ManyChat alternatives in 2026: 8 tools compared by price and channels

8 ManyChat alternatives with real prices. For Instagram + Telegram with unlimited contacts, Craft starts at $12/mo, or $39 for 5 accounts.

ManyChat is a strong product, but since March 2026 it charges by active contacts: $39 a month covers 2,500 people, $199 covers 25,000. If your audience grows fast, or you only need one or two channels, other tools may fit better.

This list is written by the Craft team, so read it with that in mind. We tried to be fair: every price below comes from the vendor's own pricing page, and we say plainly where another tool beats us.

Prices checked on September 21, 2026. If a price changed, message us and we'll fix the page.

Quick overview#

1. Craft — Instagram + Telegram with unlimited contacts#

Craft automates Instagram comments and DMs plus Telegram bots, and charges per connected account, not per contact. Solo is $12 a month for one account (Instagram or Telegram); Pro is $39 for five accounts, Instagram and Telegram at once; Agency is $249 for unlimited accounts. Annual billing halves those prices.

What sets it apart for sellers: a payment step inside the funnel through your own Lava account (card, SBP, international cards, PayPal), a Telegram channel subscription check, and the bot letting paying members into a closed chat. Telegram broadcasts are unlimited. You can also build funnels by chatting with Claude or ChatGPT through the MCP connector.

Honest limits: no WhatsApp or Messenger, no TikTok auto-replies (TikTok and YouTube are for posting); no public API; funnel automation launched in 2026.

Fits: creators, experts and small businesses on Instagram and Telegram whose audience is growing. Craft vs ManyChat →

2. ChatPlace — per-account pricing, plus TikTok#

ChatPlace Pro costs $20 a month per connected account (an Instagram profile, a TikTok or a Telegram bot) with unlimited contacts. Creator is $45 plus $20 per extra account; Premium is $250 with unlimited accounts. Annual billing takes 20% off. Free plan: 200 active contacts.

Fits: people who need TikTok auto-replies next to Instagram and Telegram. For one account Craft is cheaper ($12 vs $20); for two accounts the price is about the same ($39 vs $40); for five, Craft is $39 vs $100. Craft vs ChatPlace →

3. SendPulse — many channels, priced by subscribers#

SendPulse chatbots cover WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, Viber, TikTok and live chat, with payments in chat and an API. The free plan includes 3 bots, 500 subscribers and 10,000 messages a month. Paid plans scale with subscribers: about $9.60 a month for 500 (annual), $507 a year for 12,000, $3,215 a year for 50,000+.

Fits: businesses that want many channels with a small audience. At 50,000 subscribers it costs roughly $268 a month on annual billing.

4. respond.io — a team inbox for support and sales#

respond.io plans are $79 / $159 / $279 a month on annual billing (Starter / Growth / Advanced). From Growth, pricing includes 1,000 monthly active contacts. Channels include Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok, Viber and email.

Fits: teams that answer customers by hand across many channels and need assignment, reporting and a shared inbox more than marketing funnels.

5. Chatfuel — WhatsApp-first#

Chatfuel Business is normally $69 a month (a yearly promo at $18 a month runs until September 30, 2026). It covers Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, with comment auto-reply, selling in chat, WhatsApp campaigns, Meta Pixel conversions, and integrations with Google Sheets, Zapier, Stripe and an API. No Telegram listed.

Fits: businesses where WhatsApp is the main channel. Craft vs Chatfuel →

6. LinkDM — Instagram DMs for creators#

Free for one Instagram account and 1,000 DMs a month. Pro is $19 a month for 3 accounts and 25,000 DMs; Platinum+ is $99 for 10 accounts and 300,000 DMs. Instagram only (with some Facebook), no Telegram.

Fits: Instagram creators who send link-in-DM replies and don't need Telegram.

7. CreatorFlow — the budget Instagram option#

Free for 1 account and 500 DMs a month. Pro is $15 ($12 annual) for 2 accounts and 5,000 DMs; Growth is $30 ($24 annual) for 5 accounts and 10,000 DMs. Instagram only.

Fits: small Instagram accounts that just need comment-to-DM. Watch the DM caps as you grow.

8. Inflowave — a CRM with messaging#

Business $149, Pro $297, Max $497 a month, with 1 / 10 / 50 accounts and 1,000 / 10,000 / unlimited leads. Channels: Instagram DM, Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS, email and voice; includes CRM, workflows and invoicing. No Telegram. 7-day trial.

Fits: businesses that want lead management and invoicing in the same tool as messaging.

How to choose#

• Instagram + Telegram, audience growing: Craft — flat price, unlimited contacts, $12 for one account or $39 for five.
• You also need TikTok auto-replies: ChatPlace.
• WhatsApp is the main channel: Chatfuel, or respond.io for a support team.
• Many channels, small list: SendPulse or ManyChat itself.
• Instagram only, tight budget: CreatorFlow or LinkDM, keeping an eye on DM caps.

Whichever tool you choose, one rule is the same for all of them: after a comment on Instagram, Meta allows one DM, and further messages go out only after the person replies.

Moving to Craft#

Message us on Telegram — we'll help move your funnels. People switching from another service get 6 months of funnel automation for free (individual terms). See Craft pricing or start at app.craftopen.space.

See also: Top 10 Instagram and Telegram automation tools

Frequently asked questions#

What is the cheapest ManyChat alternative for Instagram and Telegram?#

Among the tools we checked, Craft: $12 a month for one account with unlimited contacts, or $39 for five accounts. ChatPlace is $20 per account.

Which ManyChat alternatives support Telegram?#

Of the tools on this list: Craft, ChatPlace, SendPulse and respond.io. Chatfuel, LinkDM, CreatorFlow and Inflowave don't list Telegram.

Which alternative is best for WhatsApp?#

Chatfuel for marketing flows, respond.io for team support. Craft doesn't support WhatsApp.

Why look for a ManyChat alternative at all?#

ManyChat prices by active contacts, so the bill grows with your audience: $39 covers 2,500 contacts and $199 covers 25,000. Tools that charge per account keep the price flat.

Is this list neutral?#

No list written by a vendor is fully neutral — this one is by the Craft team. Every price is taken from the vendor's official page, with sources below.

Sources#

• Craft — https://craftopen.space/#pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• ManyChat — https://manychat.com/pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• ChatPlace — https://help.chatplace.io/en/articles/6763310 and https://help.chatplace.io/en/articles/12648293 — checked September 21, 2026
• SendPulse — https://sendpulse.com/pricing/messengers — checked September 21, 2026
• respond.io — https://respond.io/pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• Chatfuel — https://chatfuel.com/pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• LinkDM — https://linkdm.com/pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• CreatorFlow — https://creatorflow.so/pricing — checked September 21, 2026
• Inflowave — https://inflowave.io/pricing — checked September 21, 2026