vsRThe respond.io alternative for WhatsApp-first businesses
respond.io is an omnichannel inbox and workflow platform for WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, email and more, priced by plan, users and monthly active contacts. Recoverly focuses on WhatsApp alone, with flat plans at $19 or $49 a month, no per-user pricing, no contact tiers, and ready-made automations for orders, carts, bookings and leads.
Facts checked against respond.io's public website on September 29, 2026. respond.io is a trademark of its owner; Recoverly is not affiliated. Spotted something outdated? Tell us.
Why teams move from respond.io to Recoverly
One flat price
respond.io's Growth plan, where workflows and broadcasts start, is listed at $199/month billed monthly ($159 billed yearly) on the respond.io pricing page, Sep 2026, for 1,000 monthly active contacts, and at $399/month for 5,000. Recoverly is $19 or $49 a month however many customers you talk to.
No seat or contact math
respond.io includes 5 users on Starter and 10 on Growth, with extra users at $15 to $30 a month on monthly billing, and bills $12 to $15 per 100 contacts above your tier. Recoverly has no seats and no contact caps.
Store data built in
Recoverly's Built for Shopify app syncs carts, orders, customers and products, so cart recovery, COD confirmation and shipping updates are ready-made flows. respond.io's integrations page lists Shopify as a web chat plugin.
Recoverly vs respond.io
Checked against respond.io's public pricing page, integrations page and help center on September 29, 2026. Prices are USD list prices at the 1,000-contact tier. Check both sites before deciding.
| What matters | Recoverly | respond.io |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat: Free, Lite $19/mo, Pro $49/mo | Starter $99, Growth $199, Advanced $349/mo billed monthly ($79, $159, $279 billed yearly); Enterprise custom |
| Where automation starts | Lite, $19/mo: every automation, AI chatbot, shared inbox | Growth: workflows, broadcasts and AI agents are not included on Starter |
| Users | No per-user pricing | 5 users on Starter, 10 on Growth and Advanced; extra users $15 to $30/mo on monthly billing |
| Contact limits | None | Growth and Advanced start at 1,000 monthly active contacts; $12 to $15 per extra 100 |
| Meta's WhatsApp fees | Billed by Meta at cost | No markup, per respond.io; you top up WhatsApp credit on its platform |
| Keep the WhatsApp Business app on the same number | Yes, coexistence by default, with chat history imported | Supported; its help center says contact and message history sync is not currently supported |
| Channels | WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, email, SMS and calls | |
| AI | AI chatbot included from Lite, with no credit meter | AI agents from Growth with 10,000+ AI credits; $15 per extra 1,000 |
| E-commerce flows | Ready-made cart, COD, shipping, back-in-stock and review flows; Built for Shopify app | Built in its workflow builder; Shopify is listed as a web chat plugin |
| Enterprise controls | No SSO yet | SSO, multiple workspaces and contact masking from Advanced |
| Free plan | Yes, forever (chat widget) | 7-day free trial of Growth features, no card needed |
respond.io prices are listed on respond.io/pricing (Sep 2026) and rise with the monthly active contact tier you pick; yearly billing lowers them by about 20%. Coexistence details are from respond.io's help center. Meta's message fees apply with every provider.
Who respond.io is right for
respond.io is built for teams that talk to customers on many channels at once. One inbox covers WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, email, SMS and voice calls, with lifecycle stages, assignment, AI agents and a flexible workflow builder. It offers native HubSpot and Salesforce integrations, a developer API, SSO and multiple workspaces for larger organizations, and its pricing page cites a 4.8 rating from 500+ G2 reviews. If your sales or support team works several channels and needs that depth, respond.io is a strong platform, and its per-user, per-contact pricing reflects it.
Who switches to Recoverly
Businesses where WhatsApp is the channel that matters: stores, clinics, salons, real estate teams, schools and agencies that want order updates, reminders and follow-ups running this week. Teams whose bill grows each time they add a colleague or reach more customers. Shopify merchants who want cart and order data synced without building an integration. Owners who want to keep the WhatsApp Business app on their phone with their chat history intact.
- Flat pricing: $19/mo for all automations, the AI chatbot and the shared inbox; $49/mo adds campaigns and integrations.
- No seat or contact tiers: the price stays the same as your team and audience grow.
- Ready-made flows for carts, COD, shipping, bookings, reviews and lead follow-up.
- Coexistence with history: your chat history imports when you connect.
What you give up
Recoverly is WhatsApp only, so Instagram, Messenger, email and other channels stay in their own tools. It connects one WhatsApp number per workspace, has no SSO yet, and has no native HubSpot or Salesforce sync; CRM connections run through Zapier and webhooks on Pro. respond.io's workflow builder is also more general, with HTTP requests and custom channels on Advanced. If you need an omnichannel contact center, stay with respond.io. If you need WhatsApp automations that work out of the box at a flat price, Recoverly fits.
How to move from respond.io without losing a conversation
Recreate your templates
Copy the text of your approved WhatsApp templates into Recoverly and submit them for Meta approval under your business, or start from Recoverly's ready-made templates in 8 languages.
Move the WhatsApp number
Disconnect the WhatsApp channel in respond.io. If you used coexistence, the number is still in your WhatsApp Business app and links to Recoverly with a QR code. An API-only number has to be released from its WhatsApp Business Account before you connect it through Meta's Embedded Signup.
Switch on the flows you need
Map each respond.io workflow to a Recoverly automation: order updates, reminders, lead follow-up or cart recovery. Keep other channels in respond.io or another inbox if you still need them.
respond.io alternative: your questions
Move your WhatsApp automations in an afternoon.
Flat pricing, no seats, no contact tiers. Connect your number and run your first automation today.