official API or coexistence: you keep your number.
If you switch and ChatSales isn't for you in your first 7 days, we refund 100%.
Everything your team needs to sell by chat
Click any of these in the live demo. No sign-up.
Every chat in one shared inbox
WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger land in one place, with owners, tags and notes. Nobody answers twice and no lead waits.
Sofía R.AssignAutomations and AI that work while you sleep
Describe what you want in a sentence and Copilot builds the flow. The AI answers from your info, tags the chat and assigns it.
A sales pipeline built from your chats
Every conversation becomes a deal with a stage and a value. Drag it forward and see what's about to close.
Know what your chats sell
New leads, messages, first reply time and sales per period, per channel and per agent.
What you'd pay if you switch from ManyChat
| Your ManyChat plan | You pay today | Your ChatSales plan (matches or beats) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | US$17 | Mini US$8.50 |
| Pro | US$39 | Mini US$19.50 |
| Business | US$99 | Mini US$29−US$70 |
| Advanced | US$199 | Mini US$29−US$170 |
| Business + 2 extra seats | US$149 | Basic US$49−US$100 |
ManyChat's plans today
Free
Start automating for free
Key features
- 2 channels
- Automation builder & templates. Up to 4 live triggers
- 1 user
- Basic inbox
- Help Center & AI Chat Support
- Manychat branding
Essential
Unlimited automations for a growing audience
Key features
- 2 channels
- Custom & unlimited automations
- 2 users
- Inbox organizer & scheduled messages
- Email support, Help Center & AI Chat
- No Manychat branding
Pro
More channels, more ways to automate
Key features
- 3 channels
- Advanced automations, Broadcasting & AI-powered convos
- 3 users
- Efficiency with Inbox AI
- Manychat AI
- Email support, Help Center & AI Chat
- No Manychat branding
Business
Bring every channel and your team together
Key features
- Unlimited channels
- Advanced automation insights & recommendations
- 5 users
- Multi-user Inbox
- Manychat AI
- Priority Support
- No Manychat branding
6 other ManyChat alternatives and what they cost
Public monthly price for a team of 5 users and one strength of each, from its own website. ChatSales comes first because this is our page.
- 1
ChatSales
US$49/mo · team of 5
Half or less of what you pay today, for life, when you switch; AI included in every plan (up to a usage limit); 7-day refund.
- 2
respond.io
US$199/mo · team of 5
States it adds no markup to Meta's per-message fees on the official API. ↗
respond.io alternatives → - 3
SleekFlow
US$139/mo · team of 5
Full omnichannel: integrates WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Line and live chat into one interface. ↗
SleekFlow alternatives → - 4
Wati
US$149/mo · team of 5
Transparent published USD pricing across tiers: Growth $69, Pro $149, Business $349/mo, no quote needed. ↗
Wati alternatives → - 5
Kommo
US$175/mo · team of 5
Its Base plan already includes the official WhatsApp API, a kanban pipeline and basic AI suggestions. ↗
Kommo alternatives → - 6
Interakt
US$49/mo · team of 5
Accessible USD pricing: Starter $12, Growth $55, Advanced $69/mo. ↗
Interakt alternatives → - 7
Gallabox
US$331/mo · team of 5
Omnichannel inbox covering WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and comments, and a web widget. ↗
Gallabox alternatives →
Real use cases from teams that sell by chat
Use-case stories with example conversations.
Frequently asked questions
Which businesses is ManyChat best for?
Where ManyChat is strong: Has a permanent free plan (25 active contacts, 2 channels, 1 user) plus a 14-day trial. Connects Instagram, TikTok, Messenger, Telegram, SMS and email from the same automation builder. Offers WhatsApp coexistence in beta, aimed at Latin America, Brazil and the US. ChatSales fits teams that sell by chat and want a sales pipeline, AI and broadcasts at a public, flat price.
Why do I need a ManyChat alternative?
Teams usually look for one because of cost and limits. WhatsApp is available only from the Pro plan ($29/mo annual, $39 month-to-month); lower plans don't include WhatsApp. The Free plan is very limited: 25 active contacts, 2 channels, 1 user.
What makes ChatSales the best ManyChat alternative?
Half or less of what you pay today, for life, on the plan that matches or beats yours; an AI assistant included in every plan; Meta's fees paid directly to Meta with 0% markup; and a 7-day refund if you switch.
What is the difference between ManyChat and ChatSales pricing?
For a team of 5, ManyChat costs US$149 a month; ChatSales Basic costs US$49, and if you switch you pay the lower of 50% of your bill or that list price, for life.
Will I lose my WhatsApp number if I switch from ManyChat?
No. Your number connects to ChatSales through the official WhatsApp API or coexistence; Meta runs that process. For coexistence, your number must have been active on the WhatsApp Business app for at least 7 days.
What happens to my ManyChat history?
The tags, notes and stages you have inside ManyChat don't move on their own: export them (for example, your contacts as CSV) before you cancel and import them into ChatSales with the migration guide.
Do I have to pay to try it?
No. You start free with trial credits, no card needed. If you switch from another platform, you also have 7 days to ask for 100% of what you paid ChatSales back.
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