{ "title": "ManyChat Alternatives 2027: 12 Paid, Free & Open-Source", "url": "https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/manychat/", "summary": "The best ManyChat alternatives in 2027 are Chatfuel (best overall, $20/mo), SendPulse (best free plan: 500 subscribers, 3 chatbots) and ChatbotX (best open source, MIT). ManyChat itself starts at $29/mo billed yearly. Zekai checked these prices on vendor pages on 13 Nov 2026; 9 more are compared below, including 4 with a free plan and 3 open source.", "tool": { "name": "ManyChat", "starting_price": "$29/mo billed yearly", "free_plan": "25 Active Contacts a month on new accounts", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://help.manychat.com/hc/en-us/articles/25800228332572" }, "task": "Social DM automation", "prices_checked": "2026-11-13", "date_modified": "2026-11-13", "alternatives": [ { "name": "Chatfuel", "type": "Paid", "starting_price": "$20/mo", "free_plan_limit": "No free plan", "best_for": "WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok sales bots", "difference": "Chatfuel Business S includes US$20 of AI credits a month and bulk WhatsApp campaigns, and its pricing page lists TikTok next to Instagram and Facebook; ManyChat's page shows contacts, not AI credits.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://chatfuel.com/pricing", "website": "https://chatfuel.com" }, { "name": "respond.io", "type": "Paid", "starting_price": "$99/mo", "free_plan_limit": "No free plan", "best_for": "Multi-agent team inbox across messaging channels", "difference": "respond.io Starter covers 5 users with extra users at $12/month each, 5,000 AI credits and a workflow builder; priced per monthly active contacts from 1,000, with WhatsApp fees billed separately.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://respond.io/pricing", "website": "https://respond.io", "zekai_score": 7.6, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/respond-io/" }, { "name": "SendPulse", "type": "Free plan + paid", "starting_price": "$9.60/mo billed yearly", "free_plan_limit": "3 chatbots, 500 subscribers, 10,000 messages a month", "best_for": "Cheapest multi-channel bot with a real free plan", "difference": "SendPulse's free chatbot plan allows 3 chatbots, 500 subscribers and 10,000 messages a month with unlimited flows; its Pro plan lists a free WhatsApp Business API and removes SendPulse branding.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://sendpulse.com/en/pricing/messengers", "website": "https://sendpulse.com/features/chatbot", "zekai_score": 7.9, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/sendpulse/" }, { "name": "Landbot", "type": "Free plan + paid", "starting_price": "$45/mo", "free_plan_limit": "100 chats a month, 1 seat, no AI chats", "best_for": "Web and WhatsApp lead-capture flows", "difference": "Landbot's builder is chat-based rather than Instagram-first: Starter gives 500 chats a month at $0.05 per extra chat, and WhatsApp on your own number starts at the Professional plan.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://landbot.io/pricing", "website": "https://landbot.io", "zekai_score": 7.3, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/landbot/" }, { "name": "Heyy", "type": "Paid", "starting_price": "$49/mo", "free_plan_limit": "No free plan", "best_for": "WhatsApp-first AI employees with unlimited contacts", "difference": "Heyy bills by credits (1,000 on Hobby, 6,000 on Pro) with unlimited contacts, and sells extra WhatsApp numbers at $8/month; ManyChat meters by contact count instead.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://heyy.io/pricing", "website": "https://heyy.io", "zekai_score": 4.7, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/heyy/" }, { "name": "Mixdesk", "type": "Free plan + paid", "starting_price": "$49/mo", "free_plan_limit": "10 conversations a month, unlimited teammates, no AI messages", "best_for": "Shared inbox with unlimited teammates", "difference": "Mixdesk charges no per-seat fees (unlimited teammates and contacts on every plan) and includes AI messages only from Pro: 5,000 a month, then $100 per extra 10,000.