What is the best WhatsApp AI chatbot for a small business?
Comparison Messengers and chat Updated 10 min read By the Solwees team
The best WhatsApp AI chatbot for a small business depends on what the chat should end in. Manychat fits Instagram-led businesses and Tidio fits online shops, both from 39 a month. Solwees fits salons, clinics and restaurants that want the chatbot to book into the booking system they already use and to answer calls too. Wati fits WhatsApp campaigns, and Botpress fits teams with a developer.
Key takeaways
- All seven tools connect WhatsApp through the official WhatsApp Business Platform, where Meta charges the business per delivered message.[1]
- Since 1 October 2026 Meta charges not only for templates but also for non-template replies in the 24-hour window, after 1,000 free replies a month per number.[1]
- The AI agent is often outside the entry plan: Respond.io includes it from Growth, Superchat from Professional, Manychat from Pro; Tidio sells Lyro separately, and Wati sells AI agents as an add-on.[2-6]
How we compared WhatsApp AI chatbots
We compared WhatsApp AI chatbots for small businesses on seven criteria. The comparison is based on what each vendor publishes on its own site as of October 2026, not on hands-on testing. Prices are per month with monthly billing; every vendor here charges less when the plan is paid for a year.
- Connection: the official API, or the app on a phone.
- WhatsApp fees: who bills the messages and whether a margin is added.
- Outcome: a booking or an order in the business system, or only an answer.
- Shared inbox: several people answering from one number.
- Other channels: Instagram, website chat, phone calls.
- Setup: possible without a developer or not.
- Price: the lowest paid plan with an AI chatbot.
WhatsApp Business app or API: what changes for a small business
The WhatsApp Business app is made for an owner who answers from one phone: a business profile, a product catalogue, greeting and away messages. An AI chatbot from the vendors in this list works through the WhatsApp Business Platform, also called the API, where several people and software share one number and Meta charges for messages.[1]
On the API Meta bills the business per delivered message, never for messages from customers. Two things are paid: template messages, the only way to write first, and, since 1 October 2026, non-template replies within 24 hours of the customer’s last message, above the first 1,000 a month per number. A number without a payment method in its Meta account stops delivering replies after the 1,000th.[1]
Seven WhatsApp AI chatbots small businesses use
Seven WhatsApp AI chatbots cover most small businesses. The list is ordered by the published monthly price of the cheapest paid plan in which an AI chatbot answers customers, lowest first, with figures as published and currencies not converted. Wati is last because its AI agents are an add-on priced separately.
| Product | Best for | Channels | Booking integrations | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manychat | Instagram-led businesses | Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, WhatsApp, SMS, email | Not listed | From $39 a month with AI[4] |
| Tidio | Online shops | Live chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email | Not listed | Lyro from 39 a month, in euros or dollars by country[5] |
| Solwees | Appointment businesses | WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, Messenger, website chat, email; phone calls from Studio or with a minutes pack | Altegio, Booksy, Fresha, Treatwell; works with OpenTable, SevenRooms, CoverManager | €99 a month per location |
| Superchat | Small teams, GDPR stated | WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, live chat, email, SMS | Through automations | €149 a month with AI agent, net, 12-month minimum term[3] |
| Botpress | Teams with a developer | Web chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram | Google Calendar, Calendly | Plus $189 a month; free plan[7] |
| Respond.io | High-volume B2C teams | WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, voice calls | Cal.com, Calendly, Google Calendar | From $199 a month with AI Agents; Starter $99[2] |
| Wati | WhatsApp campaigns | WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, website widget | Not listed | €69 a month; AI agents: add-on from Pro (€149), priced separately[6] |
Manychat
- Best for
- Creators and small brands whose customers arrive from Instagram or TikTok.
Manychat is a chat automation tool for Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, WhatsApp, SMS and email.[4] Its AI answers from context the owner writes, and an assistant drafts an automation from a described goal. WhatsApp message fees are paid from a Manychat Wallet at rates that vary by country.
