Craft vs ManyChat (2026): pricing, limits and features compared
ManyChat charges by active contacts ($39 for 2,500, $199 for 25,000). Craft is $12/mo per account with unlimited contacts, or $39 for 5 accounts.
ManyChat is the best-known chat automation tool, with more channels than anyone else. Craft does two channels — Instagram and Telegram — and charges a flat price per account, no matter how many contacts you have.
Prices checked on September 21, 2026. If a price changed, message us and we'll fix the page.
Short answer#
- Pick Craft if you work on Instagram and/or Telegram and your audience is growing: the price stays the same at 1,000 or 100,000 contacts.
- Pick Craft if you sell inside Telegram: channel subscription check, payment step and automatic access to a closed chat are built in.
- Pick ManyChat if you need WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS, email or TikTok auto-replies — Craft doesn't offer them (it uses TikTok and YouTube for posting only).
- Pick ManyChat if you need a public API for custom integrations (available on its Advanced plan).
- Pick ManyChat if you have a small audience (under 250 active contacts a month) and need several channels at once — its Essential plan covers that for $17.
Price at different sizes#
| Scenario | Craft | ManyChat |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Instagram account, 1,000 contacts | $12 — Solo | $39 — Pro (2,500 contacts included) |
| 1 Instagram account, 10,000 contacts | $12 — Solo | ~$161.50 — Business $99 + 2,500 extra contacts |
| 1 Instagram account, 25,000 contacts | $12 — Solo | $199 — Advanced |
| 1 Instagram account, 50,000 contacts | $12 — Solo | ~$299 — Advanced + 25,000 extra contacts |
| Instagram + Telegram (2 accounts), 10,000 contacts | $39 — Pro | ~$161.50 — Business + overage |
| 5 accounts | $39 — Pro | separate subscription per account (check with vendor) |
💡 How we counted. Monthly billing. Craft: Solo $12 = 1 account of your choice (Instagram, Telegram, TikTok or YouTube), Pro $39 = any 5 accounts, including Instagram and Telegram at once; funnels run on Instagram and Telegram (~$7.80 per account), Agency $249 = unlimited accounts. Contacts are unlimited on every paid Craft plan. ManyChat counts active contacts — anyone you messaged or who messaged you that month. Overage per extra contact: $0.10 on Essential, $0.05 on Pro, $0.025 on Business; on Advanced ManyChat's help center calls overage "custom", so the 50,000 row uses $0.004 per contact as an estimate. We didn't verify how ManyChat bills several Instagram profiles — each profile usually lives in its own workspace, so check with ManyChat.
Annual billing: Craft halves its prices — Solo $6, Pro $19, Agency $125 per month. ManyChat's annual prices are $14 / $29 / $69 / $139 per month for Essential / Pro / Business / Advanced.
See the Craft pricing.
Features side by side#
| Feature | Craft | ManyChat |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram comment auto-reply | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instagram DM funnels | ✓ | ✓ |
| Telegram bots | ✓ | ✓ |
| — | ✓ from Pro | |
| Messenger | — | ✓ |
| TikTok | posting on a schedule; no auto-replies | ✓ |
| SMS / email | — | ✓ from Pro |
| Broadcasts | ✓ Telegram, unlimited | ✓ from Pro |
| Payments inside the funnel | ✓ via your Lava account | not listed |
| Telegram channel subscription check | ✓ | not listed |
| Closed-chat access after payment | ✓ bot lets payers in | not listed |
| Unified inbox | ✓ Telegram + Instagram DMs | ✓ Live Chat, inbox seats by plan |
| Visual builder | ✓ | ✓ Flow Builder |
| Mobile builder | ✓ works on a phone | not listed |
| Contact-based pricing | no — flat per plan | yes — active contacts |
| Public API | — | ✓ Advanced |
| Connect your AI assistant (MCP) | ✓ any plan | not listed |
"Not listed" means we didn't find it in the pricing and help pages we checked. It may exist — check with the vendor.
