Callbell vs respond.io (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, respond.io grades higher than Callbell: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
respond.io grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Callbell
Shared team inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and more
respond.io
Team inbox for WhatsApp, social chats, email and calls with AI agents
Which one is for you
Pick Callbell if
- Fits if a small team answers customers on WhatsApp and Instagram from one inbox
- Works for companies that only want to pay for the few agents who use it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one clear monthly price: every channel account is €20 a month on top of the per-agent fee
- Pricey if you need the API or integrations, which start on the €18 Plus plan
- Watch out: WhatsApp campaigns cost €0.02 per contact and the advanced bot builder €59 a month, both extra
- Watch out: Meta's WhatsApp conversation fees and VAT are not in the listed prices
- Tight if you need a free plan, because there is only a 7-day trial
Pick respond.io if
- Fits if most of your customers reach you on WhatsApp, Instagram or TikTok
- Works for teams who answer chats and calls from their phones as well as the web
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want automations on the cheapest plan, as workflows, broadcasts and AI agents begin on Growth at $159
- Pricey if you're on your own, as Starter's $79 a month is priced for up to 5 users
- Tight if your contact count jumps, as contacts past the tier cost $12 per 100 on Growth and $15 on Advanced
- Watch out: Meta charges WhatsApp fees on top, SMS and calls are billed at provider rates, and extra AI credits are $15 per 1,000
- Watch out: the trial lasts 7 days, and extra users cost $12 to $24 a month each billed yearly
How we grade them
| 2.2GPACallbellFair | 2.6GPArespond.ioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C€14 an agent a month, but each WhatsApp or Instagram account is another €20, so one agent on one WhatsApp number is about €34. That sits in the middle of what chat-marketing tools charge, and API and integrations only arrive on the €18 Plus plan. | BStarter is $79 a month for up to 5 users billed annually ($99 monthly), so a team of five pays a price per head inside the cheaper quarter of help desks. One person pays the whole $79. Workflows, AI agents and the API start on Growth at $159, and Meta's WhatsApp fees come on top. |
| Free plan and trial | C7 days free with no card needed. There is no free plan after that. | CNo free plan, but a 7-day free trial of Growth for 5 users and 1,000 contacts, with no credit card needed. A week is short, but it's enough to plug in WhatsApp and see how the inbox feels. |
| Features | CShared inbox across five channels, chatbot flows, an AI agent, campaigns and an API. The gaps are in the listing though: the advanced bot builder is €59 a month extra and campaigns are billed at €0.02 per contact reached. | BThe whole job, with more channels than most: WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, chat, email and SMS in one inbox, calls in the same thread, AI agents, workflows, broadcasts and lifecycle stages. Starter leaves the automation out. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You have to connect your channel accounts and build bot flows before it does much. | CNo App Store rating on record. Each channel needs connecting, WhatsApp included, then there are workflows, AI agents and lifecycle stages to set up, and a contact tier to keep an eye on. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iPhone and Android apps, an API and webhooks, and links to a CRM. No desktop app is listed. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with the full inbox on every plan, plus HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Shopify, Zapier, Make, Calendly and Google Sheets, and a developer API from Growth. No desktop app, which an A needs. |
| Best for | a shared WhatsApp and Instagram inbox for a small team | support and sales over WhatsApp and social chat |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Callbell and respond.io. How we grade
Where they differ
- Callbell also covers whatsApp messaging and chatbots.
- respond.io also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Callbell | respond.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | €14 per agent / month, plus €20 a month for each WhatsApp or Instagram account | $79 per month for up to 5 users, billed annually ($99 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial, no credit card required | 7-day free trial of Growth for 5 users and 1,000 contacts, no credit card needed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Callbell | Rocketbots Limited (respond.io) |
| Price read from | callbell.eu | respond.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Callbell
- Each WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok or web chat account costs €20 a month on top of the per-agent price.
- WhatsApp campaigns cost €0.02 per contact reached, and the advanced bot builder is €59 a month; both are add-ons.
- Meta's WhatsApp conversation fees are not included, and listed prices exclude VAT.
- The pricing page has a currency switch; only euro prices could be read, so dollar prices may differ.
respond.io
- WhatsApp fees are charged by Meta on top of the plan, and SMS and VoIP are billed at the provider's rates.
- Contacts past the tier cost $12 per 100 on Growth and $15 per 100 on Advanced; extra AI credits are $15 per 1,000.
- Extra users cost $12, $20 and $24 a month on Starter, Growth and Advanced billed yearly ($15, $25 and $30 monthly).
- Starter has no broadcasts, workflows, AI agents or developer API; those start on Growth.
Key features
Callbell
- Shared multi-channel inbox
- WhatsApp, Instagram Direct, Messenger, Telegram, TikTok and web chat in one place, with chat assignment to team members.
- Chatbot builder
- Automate conversations with flows; the advanced bot builder is a paid add-on.
- AI Agent
- An AI agent that answers customer chats around the clock and is set up without code.
- WhatsApp campaigns
- Send marketing messages to contacts, billed per contact reached.
- API and webhooks
- Connect a CRM or send automated e-commerce notifications through the API and webhooks.
- Callbell Shop
- A tool for taking orders over WhatsApp.
respond.io
- One inbox for messaging channels
- WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, a website chat widget, email (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, SMTP) and SMS through providers, in one shared inbox.
- Calls in the same thread
- WhatsApp Business calls, Messenger calls and VoIP calls sit beside the chats with that contact; recording, transcripts and summaries come from Growth.
- AI agents
- From Growth, AI agents answer questions, qualify leads, follow up and route conversations to people, drawing on AI credits that grow with the contact tier.
- Workflows and broadcasts
- Automations for routing, assignment and follow-ups, and bulk messages to segments of contacts, both from the Growth plan.
- Lifecycle stages and CRM sync
- Track each contact through lifecycle stages; HubSpot sync starts on Growth and Salesforce on Advanced.
- Native mobile apps
- iOS and Android apps with the full inbox, calls, assignments and team activity, included on every plan.
Plans
Callbell
Multi-agent chat€14
per agent / month, excluding VAT
Shared inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger with the mobile and desktop app. The first Messenger account is included.
Multi-agent chat Plus€18
per agent / month, excluding VAT
Adds dedicated support, advanced analytics, API and integrations and a WhatsApp verified badge request.
EnterpriseCustom
For 50+ agents: adds ChatGPT integration and SAML / SSO sign-in.
respond.io
Starter$79
per month for up to 5 users, billed annually ($99 billed monthly)
Team and custom inboxes, mobile app, AI Assist and prompts, basic reports and 2FA. The comparison table shows unlimited monthly active contacts and 5,000 AI credits.
Growth$159
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($199 monthly)
10 users. Adds broadcasts, workflows, AI agents, advanced reports, Zapier and Make, and the developer API. The price rises with the contact tier you pick.
Advanced$279
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($349 monthly)
10 users. Adds masked phone numbers and emails, multiple workspaces, webhooks, HTTP requests, SSO and custom channels. Sold through sales; price rises with contacts.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited users, more workspaces, higher API rate limits and a custom contact allowance. Priced on request.
Ways to pay less
Callbell
No public discounts listed.
respond.io
- Annual discount
Save up to 20% with yearly billing
respond.io's pricing page says yearly billing saves up to 20%: Starter is $948 a year against $1,188 billed monthly, Growth $1,908 against $2,388.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Callbell or respond.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Callbell starts at €14 per agent / month, plus €20 a month for each WhatsApp or Instagram account, and respond.io starts at $79 per month for up to 5 users, billed annually ($99 billed monthly). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Callbell or respond.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Callbell nor respond.io has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.