Quick answer
Tidio is a website chat product first: Free includes 50 one-time Lyro AI conversations, Starter is $24.17 a month, Growth from $49.17, and WhatsApp arrives through Meta's official API with per-message fees. If customers start on WhatsApp, compare Replai at $19 flat, ManyChat at $29, Wati at $39 to $69, Chatfuel at $49 and Respond.io at $79.
- Tidio Free caps Lyro at 50 one-time AI conversations, then Starter is $24.17 a month.
- Per-conversation AI pricing is not published for most Tidio tiers.
- Replai is $19 to $99 a month flat with AI included and no Meta per-message fees.
- Replai has no website widget; a free wa.me link or QR opens the chat instead.
Tidio is a website live-chat product first: the widget, the visitor list, the Lyro AI agent answering from your help content. WhatsApp is attached through Meta's official Business API, and the Free plan's 50 one-time Lyro conversations run out fast if WhatsApp is where the volume is. Starter is $24.17 a month, Growth from $49.17, Plus $300 plus usage, and the per-conversation AI price is not published for most tiers. If your customers start on WhatsApp rather than your website, these six alternatives fit the job better. Prices were verified on each vendor's pricing page in September 2026.
Which Tidio alternatives handle WhatsApp best?
Tidio's WhatsApp channel and five of the six below run on the same platform. Since 1 July 2025 the WhatsApp Business Platform has charged per delivered template message, whether marketing, utility or authentication, while non-template replies inside the 24-hour customer service window are free (Meta for Developers, 2025). A website widget carries no such fee, which is part of why moving the front door to WhatsApp changes the bill.
| Tool | From | AI included | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $19/mo flat | QR pairing, no fees | Yes | WhatsApp-first businesses | |
| $39-69/mo | Official API | Add-on | Broadcasts | |
| $79/mo | Official API | Credits | Teams with web chat | |
| Free, $29/mo | Official API | Pro+ | Instagram creators | |
| Free, $49/mo | Official API | AI PRO | Flow builders | |
| €299/mo | Official API | €0.30/conv | European teams |
1. Replai: WhatsApp-native, flat price, AI included
Replai pairs to the WhatsApp number you already have as a linked device, so there is no Meta application, no verification wait and no per-message fee. Starter is $19 a month for one number and 120 conversations a cycle; Growth is $49 for up to three numbers, 300 conversations and campaigns; Pro is $99 for five numbers and 600. The AI answers from a knowledge base you control, handles voice notes and images, and follows the customer's language. New accounts answer new conversations only, so pairing a live number keeps the bot out of your existing chats. A conversation is one thread of up to five replies; top-ups are 100 conversations for $9, or $8 on Growth and $7 on Pro; the 7-day trial needs no card.
Two honest limits: it is unofficial (how we think about restriction risk), and it is WhatsApp only, with no website widget. The usual pairing is a free wa.me link or QR on the site that opens a chat the bot answers. See Replai vs Tidio.
Pick it if WhatsApp is the front door and you want one flat bill.
2. Wati: broadcasts on the official API
Wati is built for template campaigns, catalogues and a team inbox on the official API. Growth is $59 a month billed annually in the US and UAE, $39 in most of Asia and Africa, and ₹2,199 in India; AI is a paid add-on and Meta's fees pass through. See Wati pricing in 2026 and 7 Wati alternatives.
Pick it if large opted-in broadcasts are the main job.
3. Respond.io: team inbox with web chat included
Starter is $79 a month billed annually for five users with unlimited contacts; Growth is $159 for ten. It keeps the website chat Tidio users are used to and adds WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, WeChat and LINE in one inbox with assignment and reporting. See Respond.io pricing in 2026 and 6 Respond.io alternatives.
Pick it if three or more people answer customers and you want web chat and WhatsApp together.
4. ManyChat: Instagram and Messenger first
Free covers 25 active contacts, Pro is $29 a month for 2,500 with AI conversations, Business $69 for 7,500. WhatsApp runs through the official API with Meta's fees on top. See 6 ManyChat alternatives.
Pick it if your audience arrives through Instagram DMs.
5. Chatfuel: flow builder with WhatsApp attached
Light is free for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp flows with a shared inbox; AI PRO is $49 a month billed monthly. Official API, so Meta fees apply. See 6 Chatfuel alternatives.
Pick it if you want a visual flow builder and your audience is on Messenger.
6. Trengo: European support teams
Boost is €299 a month billed annually for ten users and 500 conversations a month, with AI at €0.25 to €0.30 per conversation. A mid-market shared inbox for WhatsApp, email and voice. See 7 Trengo alternatives.
Pick it if you run a European support team with email and phone in the mix.
Which Tidio alternative should you pick?
- WhatsApp first, flat bill, AI included, no API: Replai.
- Keep website chat and add a team inbox: Respond.io.
- Big opted-in broadcasts: Wati.
- Instagram or Messenger first: ManyChat or Chatfuel.
- European team with email and voice: Trengo.
Tidio is a fine product for a store whose customers begin on the website. It is the wrong shape when they begin on WhatsApp, and that is who this list is for.
Related
- Replai vs Tidio: which is better for WhatsApp customer service?
- WhatsApp chatbot without the Business API: how QR pairing works
- Free WhatsApp link and QR generator
Frequently asked questions
How much does Tidio cost in 2026?
- Free is $0 with WhatsApp included and 50 one-time Lyro AI conversations. Starter is $24.17 a month, Growth from $49.17, Plus is $300 a month plus usage, and Premium is custom from 3,000 Lyro conversations. Per-conversation AI pricing is not published for most tiers, and WhatsApp runs on the official API with Meta's fees on top.
Is Tidio good for WhatsApp?
- It is good when the website widget is your main channel and WhatsApp is attached to it. If most customers message you on WhatsApp first, a WhatsApp-native tool fits better: Replai for a flat price with AI included and no API, or Wati for broadcasts on the official route.
What is the cheapest Tidio alternative with AI on WhatsApp?
- Replai at $19 a month for one number and 120 conversations, with the AI included and no Meta per-message fees because it pairs to your existing number. Tidio's own Free plan is cheaper but caps Lyro at 50 one-time AI conversations.
Can I use a Tidio alternative without the WhatsApp Business API?
- Yes. Replai connects to the number you already have as a linked device by QR, so there is no Meta application, no verification wait and no per-message fee. It is unofficial, so a restriction is possible if a number behaves like spam, which makes it suit inbound answering rather than bulk marketing.
Does any Tidio alternative also do website chat?
- Respond.io and Trengo both include web chat alongside WhatsApp in a team inbox; Chatfuel and ManyChat cover Messenger and Instagram. Replai is WhatsApp only, and the usual pairing is a wa.me link or QR on the website that opens a WhatsApp chat the bot then answers.
Sources
- WhatsApp Business Platform pricing, Meta for Developers, 2025-07-01
- WhatsApp Business crosses 200M MAUs, introduces personalized messages feature, TechCrunch, 2023-06-27
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