ReplyKit vs Respond.io: omnichannel inbox or a WhatsApp agent that closes?
Respond.io is a serious omnichannel platform built in Kuala Lumpur. ReplyKit is a WhatsApp-only AI agent built to answer and book. If you sell mostly on WhatsApp and you are a small team, the difference in price and setup is large. Here is the plain comparison.
Quick answer
Pick Respond.io if you handle customers across WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram and email in one inbox, have a support team, and want workflow automation on the official WhatsApp API.
Pick ReplyKit if WhatsApp is where your leads come from and you want an AI agent that answers, qualifies and books them from $29 a month, with no per-contact metering, no seats and no Meta approval. Respond.io's AI Agents only start on its Growth plan at about $159 a month billed annually.
At a glance
| Feature | ReplyKit | Respond.io |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI sales and appointment agent for WhatsApp | Omnichannel customer conversation platform |
| Channels | WhatsApp only | WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, LINE, WeChat, email, SMS, web chat |
| Starting price | $29 a month | From $79 a month billed annually, $99 monthly (Starter, 5 users) |
| AI agent included | Every plan | From Growth: $159 a month billed annually, $199 monthly |
| Metering | AI replies: 1,000 / 5,000 / 20,000 a month | Users, monthly active contacts and AI credits |
| Meta per-message fees | None | Yes for templates, billed by Meta |
| Connection | Official WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta Cloud API) | Official WhatsApp Business API |
| Setup time | About 15 minutes | Hours to days for WhatsApp; other channels faster |
| Knowledge base per agent | Yes: website, PDFs, text, Q&A | Yes, on AI-enabled plans |
| Voice notes and photos | Understood by the agent | Received in inbox; AI handling varies |
| Appointment booking | Built in | Via workflows and integrations |
| Broadcasts | No, by design | Yes, from Growth |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card needed | 7 days |
What Respond.io is
Respond.io is an omnichannel inbox and automation platform. Its strength is pulling every messaging channel into one place, routing conversations to the right people, and automating journeys with a visual workflow builder. It is an official WhatsApp Business API provider, so the WhatsApp side is Meta-sanctioned, with broadcasts and templates available on the right plans. It is also a Malaysian success story, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, which matters if you want a vendor in your time zone.
What ReplyKit is
ReplyKit is narrower on purpose. It is an AI employee for your WhatsApp number. Customers message, the agent answers from your website and documents within seconds, asks the questions that qualify a lead, books a real slot in your calendar, and hands over to you when a human is needed. It keeps a simple CRM up to date on its own. You connect by connecting your number through Meta's sign-in, so there is nothing to apply for.
See what the agent does, the use cases it fits, or message the live demo on the ReplyKit home page.
Pricing compared
Respond.io
- Starter: $79 a month billed annually, $99 monthly. 5 users. AI assist features, but no AI Agents, no broadcasts, no workflows.
- Growth: $159 a month billed annually, $199 monthly. 10 users, 1,000 monthly active contacts, AI Agents, workflows, broadcasts.
- Advanced: $279 a month billed annually, $349 monthly. Adds SSO, webhooks, multiple workspaces.
- Extra users, extra monthly active contacts and extra AI credits are billed on top, and Meta charges for template messages.
ReplyKit
- Starter, $29: 1 number, 1 agent, 1,000 AI replies, booking, CRM, voice notes, human takeover.
- Growth, $49: 3 numbers, 5 agents with their own knowledge bases, 5,000 AI replies, follow-up nudges.
- Pro, $99: 15 numbers, unlimited agents, 20,000 AI replies, priority support, onboarding call.
- No seats, no contact metering. Extra replies $10 per 1,000, never expire.
Every plan is listed on the ReplyKit pricing page, and every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Where the AI lives
On Respond.io the AI is one part of a larger system. AI Agents sit inside workflows, draw on a knowledge base, and can pass to humans. It is capable, and it is metered by AI credits, so heavy usage needs watching.
On ReplyKit the AI is the product. Each agent has its own knowledge base built from a website crawl, PDFs, text and Q&A pairs, and it only answers from that content. It transcribes voice notes, understands photos, mirrors the customer's language, and logs anything it could not answer so you can teach it in one click. It has a built-in scheduler, so "can I come Thursday at 3?" ends with a confirmed booking, not a form.
Setup and risk
Respond.io (official API)
- Meta Business verification and display name approval for WhatsApp. Plan for hours to days.
- Templates needed for outbound messages outside 24 hours.
- Stable, sanctioned, green tick eligible, safe for broadcasts.
ReplyKit (official platform, done for you)
- Connect your number through Meta's sign-in and go live in minutes, keep using WhatsApp on your phone.
- Meta fees only on templates, no templates.
- Official platform. Connected through Meta's sign-in, so there is no linked-device restriction risk. ReplyKit answers people who message you and sends reminders, follow-ups and broadcasts through approved templates to contacts who opted in. Keep the number in your WhatsApp Business app, or use a dedicated one if the business runs on personal WhatsApp.
- We answer "Will my number get banned?" plainly on the home page, and the terms spell out the risk before you connect.
Who should pick which
Choose Respond.io if you
- Support customers on several channels and want one inbox.
- Have a team of 5 or more with routing, SLAs and reporting needs.
- Send broadcasts and need the official API.
- Want an established vendor with a large integration list.
Choose ReplyKit if you
- Get most leads on WhatsApp and lose some because replies are slow.
- Book appointments and want them booked in chat, automatically.
- Want AI on day one for $29, not from $159.
- Are a small team that does not need seats or omnichannel.
Our verdict
Respond.io is the better platform. ReplyKit is the better employee. If your problem is "too many channels and too many people", buy the platform. If your problem is "WhatsApp leads go unanswered and unbooked", hire the employee, and keep the option to add a platform later. If you want to see the ReplyKit side for yourself, the home page has a live demo you can message right now.
Frequently asked questions
Does Respond.io include an AI agent on its cheapest plan?
No. Starter includes AI assist tools but not AI Agents. AI Agents start on Growth at about $159 a month billed annually. ReplyKit includes its agent on every plan from $29.
What are monthly active contacts?
Any contact you exchange a message with in a month. Respond.io includes an allowance per plan and bills for more. ReplyKit meters AI replies instead, and never charges per contact.
Is ReplyKit an official WhatsApp Business API provider?
ReplyKit is not a general BSP, but it runs on the same official platform. Connect through Meta's sign-in from the dashboard in minutes; replies inside the 24-hour window carry no Meta fee and templates are billed at Meta's rate.
Which is better for appointment booking?
ReplyKit, because the scheduler is built in: real slots, double-booking protection, reminders and .ics export. Respond.io relies on workflows and external calendar tools.
Can a Malaysian business use both?
Yes. Both are operated from Malaysia. A common setup is Respond.io on the official number and ReplyKit on a second number for inbound leads and bookings.
Try the agent on your own business
Paste your website, connect your number through Meta's sign-in, message it. 7-day free trial, cancel before it ends and pay nothing.
Respond.io is a trademark of its owner. ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Respond.io, Meta or WhatsApp. Competitor prices and plan details were taken from respond.io in September 2026 and may have changed. If you spot an error, email hello@replykit.app and we will fix it.