Pros
- The lowest-priced paid plan with AI in this list: $39 a month, or $29 billed annually.[4]
- Automates Instagram comments and direct messages.
Cons
- Pro connects any 3 channels; all channels and a shared team inbox start at Business, $99 a month.[4]
- After connecting, chats are not visible in the WhatsApp Business app; Manychat recommends a new number.
- Pricing
- Free with 25 active contacts; Pro from $39 a month ($29 billed annually, with 2,500 contacts). WhatsApp fees are extra.[4]
Tidio
- Best for
- Online shops that want website live chat first and WhatsApp in the same inbox.
Tidio is a customer service platform built around website live chat, which its site says is set up in five minutes. Its inbox shows WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email and live chat in one panel. Lyro, its AI agent, answers from the shop’s support content on WhatsApp too and forwards a question to a human when the answer is missing.
Pros
- A free plan with 50 billable conversations, and a 7-day trial on paid plans.[5]
- Several agents can answer WhatsApp at the same time.
Cons
- Lyro is priced separately, by the number of AI conversations.[5]
- A number used in the WhatsApp Business app must be removed from the app first.
- Pricing
- Lyro from 39 a month for 50 AI conversations; Starter 29 with 100 billable conversations (32.50 and 24.17 billed annually), in euros or dollars by country.[5]
Solwees
- Best for
- Salons, clinics, restaurants and other appointment businesses that want the chat to end in a booking.
Solwees is an AI receptionist and booking software for service businesses. Its WhatsApp AI chatbot answers from a knowledge base and books into the booking system the business already uses: Altegio, Booksy, Fresha or Treatwell for salons; it works with OpenTable, SevenRooms and CoverManager for restaurants. The same assistant answers Instagram, Telegram, Messenger, website chat and email, in one shared inbox for the team.
Pros
- Books into named booking systems, not only a general calendar.
- Setup: fill the knowledge base, connect the booking system and WhatsApp, through the official API or by QR code.
- On the official API, WhatsApp bills the business directly for templates and for replies above the free 1,000 a month; Solwees adds nothing on top.
Cons
- Priced per location; Solo covers 400 active clients a month, and phone calls need Studio or a minutes pack.
- A number connected by QR code is not on the official API; keep broadcasts to small groups, a large one raises the risk that WhatsApp blocks the number.
- For product orders it collects the request and hands it to a manager; it does not take payment.
- Reminders and broadcasts are a paid module, €19 a month.
- Pricing
- As of October 2026, per location a month: Hub €39 (shared inbox, no assistant), Solo €99 (assistant in chats, 400 active clients), Studio €249 (adds phone calls). 7-day trial without a card. See pricing.
Superchat
- Best for
- Small teams that want a shared inbox with an AI agent from a vendor that states GDPR compliance.
Superchat is a shared inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, live chat, email and SMS.[3] Its AI agent learns from the website and uploaded files, follows instructions in plain language and can schedule appointments through connected tools. Superchat handles WhatsApp business verification and presents its WhatsApp use as GDPR compliant.
Pros
- All seven channels are in every plan, including the free one.[3]
- The AI agent is set up without programming.
- Pricing
- Net: Basic €89, Professional €149 with one AI agent (€79 and €129 billed annually); free plan with 30 active contacts.[3]
Botpress
- Best for
- Teams with a developer or a technical owner who want to build a custom agent.
Botpress is a platform for building AI agents in a visual studio.[7] Its official WhatsApp integration lets a bot answer on a WhatsApp number and start conversations with approved templates. Its hub lists Google Calendar and Calendly, Instagram, Messenger and Telegram, and handoff to human agents through helpdesk tools such as Intercom.
Pros
- A free plan with 25 conversations and 3 seats.[7]
Cons
- Setup needs a published bot, a Facebook account, a Facebook business page and a WhatsApp business account, then Meta business verification.
