Gupshup vs Wati (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Wati: it is third in our ranking of SMS and chat marketing tools, and it grades higher too, 2.4 against 2.0.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Wati grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Wati
WhatsApp Business API inbox with broadcasts, chatbots and ad flows
Which one is for you
Pick Gupshup if
- Fits if you send WhatsApp and SMS campaigns and want to pay per message
- Works for developers wiring messaging into a CRM
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one monthly price, because every message is charged from a prepaid wallet
- Watch out: sending pauses when the wallet balance runs out
- Watch out: the pricing page shows a $0 platform fee but its FAQ mentions a $99 monthly fee, so confirm at signup
- Watch out: Pay as you go caps at 10 seats, 5 flows and 5 AI agents, and there is no free plan or trial
Pick Wati if
- Fits if you sell online and send order updates and cart reminders over WhatsApp
- Works for a small team sharing one WhatsApp number
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if your team grows, as Growth stops at 3 users and extra seats on Pro cost $39 a month
- Pricey if you lean on bots, as each extra 1,000 automation triggers costs $40, and past the allowance replies go by hand
- Skip it if you might want your money back, as payments aren't refunded after you cancel
- Tight if you want to test it properly, as the trial is 7 days and needs the WhatsApp API hooked up first
- Watch out: Meta's per-message charges come on top, with US rates only in Wati's rate card and wallet
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGupshupFair | 2.4GPAWatiFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CA $0 platform fee on the US page, but every message is charged from a prepaid wallet at country rates, so no price can be compared to the category's $40.50 middle. | CGrowth is $59 a month billed yearly ($69 monthly) for 3 users and 15,000 broadcasts a month, plenty for 1,000 customers. Against its WhatsApp rivals, the fairer test here, that's mid-pack. Meta's per-message charges come on top, and the US rates sit in Wati's rate card, not on the listing. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial is listed, so the way in is the prepaid wallet. | CNo free plan, only a 7-day free trial. That's short for something you have to hook up to the WhatsApp Business API before it does anything. |
| Features | BCampaigns across several channels, a bot builder, AI agents, click-to-WhatsApp ads and APIs, with nothing missing from the messaging job. Pay as you go includes 10 seats, 5 flows and 5 AI agents. | BThe whole WhatsApp marketing job: broadcasts, no-code chatbots, click-to-WhatsApp ads, Shopify catalog and cart messages, AI copilot credits and a team inbox that takes Instagram, Messenger and TikTok too. The Shopify tools need a $4.99 a month add-on. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Channels, wallet and bots have to be set up. | CNo App Store rating on record. There's a WhatsApp Business API number to set up, templates to write, chatbots to build and an automation trigger allowance to keep an eye on. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb platform and APIs, with Shopify, Zoho, HubSpot, Salesforce, MoEngage, CleverTap, Bloomreach and Braze. No apps listed. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Shopify, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, WooCommerce, Klaviyo, Zapier and Make. No desktop app, which an A needs. |
| Best for | brands sending WhatsApp, RCS and SMS from a wallet | shops selling and answering customers on WhatsApp |
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: Gupshup and Wati. How we grade
Where they differ
- Gupshup also covers AI agents and sMS marketing.
- Wati also covers shared inbox.
At a glance
| Gupshup | Wati | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $59 per month for up to 3 users, billed annually ($69 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gupshup | Clare.ai Limited |
| Price read from | gupshup.ai | wati.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gupshup
- There is no published monthly price: every message is charged from a prepaid wallet at country-specific rates, and WhatsApp rates sit on a separate rate card.
- The US pricing page shows a $0 platform fee, but its FAQ still mentions a $99 monthly fee; confirm which applies when you sign up.
- Sending pauses when the wallet balance runs out, and the Pay as you go plan includes 10 seats, 5 bot flows and 5 AI agents.
- Gupshup is a platform for brands and developers, with no free trial or free plan listed.
Wati
- WhatsApp messages are charged per message on top of the plan, by recipient country and template type; Wati's US rates are in its rate card and account wallet.
- Extra users cost $39 a month on Pro and $89 on Business; Growth is capped at 3 users.
- Extra automation triggers cost $40 per 1,000 and extra AI Co-pilot credits $30 per 1,000; past the trigger allowance, replies must be sent by hand.
- The pricing FAQ says payments for a subscription or credits are not refunded after you cancel.
Key features
Gupshup
- Campaigns on several channels
- Broadcast campaigns go out on WhatsApp, RCS, SMS and Truecaller, with templates, segments, scheduling and delivery reports.
- No-code bot builder
- Chatbot flows and automated campaign journeys are built without code, alongside a live agent dashboard for handing chats to people.
- AI agents
- Text AI agents, voice AI agents and an avatar agent answer customer questions. The first 1,000 AI messages each month are free, then Rs 1.00 each in India.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads
- Ads on Facebook and Instagram that open a WhatsApp chat, plus RCS ads, both with lead capture.
- APIs and CRM connections
- Gupshup lists APIs, webhooks and integrations with Shopify, Zoho, HubSpot, Salesforce, MoEngage, CleverTap, Bloomreach and Braze.
Wati
- Team inbox for several channels
- WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp Business calls sit beside Instagram, Messenger, TikTok and website widget chats, with assignment, tags, follow-ups and reports.
- Broadcast campaigns
- Template messages to segments of contacts: 15,000 a month on Growth and unlimited from Pro, with click tracking and engagement reports on Pro.
- No-code chatbots
- Flows that answer questions, collect details and send reminders. Each run counts as an automation trigger, with a monthly allowance per plan.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads
- Ads on Meta that open a WhatsApp chat, with lead capture on every plan and source tags and conversion tracking on Pro and Business.
- Shopify tools
- WhatsApp catalog, abandoned-cart and order-update templates, and campaigns built on buyer data, through a $4.99 a month Shopify add-on.
- AI copilot and agents
- Every plan gets monthly AI Co-pilot credits (250 to 1,500). Astra AI agents for web, WhatsApp and voice are a separately priced add-on from Pro.
Plans
Gupshup
Pay as you go$0
per month platform fee, plus per-message rates from a prepaid wallet
No platform fee. Includes 10 agent seats, 5 chatbot flows, 5 AI agents and 5 automated campaigns; 1,000 AI messages a month are free.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom rate card on committed volume, SSO and audit logs, dedicated throughput, an uptime SLA and a named account manager. Sold through sales.
Wati
Growth$59
per month for up to 3 users, billed annually ($69 billed monthly)
1 channel, 3 users with no extra seats, 15,000 broadcasts a month, 1,000 automation triggers, 2 commerce or CRM integrations and email support.
Pro$119
per month for up to 5 users, billed annually ($149 billed monthly)
Unlimited broadcasts, advanced chatbots, teams and auto-routing, 2,000 automation triggers, 5 integrations including HubSpot, and 24x7 chat support.
Business$279
per month for up to 5 users, billed annually ($349 billed monthly)
Multiple WhatsApp numbers, number masking, IP whitelisting, 5,000 automation triggers, Salesforce and other integrations, and a success manager.
Ways to pay less
Gupshup
No public discounts listed.
Wati
- Annual discount
Save up to 25% with yearly billing
Wati's pricing page says annual plans save up to about 25% and include free dedicated onboarding. Growth is $59 a month billed yearly against $69 monthly; Pro $119 against $149.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gupshup or Wati?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Gupshup publishes no starting price, and Wati starts at $59 per month for up to 3 users, billed annually ($69 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Gupshup or Wati?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Gupshup nor Wati has a free plan. Wati has a free trial.
Which platforms do Gupshup and Wati run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Wati lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.