Emotive vs Hellotext (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Hellotext grades higher than Emotive: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Hellotext grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Hellotext
Online-store messaging on WhatsApp, SMS and Instagram, with AI agents
Which one is for you
Pick Emotive if
- Fits if you run an online store that wants SMS campaigns
- Works for brands that want a team to run campaigns for them
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a price first: the pricing page is a lead form
- Watch out: the site says Privy acquired Emotive, so plans may change
- Watch out: the 5x ROI guarantee has no terms on the page
- Not for you if you are not an online store, as it is built for ecommerce
Pick Hellotext if
- Fits if you run an online store and want cart recovery by WhatsApp
- Works for stores that would rather pay a share of sales than a fee
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you have a team: collaborators start on the Small plan
- Pricey if you grow: $269 and $629 a month on yearly billing
- Watch out: Meta's WhatsApp fees are billed to you, and SMS is $0.01 each after the allowance
- Watch out: prices and SMS rates vary by country
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAEmotiveWeak | 2.2GPAHellotextFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published, so it cannot be set against the category. | C$67 a month on yearly billing is above the middle of the category's $36; the free plan takes 5% of sales. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 14-day trial is advertised, but the card terms aren't stated, and there is no free plan. | CA free Starter plan with no monthly fee, but it has one user, one WhatsApp line and 2 months of history. |
| Features | CCampaigns, attribution and a compliance filter for stores, but the page lists no inbox or other channels. | CPlaybooks, an inbox and AI agents over several channels, with email and push only on Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and store platforms need connecting. | CNo store rating on record, and a store connection and playbooks need setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, built around Shopify Plus, WooCommerce and BigCommerce. | BWeb service connecting to store platforms and WhatsApp, SMS and Instagram. |
| Best for | SMS marketing for online stores | WhatsApp and SMS playbooks for online stores |
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: Emotive and Hellotext. How we grade
Where they differ
- Emotive also covers ad creative and online store.
- Hellotext also covers shared inbox, whatsApp messaging, chatbots and popups.
At a glance
| Emotive | Hellotext | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $67 per month, billed yearly ($74 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Starter: no monthly fee, 5% of attributed sales, 1 WhatsApp line, 1 Instagram account, single-user workspace and 2 months of history. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Emotive | Hellotext |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | hellotext.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Emotive
- Prices are not published; the pricing page asks for a phone number, email and annual online sales.
- The site announces that Privy acquired Emotive, so plans and packaging may change.
- The vendor states a 5x SMS ROI guarantee on the page; the terms are not shown there.
- Built for ecommerce; the lead form lists Shopify Plus, WooCommerce and BigCommerce.
Hellotext
- Starter is limited to a single-user workspace; collaborators start on the Small plan.
- WhatsApp conversation fees are Meta's and are billed to you; SMS is billed at $0.01 each in the US once the included amount is used.
- Messages beyond the plan allowance on WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and webchat are billed at $2 per 1,000.
- Prices and SMS rates vary by country; the US page was read. Email and push are only on Pro.
Key features
Emotive
- SMS marketing
- Campaign and automation tools for texting subscribers, with templates and a library of message ideas.
- Attribution
- Multi-touch attribution that shows where and how shoppers purchased, with ad creative insights.
- TextPros service team
- A managed team that the vendor says helps build automations and train staff, offered at no extra charge.
- Compliance filter and branded links
- An automatic filter for litigation-prone numbers, and RealLink short links that use the brand's own domain.
Hellotext
- Playbooks
- Prebuilt automations for cart saving, price-drop alerts, back-in-stock notices, order tracking and win-back; 38 in total, with the count rising by plan.
- Multiple channels
- Reach shoppers on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Messenger, webchat and SMS, with email and push on the Pro plan.
- AI agents
- Custom AI agents answer customer questions and recommend products; Grow allows 2, and Pro unlimited with external API access.
- Subscriber capture
- Webchat and WhatsApp widgets, popups, forms and QR codes collect SMS and WhatsApp subscribers.
- Shared inbox
- A team inbox for selling and support, with AI assignment and reporting on Grow and above.
- Attributed-revenue reporting
- Reports show orders credited to Hellotext using stated attribution windows of 7 days from a click and 24 hours from a delivery.
Plans
Emotive
Pricing could not be confirmed. See emotive.io.
Hellotext
Starter$0
No monthly fee; pays 5% of sales Hellotext is credited with. Single-user workspace, 1 WhatsApp line, basic reporting.
Small$67
per month, billed yearly ($74 billed monthly)
Or 4% of attributed sales above $2K. Unlimited collaborators, 8 playbooks, 37K messages, up to 7K US SMS.
Grow$269
per month, billed yearly ($299 billed monthly)
Or 3% of attributed sales above $10K. 25 playbooks, 150K AI messages, 2 custom AI agents, 2 WhatsApp lines.
Pro$629
per month, billed yearly ($699 billed monthly)
Or 2.5% of attributed sales above $30K. All 38 playbooks, 350K AI messages, email and push, unlimited AI agents.
Ways to pay less
Emotive
No public discounts listed.
Hellotext
- Annual discount
Save 10% when paid yearly
Hellotext's pricing page has a Paid yearly option marked 'Save 10%'.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Emotive or Hellotext?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Emotive has no price we could confirm, and Hellotext starts at $67 per month, billed yearly ($74 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Emotive or Hellotext?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Hellotext has a free plan. Emotive does not, though it has 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.