Gupshup vs Whapi.Cloud (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Gupshup grades higher than Whapi.Cloud: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Gupshup grades higher on features and ease of use. Whapi.Cloud grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Whapi.Cloud
WhatsApp API for developers, priced per linked number
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 Whapi.Cloud if
- Fits if you write code and want to send WhatsApp messages from your own app
- Works for testing an idea on an existing number before moving to the official API
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want an inbox or campaign screen, because there isn't one
- Skip it if you need the official WhatsApp Business API, as this uses a linked-device session
- Watch out: WhatsApp can restrict numbers that send spam-like traffic
- Watch out: the phone must be used every 14 days or the session may reset
- Tight if you run several numbers, since the price is per connected number
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGupshupFair | 1.8GPAWhapi.CloudWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C$29 a month per number on yearly billing ($35 monthly), with no per-message charge. That is the middle of the category, and every extra number is another subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial is listed, so the way in is the prepaid wallet. | CA free Developer Sandbox for testing, capped at 5 conversations a month and 150 messages a day, plus a 5-day trial with no card. It is built for testing, not for running a business. |
| 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. | DIt is an API only: messages, groups, channels and webhooks. There is no inbox, no campaign screen and no bot builder, so teams without developers need Make, n8n or Zapier. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Channels, wallet and bots have to be set up. | DYou write HTTP requests and keep a linked WhatsApp session alive; the phone has to be used at least every 14 days. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb platform and APIs, with Shopify, Zoho, HubSpot, Salesforce, MoEngage, CleverTap, Bloomreach and Braze. No apps listed. | BWeb only, but with webhooks, an API and Make, n8n and Zapier connections. |
| Best for | brands sending WhatsApp, RCS and SMS from a wallet | developers who want a WhatsApp API without Meta approval |
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 Whapi.Cloud. How we grade
Where they differ
- Gupshup also covers marketing automation, AI agents and sMS marketing.
- Whapi.Cloud also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Gupshup | Whapi.Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $29 per number / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Developer Sandbox: full API for testing with up to 5 active conversations a month, 150 messages a day, 30 number checks a day and 1,000 API requests a month. |
| Free trial | None listed | 5-day free trial of the paid plan, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Gupshup | Whapi.Cloud |
| Price read from | gupshup.ai | whapi.cloud |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Whapi.Cloud
- It uses a linked-device session on a regular WhatsApp number, not the official Business API, and the vendor says WhatsApp can restrict numbers that send spam-like traffic.
- The phone should be used at least once every 14 days to keep the linked session active, and WhatsApp may reset it and ask for re-authorization.
- There is no inbox or campaign interface; the product is an API, so teams without developers rely on Make, n8n or Zapier.
- The price is per connected number, so a business with several numbers pays for each channel.
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.
Whapi.Cloud
- Existing number, no approval
- Link any WhatsApp number by QR or pairing code; the vendor says no Meta approval or message templates are needed.
- Groups, Channels and Statuses
- The API covers WhatsApp groups, communities, channels and status updates in addition to ordinary messages.
- Webhooks
- Real-time events for incoming messages, delivery and read status, reactions and group changes.
- Number validation
- Check whether phone numbers are registered on WhatsApp before sending.
- No-code and AI connections
- Native Make and n8n connections, Zapier through HTTP, and an MCP server for tools such as Cursor and Claude Code.
- White label and partner program
- Agencies can resell the API inside their own product under their own name.
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.
Whapi.Cloud
Developer Sandbox$0
Testing and development only, with daily and monthly usage caps, periodic activity required and standard support.
Developer Premium$29
per number / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
Unlimited messaging and media, groups, channels and webhooks, number warming, and priority live support. Discounts apply for multiple numbers.
Ways to pay less
Gupshup
No public discounts listed.
Whapi.Cloud
- Annual discount
Annual billing at $29 instead of $35
The pricing FAQ gives $35 a month per channel billed monthly and $29 a month per channel when paid annually.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gupshup or Whapi.Cloud?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Gupshup publishes no starting price, and Whapi.Cloud starts at $29 per number / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Gupshup or Whapi.Cloud?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Whapi.Cloud has a free plan. Gupshup does not.
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.