In this guide · 8 sections
- 01WATI vs respond.io vs Interakt at a glance
- 02Two layers of cost: platform fee and Meta's message fees
- 03Shared inbox and team features
- 04Chatbots, broadcasts and automation
- 05Number ownership and switching providers later
- 06Which WhatsApp platform suits which business
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
WATI suits small teams that want a simple inbox, broadcasts and Shopify tools. respond.io suits teams handling many channels with workflows and a CRM-style inbox. Interakt is priced low but built mainly for the Indian market. In every case you pay the platform fee plus Meta's per-message charges.
WATI vs respond.io vs Interakt at a glance
Plan prices below are from each vendor's pricing page, in US dollars, approximate, as of October 2026, before tax and before Meta's message charges. Check the page on the day you buy; these platforms change plans often.
WATI
From US$59/mo billed annually
- Growth: 3 users, no extra users
- Pro: 5 users, extra users US$39/mo each
- Shared inbox, broadcasts, Shopify templates
- Message charges from prepaid credits at WATI's rate card
Best for: Small shops and service teams starting with WhatsApp.
respond.io
From US$79/mo billed yearly
- Starter: 5 users, inbox, no broadcasts
- Growth adds broadcasts, workflows and AI agents
- Priced by users and monthly active contacts
- WhatsApp fees not included; top up credit
Best for: Multi-channel teams that want workflows and routing.
Interakt
- Growth and Advanced plans with unlimited agents
- Chatbots, catalogues, campaigns
- Enterprise plan lists 'no template markups'
- Product and payments built mainly for India
Best for: Businesses with an India focus or very tight budgets.
Sources: WATI pricing, respond.io pricing and Interakt pricing. Interakt's page shows prices with tax added and a billing-period toggle, so confirm the period and currency before comparing.
Two layers of cost: platform fee and Meta's message fees
Meta charges per delivered message by category, and every platform passes those charges on. Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform pricing page has charged per message since 1 July 2025 and lists rates by the recipient's country. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide has the Singapore rates; from 1 October 2026 a marketing message to a +65 number cost about S$0.094 and a utility message about S$0.021.
| Cost | Who sets it | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Platform subscription | The platform | Per user, per active contact or flat? Annual or monthly? |
| Meta message charges | Meta, passed on by the platform | At Meta's rate or with a markup? Prepaid credits or invoice? |
| Extra users or contacts | The platform | What happens when you add staff or your list grows? |
| AI and automation usage | The platform | Are AI replies included or charged per message or credit? |
respond.io's pricing FAQ states that WhatsApp fees are not included in any subscription and are topped up separately. WATI's page says message charges vary by category and are deducted from prepaid credits based on its rate card. Interakt lists 'no template markups' as an Enterprise feature, which suggests lower plans add one. In each case, compare the platform's per-message rate with Meta's list rate.
Chatbots, broadcasts and automation
All three offer a no-code flow builder for menus, FAQs and lead capture, and broadcast tools for sending approved templates to opted-in contacts. The differences are in limits and plan levels.
| Feature | WATI | respond.io | Interakt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast campaigns | Included from Growth | From Growth (not Starter) | Listed from Starter |
| Chatbot builder | Flow builder; advanced chatbots on Pro | Workflows from Growth | Linear bots on Growth; branching on Advanced |
| AI features | AI lead qualification on Pro; AI agents on Business | AI agents on Growth and up, under fair use | AI agents on Growth and Advanced, priced separately |
| Integrations | Shopify templates; integrations on Pro | Zapier, Make and API from Growth; webhooks on Advanced | Catalogues, payments and public API from Growth |
Broadcasts carry the most risk. Marketing messages to people who did not opt in lead to blocks and reports, which lower your number's quality rating and can get it restricted. Our guide to fixing a banned or restricted WhatsApp account explains how that happens.
Number ownership and switching providers later
The most important question is not price but who controls the account. Your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and phone number should sit in your own Meta Business portfolio, with your own staff as admins. Meta's developer documentation describes how numbers can be migrated between solution partners, which is only straightforward if the account is yours.
Before you sign: control checklist
Which WhatsApp platform suits which business
Lean towards WATI if
- You have 1 to 5 staff answering WhatsApp
- You sell on Shopify and want order and cart messages
- You want the lowest entry price with broadcasts
- WhatsApp is your main channel
Lean towards respond.io if
- You handle WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email together
- You need workflows, routing and lifecycle stages
- You expect a larger team or many active contacts
- You want API, webhooks and Zapier or Make on the same plan
Interakt is worth a look if you also sell to India or need unlimited agents at a low price, but check that its payment features and support hours fit a Singapore business. For CRM features beyond chat, compare with our best CRM for small business guide.
Do it yourself or get help?
Each platform's signup walks you through connecting a number, and many small businesses do it themselves. The common problems come later: templates rejected by Meta, broadcasts that hurt the quality rating, and an account registered under the wrong business portfolio.
Our WhatsApp Notifications service (S$590) sets up the API on your own Meta Business portfolio, gets templates approved and connects booking or order notifications, with whichever platform suits you.
Frequently asked questions
On entry plans, WATI listed US$59 a month billed annually for 3 users and respond.io US$79 a month billed yearly for 5 users in October 2026, but respond.io's Starter plan has no broadcasts. Both charge Meta's per-message fees on top. Compare total monthly cost for your users, contacts and message volume, not the headline price.
Some do. respond.io states that WhatsApp fees are separate from its subscription and topped up as credit. WATI charges messages from prepaid credits at its own rate card. Interakt lists no template markups only on its Enterprise plan. Ask each provider to show its per-message rates next to Meta's published list rates.
Usually yes, if the WhatsApp Business Account and number are registered under your own Meta Business portfolio. Meta documents how numbers move between solution partners. Before switching, export contacts and opt-in records, note your approved templates and plan for a short changeover period. It is much harder if the vendor owns the account.
Not necessarily. The free WhatsApp Business app suits one or two people answering chats on a phone. You need the API, through a platform or directly through Meta's Cloud API, for several agents on one number, automated notifications, chatbots and integrations with your booking system, store or CRM.
Interakt's product, pricing and customer examples are focused on India, and some features such as native payments are built around Indian payment methods. A Singapore business can still use WhatsApp messaging features, but check currency, billing, support hours and which payment integrations work for you before choosing it.