Wati vs Gallabox: which is better if you want AI answering WhatsApp leads?
Gallabox and Wati both run on the official WhatsApp Business API and both now sell AI agents, but they package them very differently. This comparison is for sales and enquiry teams, such as agencies, clinics and education counsellors, who want AI to answer WhatsApp leads and need to know the real cost on each.
Quick answer
Gallabox includes AI credits in every plan, but its WhatsApp AI agent starts on Essential at $248 a month billed yearly ($331 quarterly), with no monthly option. Wati's AI agent, Astra, is a $99 add-on to a Wati plan, listed on Pro ($149 monthly, $119 yearly). For a six-person team wanting AI on WhatsApp, the two cost about the same per year.
What is the question that decides Wati vs Gallabox?
Ask where you need AI to answer customers. If the answer is "on WhatsApp", Gallabox's cheapest option is Essential and Wati's is a Wati plan plus Astra. If it is "on our website only", Gallabox Basic already includes a web AI agent, and Wati's Astra has a free tier for the web widget. That one question moves the budget more than any other line.
Both tools give you the rest of the basics: the official API with a verified number, an inbox for your team, broadcasts, chatbot flows and Instagram. Meta's per-message charges apply on both, because both are official providers. If you need a refresher on how those charges work, start with our API pricing explainer.
Where does AI appear on each plan ladder?
On Gallabox, AI is part of the plan and grows with it. On Wati, AI is a separate product you add. Here are both ladders in US dollars, as their pricing pages showed them in October 2026.
| Step | Gallabox | Wati |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic: $150 a month billed quarterly, $112 billed yearly. 3 users, hard cap. 500 AI credits. AI agents on the website only. | Growth: $69 monthly, $59 billed annually. 3 users, no extras. 250 AI Copilot credits for drafting, no AI agent. |
| 2 | Essential: $331 quarterly, $248 yearly. 6 users, then $18 each. 2,000 AI credits. AI agents on WhatsApp and Instagram. | Pro: $149 monthly, $119 annually. 5 users, then $39 each. 500 Copilot credits. Astra AI agents as a paid add-on. |
| 3 | Advanced: $632 quarterly, $474 yearly. 10 users, then $24 each. 8,000 AI credits. Adds AI voice on WhatsApp and phone. | Business: custom quote. 5 users, then $89 each. 1,500 Copilot credits, multiple numbers. |
| AI add-on | Extra AI credits in blocks of 5,000 for ₹1,000; the dollar price shows as $10 in one place and $18 in another, so confirm | Astra Pro $99 a month (20% off yearly): 5,000 credits, up to 3 agents, web and WhatsApp, single-language voice. Astra Business $399. |
A note on the word "credits". Wati's AI Copilot credits help your staff draft replies; they are not an agent that answers customers. Gallabox's AI credits cover AI replies, rewrites, translations and other AI work from one balance, and its pricing page does not say how many credits a typical reply uses. Wati's Astra is clearer: 1 credit per simple text reply, 3 for a rich reply. Our Gallabox pricing guide goes deeper on the credit system.
How much leaves your account on day one?
Gallabox bills only quarterly or yearly; Wati offers monthly billing. That changes the first payment far more than the monthly price suggests.
| Route to AI on WhatsApp | Shortest commitment | First payment | Yearly commitment, total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallabox Essential | One quarter | $993 | $2,976 |
| Wati Pro plus Astra Pro | One month | $248 | $1,428 plus $950.40 = $2,378.40 |
Figures before tax, for 5 users on Wati and up to 6 on Gallabox. Gallabox says annual plans are not refunded mid-term. Its free trial needs no card and includes 500 AI credits with access to the Basic plan, and Basic runs AI agents on the website only, so ask Gallabox how to test the WhatsApp agent before you pay for a quarter. Wati has a 7-day trial and Astra Pro has a 14-day trial.
What does a property agency pay for a year on each?
Take a hypothetical property agency in Dubai with six agents who want AI to answer portal and ad enquiries on WhatsApp, around the clock. It sends about 4,000 replies a month (3,000 of them billable after Meta's free 1,000) and 500 viewing reminders. All figures in US dollars, yearly billing.
| Line, per month | Gallabox Essential | Wati Pro with Astra |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | $248 (6 users included) | $119 plus 1 extra user $39 = $158 |
| AI agent | Included, 2,000 credits | Astra Pro $79.20 (yearly), 5,000 credits |
| 3,500 billable messages to UAE numbers | 3,500 × $0.0181 = $63.35 | At least 3,500 × $0.0157 = $54.95 |
| Monthly total | $311.35 | At least $292.15 |
| Year | About $3,736 | At least $3,506 |
Gallabox's UAE rate is from its own per-message pricing document; Wati bills from its rate card, so Meta's list rate is shown as the floor. Two caveats change the picture. First, if the agency's AI uses more than 2,000 Gallabox credits a month, top-ups add cost, and we cannot tell you how fast credits go because Gallabox does not publish a per-reply figure. Second, a seventh agent costs $18 a month on Gallabox and $39 on Wati, so Gallabox gets relatively cheaper as the team grows. For a team of ten, Gallabox Essential would be $248 plus 4 × $18 = $320, and Wati Pro $119 plus 5 × $39 = $314, before AI.