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://www.mixdesk.com/pricing", "website": "https://www.mixdesk.com", "zekai_score": 8.4, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/mixdesk/" }, { "name": "Tidio", "type": "Free plan + paid", "starting_price": "$24.17/mo billed yearly", "free_plan_limit": "50 billable conversations, 50 one-time Lyro AI conversations", "best_for": "Live chat plus Lyro AI for online stores", "difference": "Tidio combines live chat and ticketing with its Lyro AI agent (from $32.50/mo billed yearly for 50 AI conversations) and lists Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp integrations.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://www.tidio.com/pricing/", "website": "https://www.tidio.com", "zekai_score": 6.6, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/tidio/" }, { "name": "Botpress", "type": "Free plan + paid", "starting_price": "$189/mo", "free_plan_limit": "100 conversations a month, 3 seats, 3 AI agents", "best_for": "Developer-grade AI agents on WhatsApp and web", "difference": "Botpress prices by conversation, not contact: Free covers 100 a month with 3 AI agents and 3 seats, Plus adds 250 conversations plus $25 of AI usage; its compare table lists WhatsApp and webchat.", "price_checked": "2026-11-13", "pricing_url": "https://botpress.com/pricing", "website": "https://botpress.com", "zekai_score": 7.9, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/botpress/" }, { "name": "ChatbotX", "type": "Open source", "starting_price": "Free (self-hosted)", "free_plan_limit": "No limit (self-hosted)", "licence": "MIT", "best_for": "Self-hosted ManyChat-style flow builder", "difference": "Drag-and-drop flow builder with 15+ node types for WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and Telegram, plus comment automation and bring-your-own-key AI agents on Postgres you host.", "website": "https://github.com/ChatbotXIO/ChatbotX", "repository": "https://github.com/ChatbotXIO/ChatbotX", "zekai_open_source_page": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/chatbotx/", "commercial_use": "Yes for the MIT code; the enterprise folder needs a commercial licence.", "runs_on": "Docker host running Postgres with pgvector, Redis and S3-compatible storage.", "setup": "moderate: Docker Compose with pre-built images, plus Meta app review for channels.", "github_stars": 1114, "stars_checked": "2026-11-13", "last_commit": "2026-11-13", "last_release": "2026-11-11", "zekai_score": 7.3, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/chatbotx/" }, { "name": "OpenReply", "type": "Open source", "starting_price": "Free (self-hosted)", "free_plan_limit": "No limit (self-hosted)", "licence": "MIT", "best_for": "Instagram comment-to-DM keyword automation", "difference": "Does one job: when an Instagram comment matches your keyword it sends a private reply through Meta's official API, with an optional follow gate; it has no multi-step flow builder.", "website": "https://github.com/diwenne/openreply", "repository": "https://github.com/diwenne/openreply", "zekai_open_source_page": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/openreply/", "commercial_use": "Yes (MIT).", "runs_on": "Server with PostgreSQL, Redis, a worker process and a public HTTPS URL.", "setup": "moderate: Deploy your own copy; Instagram needs your own Meta app or Zernio.", "github_stars": 3219, "stars_checked": "2026-11-13", "last_commit": "2026-10-28", "zekai_score": 6.8, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/openreply/" }, { "name": "Chatwoot", "type": "Open source", "starting_price": "Free (self-hosted)", "free_plan_limit": "No limit (self-hosted)", "licence": "MIT", "best_for": "Open-source shared inbox for DMs", "difference": "Shared inbox rather than a flow builder: the README lists website live chat, email, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, Line and SMS channels, plus its Captain AI agent.", "website": "https://www.chatwoot.com", "repository": "https://github.com/chatwoot/chatwoot", "zekai_open_source_page": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/chatwoot/", "commercial_use": "Yes for the MIT code; the enterprise folder is under a separate licence.", "runs_on": "Docker or docker-compose host; Heroku and DigitalOcean one-click deploys exist.", "setup": "moderate: Docker