Comparison
DelightChat: pricing and 7 alternatives
DelightChat is an ecommerce helpdesk with official WhatsApp API access built in, priced by tickets and contacts. Here is what it costs, who it fits, and 7 alternatives when the caps start to pinch.
Pricing and features verified against each vendor's site on August 24, 2026
DelightChat pairs a Shopify-flavoured omnichannel helpdesk (WhatsApp, Instagram, email, live chat) with official WhatsApp Business API access at no setup cost and, to its credit, no markup on Meta's rates. For a small Shopify store answering support tickets across channels, the $29 Startup plan is genuinely accessible.
The model is metered, though: each plan caps monthly tickets and contacts, with per-block overage fees once you cross them ($10 per extra 100 tickets on Startup), and extra WhatsApp numbers cost $25/month each. Because WhatsApp runs through the Business API, Meta's per-message fees, template approvals, the 24-hour window and the no-groups limit all apply, and marketing-heavy months make the meters spin.
This guide compares 7 alternatives: ecommerce-adjacent API platforms (Zoko, WATI, SleekFlow, Respond.io, AiSensy, Interakt) and Spun, which takes the no-API lane: your existing WhatsApp number, unlimited team members, no ticket or contact caps, and AI included at one flat price.
DelightChat pricing, explained
DelightChat's three plans are priced by volume caps rather than seats: Startup at $29/month includes 500 tickets and 2,500 contacts with 5 team members; Scale at $99/month includes 2,000 tickets, 10,000 contacts and 20 members; Growth at $299/month includes 6,000 tickets, 30,000 contacts and 50 members. Overages are billed per block (for example $10 per extra 100 tickets on Startup), and additional WhatsApp API numbers are $25/month each.
WhatsApp message costs are passed through at Meta's rates with no markup, which is honest, but they are still per-message costs that scale with volume, on top of whichever plan the caps push you into.
For contrast: Spun has no ticket, contact or message meters: $49 to $200 flat per month with unlimited team members on your existing number.
| Plan | Price | Included / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | $29/mo | 500 tickets, 2,500 contacts, 5 members; $10 per extra 100 tickets |
| Scale | $99/mo | 2,000 tickets, 10,000 contacts, 20 members |
| Growth | $299/mo | 6,000 tickets, 30,000 contacts, 50 members |
| Extras | $25/mo per extra API number | Meta message fees passed through at cost |
DelightChat prices from delightchat.io/pricing, checked August 24, 2026. 14-day free trial, no credit card. Confirm current pricing on the vendor's site.
Why teams look for a DelightChat alternative
These are the most common reasons buyers give, and they shape which alternative fits.
Ticket and contact meters
Every plan caps tickets and contacts per month. A good sales season turns directly into overage fees or a forced upgrade.
Ecommerce-first, everyone-else-second
The product is built around Shopify stores. Service businesses, agencies and sales teams pay for machinery they will not use.
API limits are structural
Templates, the 24-hour window, no WhatsApp groups, a dedicated API number: DelightChat inherits all of it.
AI is not the core
If you want AI drafting replies, summarising threads and transcribing voice notes as the default workflow, a helpdesk with WhatsApp attached is the wrong shape.
Per-message costs remain
No markup is honest, but Meta's fees still scale with every campaign you send.