A rule that applies to every tool, not just these two: after someone comments on your Instagram post, Meta allows one DM. Further messages go out only after the person replies.
💡 For Russian-speaking readers: ManyChat has been closed to users in Russia since August 1, 2024, citing US export restrictions (ManyChat community). Craft accepts Russian cards and SBP as well as international cards.
Where ManyChat is stronger#
- Channels. Instagram, TikTok, Messenger and Telegram on every plan, plus WhatsApp, SMS and email from Pro. Craft runs auto-replies and funnels on two: Instagram and Telegram.
- API and integrations. ManyChat offers an API on Advanced. Craft doesn't offer a public API.
- Track record. ManyChat has been around for years. Craft launched its funnel automation in 2026.
- Small multi-channel setups. Under 250 active contacts, $17 buys two channels.
Where Craft is stronger#
- Price at scale. One Instagram account with 25,000 contacts: $12 on Craft vs $199 on ManyChat. With 50,000: $12 vs roughly $299.
- No surprise bills. Craft never charges per contact or per message. A viral post doesn't change your invoice.
- Several accounts. Five accounts, Instagram and Telegram mixed, for $39 a month ($19 billed annually).
- Selling in Telegram. Subscription check on your channel, a payment step inside the funnel (card, SBP, international cards and PayPal through your own Lava account), and the bot letting paying members into a closed chat. Craft takes no commission on your sales.
- One inbox. Conversations from Telegram bots and Instagram DMs in one window; pause the bot and reply by hand.
- 17 interface languages.
Build a funnel by chatting with Claude or ChatGPT#
Craft has an MCP connector. Connect Craft to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Claude Code, and set up the whole thing in one chat: the funnel, the product delivery and the payment step. For example: "make a funnel that gives a guide to people who subscribe to my channel, and reminds those who didn't pick it up after an hour."
That means you can launch a simple info product in a few hours and see the first payments the same day — all inside one service. The connector works on any plan. Setup guide: Connect your Claude.
Moving from ManyChat#
Message us on Telegram — we'll help move your funnels over. People switching from another service get 6 months of funnel automation for free (individual terms). Or just start at app.craftopen.space.
Also compare: Craft vs ChatPlace · Craft vs Chatfuel · ManyChat alternatives · Top 10 automation tools
Frequently asked questions#
Is Craft cheaper than ManyChat?#
For Instagram and Telegram, yes, once you pass a few hundred contacts. One account costs $12 a month on Craft with unlimited contacts; ManyChat costs $39 for 2,500 active contacts and $199 for 25,000.
Does Craft charge per contact like ManyChat?#
No. Craft charges per connected account. Contacts and messages are unlimited on every paid plan.
Does Craft support WhatsApp, Messenger or TikTok?#
WhatsApp and Messenger — no. TikTok and YouTube connect for scheduled posting, without auto-replies. Auto-replies and funnels run on Instagram and Telegram. If you need WhatsApp, Messenger, TikTok or SMS, ManyChat is the better fit.
Can I take payments inside a Craft funnel?#
Yes. Craft adds a payment step through your own Lava account; the money goes straight to you and the bot continues the funnel after payment. Craft takes no commission.
Is ManyChat available in Russia?#
ManyChat has restricted users in Russia since August 1, 2024. Craft accepts Russian cards and SBP, as well as international cards.
Can I move my ManyChat funnels to Craft?#
Yes. Message us on Telegram and we'll help you rebuild them. Switchers get 6 months of funnel automation free, on individual terms.
Sources#
- Craft pricing — https://craftopen.space/#pricing — checked September 21, 2026
- ManyChat pricing — https://manychat.com/pricing — checked September 21, 2026 (via the September 14, 2026 snapshot)
- ManyChat Help Center, active contacts — https://help.manychat.com — checked September 21, 2026
- ManyChat restrictions for users in Russia — https://community.manychat.com/general-q-a-43/restrictions-for-users-in-russia-2670 — checked September 21, 2026