Compose, or a documented one-click cloud deploy.", "github_stars": 39807, "stars_checked": "2026-11-13", "last_commit": "2026-11-13", "last_release": "2026-10-24", "zekai_score": 8.6, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/chatwoot/" }, { "name": "Hexabot", "type": "Open source", "starting_price": "Free (self-hosted)", "free_plan_limit": "No limit (self-hosted)", "licence": "FCL-1.0-ALv2", "best_for": "Developer-built YAML chatbot workflows", "difference": "Builds agentic workflows written in YAML with tools, MCP, memory and RAG across conversational channels; the Fair Core licence is source-available and not OSI-approved.", "website": "https://hexabot.ai", "repository": "https://github.com/hexabot-ai/Hexabot", "zekai_open_source_page": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/hexabot/", "commercial_use": "Yes unless it competes with Hexabot; converts to Apache-2.0 later.", "runs_on": "Node.js 24 with npm, pnpm, yarn or bun; Docker optional.", "setup": "moderate: Install the CLI, create a project, run hexabot dev.", "github_stars": 1161, "stars_checked": "2026-11-13", "last_commit": "2026-11-13", "last_release": "2025-01-24", "zekai_score": 7.3, "zekai_review": "https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/hexabot/" } ], "faq": [ { "q": "What is the best alternative to ManyChat in 2027?", "a": "Chatfuel is the best overall ManyChat alternative on this page ($20/mo). For no cost, SendPulse has a free plan (3 chatbots, 500 subscribers, 10,000 messages a month). To self-host, ChatbotX is open source (MIT)." }, { "q": "Is there a free version of ManyChat?", "a": "Yes. ManyChat has a free plan: 25 Active Contacts a month on new accounts. Paid plans start at $29/mo billed yearly, checked on 13 Nov 2026." }, { "q": "Is there a 100% free alternative to ManyChat?", "a": "Yes. ChatbotX, OpenReply, Chatwoot, Hexabot are open source and free to self-host. SendPulse, Landbot, Mixdesk, Tidio, Botpress have a free plan with limits, shown in the table." }, { "q": "What is cheaper than ManyChat?", "a": "SendPulse starts at $9.60/mo billed yearly, against $29/mo billed yearly for ManyChat, as listed on each vendor's pricing page on 13 Nov 2026." }, { "q": "How much do ManyChat alternatives cost for a team of 5?", "a": "If each of 5 people buys the entry paid plan, at the prices Zekai checked on 13 Nov 2026, the monthly cost is SendPulse $48/mo, Chatfuel $100/mo, Tidio $120.85/mo, against ManyChat $145/mo for ManyChat. Team and business plans can cost more per seat. The Zekai Cost Finder on this page recalculates for any team size." }, { "q": "Which is better, Chatfuel or ManyChat?", "a": "Chatfuel Business S includes US$20 of AI credits a month and bulk WhatsApp campaigns, and its pricing page lists TikTok next to Instagram and Facebook; ManyChat's page shows contacts, not AI credits. Choose Chatfuel if you run click-to-WhatsApp ads and want leads qualified and booked in chat, with Meta WhatsApp fees billed through one wallet. Stay with ManyChat if you only need Instagram comment-to-DM flows on a free tier and can live with ManyChat's contact-based billing." }, { "q": "Why are people leaving ManyChat?", "a": "The documented reasons are: ManyChat announced on 20 April 2026 that billing moves from cumulative contacts to monthly Active Contacts, with new Free, Essential, Pro, Business and Advanced plans; AI starts on Pro and Inbox seats cost extra on Pro and above (20 Apr 2026); ManyChat's Help Center says the Active Contacts model launched 2 March 2026 for new accounts: Free 25 Active Contacts, Pro 2,500 at $0.05 per extra contact, and Pro costs $39 monthly or $29/mo billed yearly (2 Mar 2026). Each is sourced in the section above." }, { "q": "What are the best ManyChat alternatives?", "a": "Chatfuel, respond.io, SendPulse, Landbot and Heyy are the closest paid options; SendPulse and Botpress have free plans, and ChatbotX is an open-source ManyChat-style builder." } ], "publisher": "Zekai (zekaiwork.com) — independently reviewed; prices read on vendor pages on the dates shown.", "licence": "Free to quote with a link to https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/manychat/. Bulk copying or republishing the dataset is not permitted." }