The 8 best Respond.io alternatives at a glance
This isn't a ranking: each tool is best for something different. We make HeyKiko, so we placed it where it fits.
| Tool | Best for | Starts at | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. SleekFlow | Teams that want every messaging app for less | $49/mo, AI from $109 | 7-day Pro trial, no card |
| 2. Wati | WhatsApp-first marketing and support teams | Varies by country | 7-day trial |
| 3. HeyKiko | Businesses on WhatsApp, Telegram and their website | $29/mo | 14-day trial, no card |
| 4. Trengo | Support teams that live in email as well as WhatsApp | €349/mo | Free trial |
| 5. Tidio | Online stores that want live chat plus AI | $29/mo, AI from $39 | Free plan; 7-day trial, no card |
| 6. Botpress | Builders who want a configurable agent platform | $189/mo | Free plan |
| 7. Chatling | Small budgets that still want WhatsApp and a live-chat inbox | $25/mo | Free plan; 7-day money-back |
| 8. Chatbase | Many channels and integrations in one AI agent | $40/mo | 7-day trial |
What Respond.io does well
Respond.io is a strong product, and for some teams it's still the right choice. Its own pages list:
- Nearly every messaging app in one inbox: WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Viber, LINE, WeChat, SMS and email
- AI agents that answer, route, book and transfer calls, from its Growth plan
- Calls on phone numbers, WhatsApp and Messenger, with AI voice agents on Advanced
- Mobile apps, HubSpot and Salesforce integrations, and ISO 27001
Why people look for a Respond.io alternative
- Its $99 Starter plan has no AI agent: AI agents and knowledge start on Growth, at $199 a month
- Growth and Advanced charge for monthly active contacts above those included
- Broadcasts and booking also start on Growth
- Built for larger teams, which is more than a small business needs when one or two people reply
What to look for in an alternative
- 1
AI on the plan you'd buy
Check which plan the AI agent starts on, and how it's billed: credits, conversations, or a charge per AI-handled chat.
- 2
Contact and seat charges
Some tools charge per monthly active contact or per seat. Price your real number of customers and teammates, not the entry plan.
- 3
The channels you can't lose
If you rely on LINE, WeChat, Viber or TikTok, fewer tools cover them. If it's WhatsApp, Telegram and your website, many do.
- 4
WhatsApp fees
Meta bills WhatsApp messages on every tool. Check whether the tool adds anything on top, and whether campaigns are included.
- 5
What happens after the answer
Booking, order lookups, cases and campaigns: built in, or through another tool you pay for.
The alternatives, one by one
1. SleekFlow
Best for: Teams that want every messaging app for lessAn omnichannel messaging platform with a shared inbox, broadcasts, flows and an AI agent, with every messaging channel on every plan.
Does well
- WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, LINE, Viber, WeChat, SMS, calls, Gmail and Outlook on every plan
- Unlimited basic AI agent replies from Pro at $109 a month, with knowledge from files and web pages
- Broadcasts, flows, Shopify and Zapier from Pro; HubSpot and Zoho CRM on Premium
Watch for
- No AI agent on the $49 Essential plan; advanced AI replies use credits (3,000 on Pro, about 100 to 200 replies)
- Charges per monthly active contact above those included ($20 per 100); website live chat is a separate product
2. Wati
Best for: WhatsApp-first marketing and support teamsA WhatsApp-first platform for broadcasts, automations and a team inbox, with Astra AI agents and Instagram, Messenger and TikTok alongside.
Does well
- Built around WhatsApp: broadcasts, automation triggers, a team inbox and WhatsApp calling
- Astra AI agents with Wati AI credits, and Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and web chat in the same inbox
- HubSpot from Pro and Salesforce on Business; a Shopify app
Watch for
- Its Growth plan has 3 users and no way to add more; extra users on Pro are $24 a month each
- No Telegram that we found; prices are shown by country, so check yours on its page
3. HeyKiko
Best for: Businesses on WhatsApp, Telegram and their websiteOne AI agent for your website, WhatsApp and Telegram, trained on your own pages and files, that books into Google Calendar, hands chats to your team and answers WhatsApp calls. We make HeyKiko, so read this entry with that in mind.