DelightChat alternatives at a glance
| Feature | Spun | Zoko | WATI | SleekFlow | Respond.io | AiSensy | Interakt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat, whole team | Plan + conversation fee | Plan + per user | Per user (min seats) | Plan + contacts + users | Plan + message credits | Plan + markup |
| Entry price (paid) | $49/mo flat | $49.99/mo | $59/mo (annual) | ~$149/mo | $99/mo | $45/mo | ~Rs 2,799/mo |
| Unlimited team members | Starter only | ||||||
| Needs Business API approval | |||||||
| Per-message Meta fees | |||||||
| Works with your existing number | |||||||
| WhatsApp groups | |||||||
| Message templates required | |||||||
| AI compose / summary / ask-a-chat | Add-on bots | Add-on credits | AI suite | AI agents | Add-on | Add-on | |
| Voice note transcription | |||||||
| Speech-to-speech translation | |||||||
| Per-customer team scoping | Roles | Roles | Roles | Advanced roles | Basic | Roles | |
| Ticketing / SLA engine | Basic | Partial | Workflows | ||||
| Named CRM integrations | Webhooks + Zapier | ||||||
| Free tier / trial | Free tier + trial | 7-day trial | 7-day trial | Free tier | 7-day trial | Free tier | Free tier (IG) |
Prices are the vendors' published entry-level paid plans as listed on their websites on August 1, 2026 (annual billing where noted). API-based platforms also pass through Meta's per-message fees, which vary by country and message category. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
1.Spun
Our pickBest for teams that want AI on their existing WhatsApp number, without the Business API
Spun takes a fundamentally different approach from Business API platforms. It connects to the WhatsApp number you already use by scanning a QR code, the same way WhatsApp Web links a device. That means no API approval, no dedicated number, no message templates, no 24-hour window and no per-message fees. Your chat history and your WhatsApp groups come with you.
On top of that connection, Spun layers a genuinely AI-first workspace: AI drafts replies in your tone, summarizes long conversations, answers questions about any chat, auto-labels and triages incoming messages, and can run a knowledge-base chatbot. Voice is a standout: voice notes are transcribed automatically, and Spun can even translate speech to speech so you can talk to customers across languages.
It is built mobile-first, which matters if you actually run your business from your phone. Team sharing is granular: you can give a virtual assistant or teammate access to only their customers' conversations rather than the whole inbox. Broadcasts and scheduling are included, with built-in caution: Spun helps you stay within safe sending limits rather than encouraging mass blasting.
Pros
- Works on your existing number and history via QR, no API approval
- Full WhatsApp groups support
- Flat pricing, unlimited team members
- AI compose, summaries, ask-a-chat, auto-labeling, daily briefing
- Voice transcription and speech-to-speech translation
- Per-customer conversation scoping for VAs and teams
- Mobile-first apps
Cons
- No ticketing / SLA engine (triage is AI-driven instead)
- Fewer named CRM integrations (webhooks and Zapier instead)
- Not designed for official-API use cases like green-tick verified mass notifications
2.Zoko
Best for Shopify D2C brands on the Business API
Zoko is built specifically around Shopify. It syncs your catalog to WhatsApp, broadcasts to Shopify customer segments, ships pre-built cart-recovery flows, and unusually for the API lane the Starter plan comes with unlimited agents and no per-seat fees.
The pricing is layered though. Starter adds a Zoko platform fee of $0.015 per conversation on top of Meta's rates; you need the $79.99 Plus plan to remove that markup, and Plus caps you at 5 agents with extra seats at $15 each. Instagram, custom flows and AI bots are all separately priced add-ons, and there is no free plan.
Pros
- Deepest Shopify integration of any platform here
- Unlimited agents on the Starter plan
- No Zoko markup on Meta rates from the Plus plan up
- Pre-built cart recovery and commerce flows
Cons
- Starter adds a per-conversation platform fee on top of Meta rates
- AI bots, Instagram and custom flows are all paid add-ons
- Agent caps and $15 per extra seat above Starter
- API limits: templates, no groups, dedicated number
3.WATI
Best-known Business API platform for small businesses
WATI is one of the most popular entry points to the WhatsApp Business API, with a shared team inbox, broadcast campaigns, no-code chatbots and a large integration marketplace including Shopify and Zoho.
The trade-offs are cost structure and seat limits: the Growth plan is hard-capped at 3 users, extra seats on higher tiers cost $24 to $69 per user, AI features are credit-based add-ons, and Meta's per-message fees apply on top of every plan.
