ReplyKit vs Meta Business Agent: the sanctioned, built-in option against an independent agent with a website assistant, knowledge base, booking and CRM
In June 2026 Meta made its Business Agent available to businesses of all sizes on WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, set up from inside Meta's apps. That changes the comparison for every independent tool, including ours. A sanctioned, native agent has an advantage no official-platform product can match. Here is what it does, what ReplyKit still adds, and who should pick which.
Quick answer
Choose Meta Business Agent if you want the built-in option and your needs are answering common questions, recommending catalogue products, qualifying leads, booking and handing over inside WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram; as announced it sets up in minutes and replies in customers' languages, with availability and pricing by country per Meta. Choose ReplyKit if you also need an assistant on your own website, a knowledge base built from your website pages and PDFs with taught answers, a sales CRM and inbox across several numbers, booking into your own slots with reminders and reschedules, and exports. ReplyKit is $29, $49 or $99 a month with AI replies included (1,000, 5,000 or 20,000 a month), connected through Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform with no pairing risk, a website assistant, booking, a CRM and inbox, and a 7-day free trial with no card. Meta's per-message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates sent outside the 24-hour window.
Side by side
Rival prices and features are as listed on Meta's public announcements when we checked in September 2026 and are summarised in US dollars; they change, so confirm on the vendor's page. ReplyKit's figures are current. We sell ReplyKit, and we have tried to say plainly where the other tool is the better choice.
| ReplyKit | Meta Business Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Sanctioned by Meta | Yes, official platform | Yes, native |
| Channels | WhatsApp and your website | WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, by country |
| Setup | 15 minutes, Meta sign-in | Minutes, inside Meta's apps, as announced |
| Knowledge | Website crawl to 100 pages, PDFs, text, taught answers; per-agent isolation | Business profile, catalogue and what Meta lets you add; check current options |
| Website assistant | Included | No |
| Booking | Into your slots, reminders, reschedules | Appointment booking as announced; check how slots are managed |
| CRM and inbox | Lead stages, Won and Lost, several numbers, exports | Within Meta's business tools |
| Instructions and teach loop | Plain-language instructions, unanswered-questions list | Tone and settings per Meta's interface |
| Languages | 30 plus, tuned for Malay, English, Chinese | Local languages as announced |
| Price | $29 to $99 a month, Meta fees only on templates | Per Meta's terms in your country |
| Data | Not used to train models; export and delete | Per Meta's terms |
Where Meta's agent wins
- Native to WhatsApp. Nothing to connect and nothing to pay Meta beyond its own terms.
- Native to the apps with the catalogue and profile already there.
- Three channels including Instagram and Messenger.
- Possibly the cheapest option, depending on Meta's pricing in your country.
Meta's announcement is at Meta Newsroom, June 2026, following the May 2026 India rollout. Our longer explainer is Meta Business Agent explained.
Where ReplyKit wins
- Your website. An assistant on your own site, answering from your pages, handing to WhatsApp with context.
- Your knowledge base. Crawl the site, upload PDFs and price lists, teach answers from the unanswered list; see what to put in the knowledge base.
- A sales CRM with stages, reasons, several numbers in one inbox, CSV and JSON export, and a Monday digest.
- Booking into slots you define, with reminders, reschedules and a waitlist loop.
- Control: plain-language instructions, handover rules, takeover and hand-back.
- Written data commitments: no training on your data, delete on request.
Where the connection matters: ReplyKit runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform, so there is no linked-device pairing and no restriction risk from automation. Meta's per-message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates sent outside the 24-hour window; replies to customers who message you carry no Meta fee inside it. The trade-offs are explained in why ReplyKit runs on the official platform.
ReplyKit plans: Starter $29 (1 number, 1 agent, 1 website assistant, 1,000 replies), Growth $49 (3 numbers, 5 agents, 5 website assistants, 5,000 replies, follow-up nudges), Pro $99 (15 numbers, unlimited agents, 20,000 replies). Extra replies are $10 per 1,000. AI is included, and Meta's message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates. Details in what it costs.
Using both
A sensible setup for many businesses: Meta's agent on the WhatsApp number, and ReplyKit's website assistant on the site, with its WhatsApp link handing to the number. Do not run two agents on one number. If you need the CRM and booking, run ReplyKit on a dedicated number and Meta's agent on the main one, or choose one.
Who should choose which
- Cannot risk the number, needs standard answers and catalogue: Meta's agent.
- Needs website, own knowledge, CRM, booking into slots: ReplyKit, on a dedicated number.
- Unsure: try Meta's agent first if available in your country; trial ReplyKit for the gaps, and judge both on the same twenty messages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Meta Business Agent better than ReplyKit?
It is sanctioned and native, which is a real advantage. ReplyKit adds a website assistant, a knowledge base from your own documents, a CRM and booking into your slots, on the same official platform.
Is Meta's agent available in Malaysia and Singapore?
Meta announced global availability with variation by app and country. Check Meta's site.
What does Meta's agent cost?
Per Meta's terms in your country; check Meta's current pricing.
Can I use both?
Meta's agent on WhatsApp and ReplyKit's website assistant on your site works. Never two agents on one number.
Why would anyone still choose ReplyKit?
For the website, the knowledge base, the CRM, booking into own slots, exports and plain-language control, if those matter more than staying inside Meta's own apps.
Try both on the same twenty messages
Website, knowledge base, CRM and booking, alongside whatever Meta offers. 7-day free trial.
Sources and further reading
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta. Meta Business Agent's features, availability and pricing are as announced by Meta in 2026 and may change.