ReplyKit vs Trengo: a multichannel customer service inbox for teams, against an AI agent that answers and books for owner-run businesses
Trengo is built for a support team that answers email, WhatsApp, web chat and social from one screen, with rules, assignments and reports. ReplyKit is built for an owner whose WhatsApp is unanswered while they work. Both say "inbox" and "AI", and mean quite different things.
Quick answer
Choose Trengo if you have a support team of several people handling multiple channels, need assignment rules, SLAs and reporting, and want AI as an assist inside that workflow. Choose ReplyKit if you are an owner-run business that needs WhatsApp and website questions answered automatically from your own knowledge, appointments booked, and leads tracked, for a flat fee with no per-user cost. ReplyKit is $29, $49 or $99 a month with AI replies included (1,000, 5,000 or 20,000 a month), connected by QR pairing to a dedicated number, with a website assistant, booking, a CRM and inbox, and a 7-day free trial with no card. Trengo's plans start at €299 a month billed yearly (€349 month to month) for 10 users and 500 conversations, with extra users and an AI charge per conversation on top; it publishes them on its pricing page.
Side by side
| ReplyKit | Trengo | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI agent for WhatsApp and website, with booking and a light CRM | Multichannel team inbox with automation and AI add-ons |
| Pricing model | Flat: $29, $49, $99 a month | From €299 a month billed yearly for 10 users and 500 conversations; extra users €25 each; AI €0.25 per conversation |
| Channels | WhatsApp and your website | WhatsApp, email, live chat, Instagram, Messenger, voice on applicable plans |
| AI replies | Included; answers from your knowledge, no flows | AI assist and bot features by plan |
| WhatsApp connection | QR pairing to a dedicated number; limits enforced, restriction possible | Official API through Trengo; Meta fees apply |
| Booking | Built in | Not native |
| Team features | Shared inbox, takeover, no seat fees | Assignment, rules, SLAs, reports, roles |
| Setup | About 15 minutes | Days, with channel connections and rules |
| Best for | Owner-run businesses with enquiries and bookings | Support teams across several channels |
Where Trengo is stronger
- Channels. Email and social in the same inbox as WhatsApp, which ReplyKit does not do.
- Team operations. Assignment rules, SLAs, internal notes, reporting across agents.
- Official WhatsApp API. The sanctioned route, with templates and campaigns, at Meta's per-message rates.
- Scale. Built for teams of five to fifty, where ReplyKit is built for one to five.
Where ReplyKit is stronger
- The agent answers on its own. From your website and documents, without a team to assist. Trengo's AI assists a human workflow.
- Booking. Real slots, reminders, no integration.
- Price. A flat $29 to $99 against a €299 entry plan plus extra users and AI charges.
- Setup. Fifteen minutes, no channel configuration project.
- Website assistant included, with its own knowledge.
Where ReplyKit is mentioned: it pairs with your number as a linked device, which Meta does not sanction for automation, so a number can be restricted; we cap replies at 30 an hour and 200 a day, reply to inbound only, and recommend a dedicated number. The details are in our ban guide, and the route comparison in API vs QR pairing.
How to choose
If the phrase "support team" describes your business, Trengo is the category you are shopping in, and ReplyKit is the wrong size. If the phrase is "I answer WhatsApp myself and I am losing leads", ReplyKit is built for exactly that and Trengo is paying for seats and channels you will not use. The middle case, a small team on WhatsApp only, usually fits ReplyKit's Growth plan with its shared inbox and takeover. The full buyer's guide is in the best WhatsApp AI agent for small business.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trengo an AI agent?
Trengo is a team inbox with AI assist and bot features by plan. ReplyKit is an AI agent that answers on its own from your knowledge.
Which is cheaper?
For an owner or a team of two on WhatsApp only, ReplyKit's flat $29 to $49 is cheaper than Trengo's entry plan, which starts at €299 a month billed yearly for 10 users and 500 conversations. For a larger team with several channels, compare Trengo's current pricing.
Does ReplyKit handle email or Instagram?
No. WhatsApp and your website only.
Which uses the official WhatsApp API?
Trengo. ReplyKit uses QR pairing, which is unofficial, with enforced limits and a dedicated-number recommendation.
Does Trengo book appointments?
Not natively. ReplyKit's booking is built in with reminders.
For the owner who answers WhatsApp alone
AI replies, booking and website assistant for a flat fee. 7-day free trial, no card.
Sources and further reading
- Trengo pricing page
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing · per-message pricing for the official API, for comparison
- ReplyKit, Will WhatsApp ban my number for automation? · our own account of the risk and the limits we enforce
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with Meta, WhatsApp or Trengo. Trengo's features and prices are taken from its public pages at the time of writing and may have changed; check its site before deciding. This article is general guidance, not legal or financial advice.