Who wrote this, and what is our interest?
SpiderHunts wrote this article. We build custom WhatsApp chatbots, so we have an interest in the build-or-buy question. No vendor paid to be included or reviewed this article. Product details were checked on each vendor's own website, and prices are given only where the vendor publishes them, as of October 2026. They change often, so check before you buy.
What should you know about WhatsApp before choosing a tool?
Every serious WhatsApp chatbot runs on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform, usually through a provider. Three platform rules shape what any tool can do:
- Pricing is per template message. According to Meta's pricing documentation, since 1 July 2025 Meta charges per delivered template message, with rates by category (marketing, utility, authentication) and country. Non-template messages, which can only be sent within the 24-hour customer service window that opens when a customer messages you, are free, and so are utility templates sent inside that window.
- You need templates to start a conversation. Messages you send first, such as reminders or updates, must use pre-approved templates.
- General-purpose AI assistants are restricted. Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform terms prohibit AI providers from using the platform where the AI is the primary, rather than incidental or ancillary, functionality, and limit using platform data to train AI models. A bot that serves your own customers about your own business is a different use, but it should be designed to stay on your business's topics.
On top of Meta's fees, most tools charge their own subscription, so you are usually paying two bills. UK marketing rules (PECR) and UK GDPR also apply to promotional messages, which need valid consent.
How do the main WhatsApp chatbot tools compare?
| Tool | Type | Best suited to | AI features | Pricing (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATI | No-code builder and team inbox | Small teams handling enquiries and sales | AI agents as an add-on | Check vendor |
| Respond.io | Omnichannel inbox and automation | Teams on WhatsApp plus other channels | AI Agents from the Growth plan | From $79 a month billed yearly, plus Meta fees |
| Twilio | Developer API | Developers building their own bot | Bring your own model | $0.005 per message, plus Meta fees |
| Infobip | Communications platform | Larger organisations and enterprises | Chatbot builder and AI agent tools | On request |
| ManyChat | No-code marketing automation | Marketing and lead capture flows | AI features on paid plans | Check vendor; WhatsApp needs Pro |
| Landbot | No-code chatbot builder | Lead capture and guided flows | AI agents on paid plans | In euros; WhatsApp on higher plans |
Which tools suit a team inbox with automation?
WATI is built on the official WhatsApp Business API and combines a no-code chatbot builder with a shared team inbox, so automation and people work in the same place. AI agents are available as a separately priced add-on. It suits small and mid-sized teams whose WhatsApp traffic is mostly enquiries, bookings and sales conversations.
Respond.io is an omnichannel inbox with automation that covers WhatsApp alongside other messaging channels. Its pricing page lists plans from $79 a month billed yearly as of October 2026, with AI Agents included from the Growth plan, and states that WhatsApp fees are not included in any subscription. It suits teams that want one inbox for several channels.
Which tools suit developers?
Twilio offers WhatsApp through its messaging APIs. You write the bot, choose the model and host the logic. Its WhatsApp pricing page lists $0.005 per message, inbound or outbound, with Meta's template fees passed through, as of October 2026. It is flexible and well documented, but it is a toolkit, not a product.
Infobip is a large communications platform and long-standing WhatsApp provider, with a no-code chatbot builder and AI agent tools alongside its APIs. It is mostly used by larger organisations, and pricing is on request.
Which tools suit no-code marketing and lead flows?
ManyChat is a no-code marketing automation tool, best known for Instagram and Messenger, that also supports WhatsApp on its Pro plan. It suits campaigns, lead capture and simple qualification flows rather than customer service with live data.
Landbot is a no-code chatbot builder for guided conversations and lead capture, with AI agents available. Its pricing is in euros, and WhatsApp is available on higher plans or as an add-on rather than on the entry plan.
Both are quick to start with. Both become harder work when the bot needs to answer from data that lives in your own systems.
When is a custom WhatsApp chatbot worth building?
An off-the-shelf tool is usually enough when conversations are mostly enquiries, the answers live in a set of documents, and someone on your team will manage the flows. A custom build earns its cost when the bot must:
- Read live data, such as stock, order status, bookings or account balances.
- Take actions, such as rebooking an appointment or raising a job in your system.
- Share one knowledge base with your website chatbot or phone agent.
- Meet specific data requirements, such as redacting personal data before it reaches a model.
- Handle volumes where per-seat or per-contact pricing becomes expensive.
That is where SpiderHunts fits: we design and build a custom WhatsApp chatbot for your business, on the official WhatsApp Business Platform and connected to your own systems. For shops, see our WhatsApp chatbot for retail. If you want the technical detail, our WhatsApp AI chatbot development guide covers the build itself.
How do you choose between them?
- List the five things customers message you about most.
- Note which answers need live data from your systems.
- Decide whether people on your team will reply in the same tool.
- Estimate your monthly volume of business-initiated messages, since those are what Meta charges for.
- Trial your top choice with real questions before you commit.
For how WhatsApp fits alongside chat and voice, see what conversational AI is.