For local rules, data protection and how customers in the Emirates use WhatsApp, see our WhatsApp chatbot guide for the UAE.
How do per-message rates compare?
| Market and category | Gallabox rate | Meta list rate | Wati |
|---|---|---|---|
| India, marketing | ₹0.9926 | ₹0.8631 | Wati rate card, linked from each plan |
| India, utility, authentication or service | ₹0.1323 | ₹0.115 | |
| UAE, marketing | $0.0662 | $0.0576 | |
| UAE, utility, authentication or service | $0.0181 | $0.0157 |
Gallabox's documentation spells out the October 2026 rules clearly: service messages are billed at the utility rate after the first 1,000 per number each calendar month, and utility templates inside the 24-hour window are charged from the first one. Gallabox's Enterprise plan takes 5% off template charges.
What does each do better?
Gallabox does better at
- AI as part of the plan rather than a second subscription.
- Cheaper extra users ($18 or $24, against $39 or $89).
- AI voice on WhatsApp and phone on Advanced.
- Adding channels: extra WhatsApp numbers, Instagram accounts or widgets at $20 each on Essential and Advanced.
Wati does better at
- Monthly billing and a low first payment.
- A broader inbox: Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp Business Calling as well.
- Clear AI pricing per reply, and AI on your website for free.
- A cheaper entry plan ($59 to $69) if you do not need AI yet.
Decision table: which one fits your situation?
| If this describes you | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| Three people, no AI needed yet, tight budget | Wati Growth |
| Six or more agents, AI on WhatsApp from day one, happy to pay yearly | Gallabox Essential |
| Cannot commit cash for a quarter or a year | Wati |
| Need AI voice calls as well as chat | Gallabox Advanced, or Wati Astra Business for regional voices |
| Want AI on the website now and WhatsApp later | Gallabox Basic or Wati with Astra Free |
| Heavy marketing broadcasts in India | Compare both rate cards first; the plan matters less than the per-message margin |
Comparing Gallabox with a cheaper Indian tool instead? See AiSensy vs Gallabox.
If your team mostly qualifies leads and books viewings
We make ReplyKit, so read this as a vendor's view. For agencies and clinics whose WhatsApp is almost all inbound enquiries, ReplyKit does the same core job, qualify the lead and book the appointment, at a different price point: Growth is $49 a month for 3 numbers, 5 agents and 5,000 AI replies, with no Meta fees, and booking uses real open slots with a reminder about 24 hours before. Our guide for property agents shows how that works.
The limits are real. ReplyKit connects by QR code as a linked device, which is unofficial and not sanctioned by Meta, so a number can be restricted, and we recommend a dedicated number. It has no broadcasts, no green tick, no voice calls and no CRM integrations beyond CSV export. If you need any of those, choose Gallabox or Wati. If you do not, see our plans or try it free for 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gallabox better than Wati?
Gallabox is better value for larger teams that want AI on WhatsApp and can pay quarterly or yearly, because AI credits are included and extra users cost less. Wati is better for small teams, for monthly billing and for a broader multichannel inbox.
Does Gallabox include an AI agent?
Every Gallabox plan includes AI credits, but the AI agent only answers on WhatsApp from the Essential plan, which is $248 a month billed yearly or $331 billed quarterly. On Basic, AI agents run on your website only.
How much is Wati's AI agent?
Wati's AI agent, Astra, has a free tier for the web widget and a Pro tier at $99 a month with 5,000 credits that covers WhatsApp. It is listed as a separately priced add-on on Wati's Pro plan, which is $149 a month or $119 billed annually.
Does Gallabox have monthly billing?
No. Gallabox bills quarterly or yearly, and yearly saves 20% on rupee and dollar prices. Annual plans are not refunded mid-term, so a quarter is the smallest commitment.
Do Wati and Gallabox charge Meta's message fees?
Yes. Both are official WhatsApp Business API providers, so Meta's per-message charges apply, and both add their own margin. Gallabox publishes its rates; Wati links a rate card from its plan cards.
Can I try Gallabox and Wati for free?
Yes. Gallabox offers a free trial with no card, 500 AI credits and access to the Basic plan. Wati offers a 7-day free trial, and Astra Pro has its own 14-day trial.
Need leads answered and viewings booked?
ReplyKit qualifies WhatsApp and website leads and books them into real open slots, from $29 a month. Try it free for 7 days, no credit card.
Sources and further reading
- Gallabox, pricing · plan prices in INR, USD and AED, users, AI credits, add-ons, trial terms, billing periods
- Gallabox, new per-message pricing · Gallabox rates for India and the UAE and the October 2026 rules
- Wati, pricing · plan prices, users, extra users, trial, rate card note
- Wati, Astra pricing · AI agent tiers, credits per reply, top-ups, Astra trial
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing · per-message model and US dollar rate card for India and the UAE
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. Prices for other vendors are taken from their public pricing pages as checked in October 2026 and may change. This article is general guidance, not financial advice.