- Team routing and assignment start at the Team plan.[7]
- Pricing
- Free with 25 conversations; Plus $189 a month billed monthly ($150 billed annually) with 250 conversations a month.[7]
Respond.io
- Best for
- Growing B2C teams with high chat volume on several channels.
Respond.io is a customer conversation platform with a team inbox and AI Agents for WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and voice calls, drafted from a description in plain language. Respond.io itself says its AI Agents are best for mid-market businesses with sustained high volume. It lets the WhatsApp Business app stay on the same number and states that it adds no fees to what Meta charges.
Pros
- No markup on WhatsApp fees, by its own statement.
- Pricing
- Starter $99 a month for 5 users, Growth from $199 for 10 users ($79 and $159 billed yearly); 7-day free trial.[2]
Wati
- Best for
- Small teams that run WhatsApp campaigns and sell from an online shop.
Wati is a WhatsApp-first platform with a team inbox, broadcast campaigns and chatbots. Its Growth plan lists official WhatsApp API setup, an inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, Shopify templates and AI Co-pilot credits. AI agents that answer customers are the Astra add-on from the Pro plan, priced separately.[6]
Pros
- Pricing
- As shown to a visitor in Spain: Growth €69 a month for 3 users, Pro €149 for 5 (€59 and €119 billed annually). AI agents and messages are extra.[6]
Side by side: Solwees and Wati, Solwees and Respond.io.
How to choose a WhatsApp AI chatbot for your business
Choose a WhatsApp AI chatbot by what a finished conversation looks like in the business: a booked visit needs the booking system, and an order needs the online shop. For one person who answers a few messages a day, the WhatsApp Business app with greeting and away messages may be enough.
If the chat should end in an appointment or a table
Pick a chatbot that names your booking system. Solwees books into salon and restaurant booking systems. Respond.io and Botpress name calendar tools; Superchat reaches a calendar through automations.[2]
If you sell products from an online shop
Tidio answers order and shipping questions, and Wati adds Shopify templates and broadcast campaigns.[6] Solwees is not the better choice here: its sales assistant only passes an order request to a manager.
Questions and answers
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API for an AI chatbot?
In most cases, yes. The tools in this list connect through the WhatsApp Business Platform; Botpress and Tidio, for example, ask for a Facebook business account during setup. Solwees can also connect an existing number by QR code.
Who pays WhatsApp for messages?
The business pays Meta per delivered message: templates and, since 1 October 2026, non-template replies in the 24-hour window above the first 1,000 a month per number. Messages from customers are free.[1] Respond.io adds nothing to Meta’s rates, Wati uses its own rate card, Manychat charges a wallet.[6] With Solwees on the official API, WhatsApp bills the business directly.
Can a WhatsApp chatbot book appointments?
Yes, when it is connected to a calendar or a booking system. Solwees books into the systems on its integrations page. Respond.io and Botpress list calendar tools, and Superchat schedules through automations.[2] The pages we read for Wati, Tidio and Manychat do not list booking systems.
Can several people answer from one WhatsApp number?
Yes, through a shared inbox. Wati, Respond.io, Tidio and Superchat put WhatsApp into a team inbox.[2, 3, 6] In Manychat it starts at the Business plan.[4] In Solwees the inbox alone is the Hub plan, €39 a month.
Can I keep the WhatsApp Business app on my phone?
With some vendors. Respond.io keeps the app on the same number next to the API, and Wati says the app can be synced with it.[6] Tidio asks to remove the number from the app first, and Manychat says chats will no longer be visible in the app.
Sources (7)
All sources were accessed on .
- Meta for Developers. Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
- Respond.io. Pricing.
- Superchat. All plans and prices.
- Manychat. Manychat pricing.
- Tidio. Tidio pricing.
- Wati. Wati pricing.
- Botpress. Botpress pricing.
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