Does well
- WhatsApp and Telegram on every plan, with a shared inbox and human takeover
- Books appointments into Google Calendar itself, and opens cases with approvals
- AI that answers WhatsApp voice calls (Pro and up), plus WhatsApp and email campaigns
Watch for
- No Instagram, Messenger, Slack or email as chat channels
- No helpdesk or CRM integrations yet, and no published SOC 2 report
4. Trengo
Best for: Support teams that live in email as well as WhatsAppA European customer service inbox for email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and website chat, with the HelpMate AI agent on every plan.
Does well
- Email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and a website widget in one inbox
- 10 users on its first plan, and the HelpMate AI agent on every plan
- From Pro, custom integrations through its API, and AI actions that call your own systems
Watch for
- Priced for teams: €349 a month for 500 conversations, plus €0.30 for each conversation the AI handles
- Broadcasting and voice are add-ons; no Telegram that we found
5. Tidio
Best for: Online stores that want live chat plus AIA live chat tool for online stores with the Lyro AI agent, bringing website chat, email, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp into one inbox.
Does well
- A free plan, and a 7-day trial with no card
- Shopify order lookups and other Smart Actions; mobile apps for your team
- SOC 2, GDPR and CCPA
Watch for
- Lyro AI is priced per AI conversation: $39 for 50, up to $700 for 1,000
- Telegram only on Plus and Premium; no booking or campaigns that we found
6. Botpress
Best for: Builders who want a configurable agent platformAn AI agent platform with a builder, a built-in helpdesk, and the widest set of channels and integrations on this list.
Does well
- Webchat, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, Slack, SMS and email
- A built-in helpdesk with hot handoff, or handoff to Zendesk, Intercom or HubSpot
- AI usage included in each conversation; SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR
Watch for
- A big jump from the free plan to Plus at $189 a month for 250 conversations, and overage packs are added automatically
- WhatsApp from Plus and voice only on Enterprise; self-hosting only on the older v12
7. Chatling
Best for: Small budgets that still want WhatsApp and a live-chat inboxA no-code AI chatbot for websites and messaging apps, with a built-in live chat inbox and booking.
Does well
- A free plan, then $25 a month for 1,750 AI credits
- WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and Messenger from its Starter plan
- Live chat on every plan; booking through Cal.com, Calendly or Google Calendar
Watch for
- Credits per message vary widely by AI model, so costs are harder to predict
- No SOC 2 or HIPAA stated; HubSpot and Zendesk from $75 a month
8. Chatbase
Best for: Many channels and integrations in one AI agentAI support agents trained on your content, with many chat channels, AI on regular phone lines and a long list of helpdesk and CRM integrations.
Does well
- Website, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Slack and email; AI on phone lines from Basic
- Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Shopify, Stripe and Zapier
- A wide choice of models; SOC 2 Type II, with a HIPAA BAA on Enterprise
Watch for
- A small entry plan: 700 message credits for $40; human takeover starts on Basic at $150
- No Telegram; booking needs a Cal.com or Calendly account
Which Respond.io alternative should you choose?
| If you need | Choose |
|---|---|
| Every messaging app in one inbox, for less | SleekFlow |
| WhatsApp-first broadcasts and automations | Wati |
| An AI agent on website, WhatsApp and Telegram from the first plan | HeyKiko |
| A support team that works in email and WhatsApp | Trengo |
| An online store with live chat, Instagram and Messenger | Tidio |
| Building your own agent with many integrations | Botpress |
| The lowest price, with WhatsApp and Telegram | Chatling |
| AI with many channels and helpdesk or CRM integrations | Chatbase |
| LINE, WeChat and calls for a large team, with ISO 27001 | Respond.io itself |
How we chose
We included tools that train an AI agent on your own content and talk to your customers, and read each one's own pricing, product and docs pages on 4 and 5 November 2026. Prices are monthly billing before tax, in USD unless shown otherwise; Trengo lists euros, and Wati shows prices by country; each tool counts AI use differently (credits, messages or conversations), so compare at your own volume. We make HeyKiko, so we aren't neutral: we placed it where it fits and listed its limits too. If something here is out of date, tell us.