Pros
- Mature product with a large integration marketplace
- Strong broadcast and chatbot tooling
- Well-documented, big user community
Cons
- Growth plan capped at 3 users with no way to add more
- Per-user fees stack quickly on growing teams
- API limits: templates, 24-hour window, no groups, dedicated number
4.SleekFlow
Best for commerce-focused teams in Asia on the Business API
SleekFlow is an omnichannel social commerce platform popular in Hong Kong, Singapore and Southeast Asia. It combines a shared inbox with flow automation, payment links and catalog features, and it ships a capable AI suite.
Pricing is per user with minimum seat counts, and WhatsApp costs extra: a hosted number is $15/mo and every template message is billed at Meta's rates. Like all API platforms, it cannot touch WhatsApp groups or your existing personal-number history.
Pros
- Strong commerce features: catalogs, payment links, Shopify integration
- Omnichannel: WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat, LINE and more
- Free tier to test core features
Cons
- Per-user pricing with minimum seats gets expensive
- WhatsApp number hosting and message fees are extra
- Business API limits: templates, no groups, dedicated number
5.Respond.io
Best omnichannel platform for mid-market teams on the Business API
Respond.io is one of the most polished omnichannel platforms on the API lane. It unifies WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more into one AI-powered inbox, with strong workflow automation, AI agents and deep reporting.
The trade-off is cost structure: you pay for the plan, for user seats and for Monthly Active Contacts. Growth at $199/mo includes 1,000 active contacts; beyond that you pay $12 per extra 100. For high-volume teams this adds up quickly, and Meta's per-message fees still apply on top.
Pros
- Excellent omnichannel inbox and automation builder
- AI agents for lead qualification and support
- Strong analytics and enterprise-grade controls
- HubSpot, Salesforce and many native integrations
Cons
- Expensive for small teams; contact-based billing is hard to predict
- Business API only: templates, 24-hour window, no groups
- Overkill if WhatsApp is your only channel
6.AiSensy
Best budget Business API option, especially in India
AiSensy is a WhatsApp-only marketing platform with one of the lowest entry prices on the API lane and a genuinely free forever tier for basic use. It is an official Meta BSP and is very popular in India.
Note the dual pricing: the same Basic plan is Rs 1,500/mo on the Indian pricing page but $45/mo on the USD page. AI capabilities and chatbot flows are paid add-ons, and the platform is squarely aimed at broadcast marketing, which brings template costs and compliance discipline with it.
Pros
- Very low entry price and a free tier
- Purpose-built for WhatsApp campaign marketing
- Official Meta BSP with CTWA ad tooling
Cons
- WhatsApp-only, no omnichannel inbox
- AI and flow builder are paid add-ons
- Marketing-heavy usage means high template message bills
7.Interakt
Best for Indian D2C and Shopify sellers
Interakt, backed by Jio Haptik, targets Indian direct-to-consumer brands. It bundles WhatsApp catalogs, native payments, Shopify integration and campaign tools, and unusually for the API lane it offers unlimited agent seats on paid plans.
Pricing is India-first (roughly Rs 2,799 to Rs 3,799 per month plus tax) and there is a per-message markup on Meta's marketing rates on non-enterprise plans. AI agents are a separately priced add-on.
Pros
- Unlimited agent seats on paid plans
- Strong commerce stack: catalogs, payments, Shopify
- Backed by Jio Haptik, well established in India
Cons
- India-centric; less suited to US or EU buyers
- Per-message markup on top of Meta rates
- API limits: templates, no groups, dedicated number
FAQ
DelightChat alternatives: frequently asked questions
Try Spun on your existing WhatsApp number
Scan a QR code, keep your number and chat history, and get an AI-powered shared inbox for your whole team at one flat price. No Business API approval, no per-message fees, no templates.
Start your free trialWhich DelightChat alternative should you pick?
For Shopify-native WhatsApp marketing, Zoko is the closest like-for-like and goes deeper on catalog and cart flows; WATI and SleekFlow are the broader API platforms; Respond.io suits bigger omnichannel teams. They all share the API's per-message economics and limits.
If your actual need is a team answering WhatsApp conversations without counting tickets, contacts or messages, Spun does that on the number you already use, AI included, one flat price.
Start your free Spun trialFree trial, no credit card required. See pricing.