What does respond.io do?
respond.io is a customer conversation platform that puts WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, email and calls into one team inbox. It adds AI Agents, workflow automation and broadcasts, and it charges by monthly active contacts (people you actually talk to) rather than by stored contacts. Starter is $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly, at 1,000 active contacts.
- Omnichannel team inbox. WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, email and VoIP calls in one inbox, with each customer's messages, calls and emails in one thread.
- AI Agents. Answer questions, qualify leads, recommend products, handle bookings and route conversations; included on Growth and above under a fair-use policy.
- AI Assist and AI Prompt. AI help for human agents when writing and adjusting replies, available from Starter.
- Workflows. Automation for routing, assignment and follow-ups, from the Growth plan.
- Broadcasts. Targeted bulk messages for promotions, newsletters and reminders, from the Growth plan.
- Calling. Move from chat to a WhatsApp, Messenger or VoIP call without leaving the conversation thread.
Who is respond.io for?
respond.io is a good fit if you're a business owner or a customer support lead, and you need help answering customer questions.
How much does respond.io cost?
respond.io starts at $79/mo. It has no free plan. Its pricing page lists a free trial. We checked this on Oct 22, 2026 on the official pricing page.
- Starts at
- $79/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7 days, no credit card
Starter billed yearly ($948/yr; $99/mo billed monthly) at the 1,000 monthly-active-contact tier. AI Agents, workflows and broadcasts start on Growth: $159/mo yearly ($199 monthly). WhatsApp fees are not included.
respond.io plans compared
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $99/mo | $79/mo | At 1,000 monthly active contacts: team and custom inboxes, mobile app, AI Prompt and AI Assist, basic reports, 2FA, growth widgets ($948/yr billed yearly) |
| Growth | $199/mo | $159/mo | Everything in Starter plus broadcasts, workflow automation, AI Agents, advanced reports, Zapier and Make integrations, developer API ($1,908/yr billed yearly) |
| Advanced | $349/mo | $279/mo | Everything in Growth plus multiple workspaces, HTTP requests in workflows, webhooks, SSO, custom channels, masking of phone numbers and emails ($3,348/yr billed yearly) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom pricing: unlimited users, more workspaces, higher API rate limits |
Prices in USD, read on Oct 22, 2026 for the 1,000 monthly-active-contact tier (the page also offers 2,500, 5,000, 10,000 and higher tiers at higher prices). Yearly prices match a US connection; monthly prices were read by switching the page's Monthly/Yearly toggle (yearly saves up to 20%). A monthly active contact is anyone you messaged or called during the billing month. Going over the tier is billed on demand at $12 per 100 contacts on Growth and $15 per 100 on Advanced. Plans include AI credits that grow with the contact tier; extra credits cost $15 per 1,000. WhatsApp fees are not included in any plan.
Checked Oct 22, 2026 on respond.io's pricing page. Prices change often, so confirm before you buy.
respond.io pros and cons
What stands out
- Pricing is based on contacts you talk to, not on contacts you store
- Covers WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, email and calls in one inbox
- AI usage is included on Growth and above under a fair-use policy
- 7-day free trial of Growth features with no credit card
- Going over your contact tier doesn't interrupt service
Watch out for
- No free plan, and Starter has no AI Agents, workflows or broadcasts
- AI Agents start on Growth at $159/mo billed yearly ($199 monthly)
- WhatsApp messaging fees are charged on top of the subscription
- Price rises with each monthly-active-contact tier
Based on respond.io's own pages, not hands-on testing.
What are the alternatives to respond.io?
We list 6 other AI Chatbots & Customer Support tools: Help Scout, Intercom, ManyChat, SleekFlow, Tidio, Zendesk. Each one below shows its starting price and when you might pick it instead.
Compared in
respond.io FAQ
How much does respond.io cost?
At 1,000 monthly active contacts, Starter is $99/mo billed monthly or $79/mo billed yearly, Growth is $199 or $159, and Advanced is $349 or $279. Enterprise is custom. Prices rise with higher contact tiers.
Does respond.io have a free plan?
No. It offers a 7-day free trial with Growth features for 5 users and 1,000 monthly active contacts (broadcasts excluded), and no credit card is needed.
What is a monthly active contact?
Anyone who messaged or called your business, or whom you contacted, during the billing month. Stored contacts you didn't talk to don't count.
Are AI Agents included?
Yes, on the Growth, Advanced and Enterprise plans, under a fair-use policy. Starter includes AI Assist and AI Prompt but not AI Agents.
Are WhatsApp fees included?
No. respond.io says WhatsApp fees are not included in any plan; Meta's messaging charges are billed separately.
Sources and how we checked
- Official pricing page, checked Oct 22, 2026
- Official website
- respond.io homepage (checked Oct 22, 2026), checked Oct 22, 2026