Chatfuel vs ChatGen (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Chatfuel: it is second in our ranking of SMS and chat marketing tools, and it grades higher too, 2.6 against 2.0.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Chatfuel grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Chatfuel
AI chatbots for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook with a usage wallet
ChatGen
Hybrid chatbot and live chat platform for lead capture and support
Which one is for you
Pick Chatfuel if
- Fits if you want an AI agent answering Instagram and WhatsApp messages around the clock
- Works for agencies running chatbots for several clients from one wallet
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if your bot is busy, as credits don't roll over and messages stop when the wallet hits zero
- Skip it if you rely on Zapier, which the help center says isn't supported though the pricing page names it
- Not for you if you like a long cooling-off period, as monthly plans are refunded only within 3 days
- Watch out: Meta's WhatsApp charges come out of your wallet at country rates, with no US figure given
- Tight if you need more than one bot, since Business S gives you 1 and agency plans start at $90 a month
Pick ChatGen if
- Fits if you want a bot that qualifies leads and hands over to a live agent
- Works for teams of 5 to 12 agents on a steady volume of chats
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you grow: conversations stop at 1K, 2K or 5K a month
- Watch out: the trial's length isn't stated on the pricing page
- Pricey if you want unlimited conversations, which means the demo-only Business Elite
- Skip it if freshness matters: the footer reads 2022
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAChatfuelGood | 2.0GPAChatGenFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BBusiness S is $18 a month billed yearly ($20 monthly), with unlimited contacts and teammates and $20 of credits a month. That's the cheaper quarter of this category. Sizes run up to XXL at $366.67 a month billed yearly. Meta's WhatsApp charges come out of the wallet at its own rates, with no US figure given. | C$79 a month for 1K conversations and 5 agent seats, $149 for 2K and $199 for 5K. That's the upper part of this category's range, and only one billing view was readable. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 7-day trial with full access, $15 in credits and no credit card. Enough to set up the AI agent and watch it answer. | DA free trial is offered, but its length and whether it needs a card aren't stated. |
| Features | BThe whole chat-marketing job: an AI agent that answers and qualifies leads, Instagram and Facebook comment auto-replies, WhatsApp broadcasts, bookings and payments in the chat, a shared inbox and a simple CRM. Business S gives you 1 bot. | CLead qualification bots, routing, live view and chat, landing pages and analytics. It isn't shown which tier includes WhatsApp or Salesforce. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. You'll connect each channel, feed the AI agent your knowledge base and keep an eye on the wallet, since heavy AI use can pause the bot. | CNo store rating on record. There are bots to configure and channels to connect. |
| Platforms and integrations | BRuns on the web, with Google Sheets, Stripe, Meta Pixel, a JSON API and an MCP server for AI assistants. Thin on ready-made integrations, though: the help center says Zapier isn't supported. No apps. | BWeb, with WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier and WordPress listed. |
| Best for | AI chatbots for WhatsApp and Instagram on a budget | lead capture bots with live 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: Chatfuel and ChatGen. How we grade
Price against what you get
Chatfuel starts at $18 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ChatGen starts at $79 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
Chatfuel scores higher and starts $61 a month lower. Of the other SMS and chat marketing tools on the chart, none scores higher than Chatfuel for less, and 6 score higher than ChatGen for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Chatfuel also covers AI support agent.
- ChatGen also covers reports.
At a glance
| Chatfuel | ChatGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $18 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly) | $79 per month for 1K conversations and 5 agent seats |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial with full access and $15 in credits, no credit card required | Free trial offered; its length is not stated on the pricing page. |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Chatfuel | DbyDx Technologies Private Limited |
| Price read from | chatfuel.com | chatgen.ai |
| Checked | Nov 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Chatfuel
- Meta's WhatsApp charges, including service replies since 1 October 2026, come out of the wallet at Meta's rates by country; no US figure is given.
- Plan credits do not roll over, and messages stop when the wallet reaches zero unless auto top-up is on; heavy AI use can pause the bot until the limit resets.
- Refunds are given only if you cancel within 3 days on monthly billing or 30 days on annual billing.
- The pricing page names Zapier among integrations, but the help center says Zapier is not supported; other tools connect through the JSON API.
ChatGen
- Plans cap conversations (1K, 2K or 5K) and agent seats (5, 10 or 12).
- The pricing page has a Monthly and Yearly toggle; only one view was readable, so the other prices are not recorded.
- WhatsApp and Salesforce appear in the plan comparison table, which does not show which tier includes them.
- The page footer reads 2022, so some pages may be older than the 2026 pricing.
Key features
Chatfuel
- AI agent
- Replies from your knowledge base and instructions, qualifies and scores leads, follows up and hands a chat to a person when needed.
- Instagram and Facebook automation
- Automatic replies to post and Reels comments, story replies and keyword triggers, which lead people into a chat.
- WhatsApp broadcasts
- Bulk WhatsApp campaigns to segments, with click-to-chat ads and conversions sent back to Meta Pixel.
- Bookings and sales in chat
- Books meetings inside WhatsApp, shows a product catalog, takes orders and collects payments in the conversation.
- Shared inbox and CRM
- Teammates take over live conversations, and leads are tracked in a built-in CRM with unlimited contacts.
- JSON API and MCP
- A JSON API plugin connects bots to outside systems, and an MCP server lets AI assistants such as Claude run your bots.
ChatGen
- Lead qualification bots
- Bots ask questions around the clock and pass qualified leads to sales representatives.
- Intelligent routing
- Conversations can be routed to chosen reps at any stage of a bot flow; the feature starts on Business.
- Live view and live chat
- See visitors on the site in real time, start a chat with them, or let the bot hand a visitor to an agent.
- Conversational landing pages
- Branded landing pages run a bot conversation, intended for lead-generation campaigns.
- Analytics and reports
- Overall analytics, individual agent reports, meeting reports and conversation analysis are listed.
Plans
Chatfuel
Business S$18
per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
1 bot, every channel, unlimited contacts and teammates, and $20 of credits a month. Larger sizes run up to Business XXL at $366.67 a month, billed yearly, with $500 of credits.
Agency S$90
per month for up to 3 companies, billed annually ($100 monthly)
$100 of credits a month, an agency dashboard and an account manager. Larger agency tiers in the help center run up to $2,050 a month.
ChatGen
Starter$79
per month for 1K conversations, billing view not confirmed
5 agent logins, custom branding and Facebook Messenger.
Business$149
per month for 2K conversations, billing view not confirmed
10 agent logins, intelligent routing and Slack integration.
Business Pro$199
per month for 5K conversations, billing view not confirmed
12 agent logins, IP whitelisting and an FAQ bot.
Business EliteCustom
Unlimited conversations, visitor data unmasking and an AI bot builder in beta; sold through a demo.
Ways to pay less
Chatfuel
- Annual discount
Save 10% with yearly billing
Chatfuel's pricing page takes 10% off for yearly billing: Business is $216 a year, against $20 a month billed monthly.
ChatGen
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Chatfuel or ChatGen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Chatfuel starts at $18 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly), and ChatGen starts at $79 per month for 1K conversations and 5 agent seats. 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, Chatfuel or ChatGen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Chatfuel nor ChatGen 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.