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Published October 9, 2023

Best ManyChat alternatives in 2025 [free & paid]

Looking for a better chatbot platform than ManyChat? Explore 11 top ManyChat alternatives for 2025 with AI features, advanced automation and free plans.

You’ve built your bot. The welcome message triggers. Quick replies are in place. Yet, leads still bounce, chats go cold, and, before you know it, you’re stuck copy-pasting replies like it’s 2015.

ManyChat makes it easy to start with automation, especially for Instagram. But when you need more advanced workflows, true multi-channel marketing or smarter AI-powered chatbots, it can feel like you’ve outgrown it.

And if you're running customer support or lead gen on autopilot, that missing efficiency adds up fast. A studyshowed that using AI assistants boosted productivity by 15%, just by automating the right parts of the conversation.

The right chatbot platform is how you stay responsive across Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp without working weekends or hiring more people. And ManyChat alternatives mean more flexibility, more channels and features that scale with your business.

See also: WhatsApp chatbot: how to make it for free

In this article, we’ll discuss the best ManyChat alternatives, both free and paid. You’ll get breakdowns of features and pricing, so you can pick the one that fits your stack and your workload.

11 ManyChat alternatives for 2025

Looking for the best ManyChat alternative to use this year? Whether you need a more flexible chatbot builder, better marketing automation or proper multi-channel support across social media messaging apps, there are plenty of options for 2025.

See also: Why a social media chatbot can help any business

Chatfuel

best chatbot development company 2.png

Chatfuel is an AI chatbot platform that helps agencies and service-based businesses automate conversations across Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and web chat, without writing a single line of code.

See also: How to create a WhatsApp Business chatbot easily

Launch bots that handle lead generation, respond to FAQs in real time, re-engage abandoned carts and qualify leads while you sleep with Chatfuel.

Its built-in AI assistant recognizes user intent, replies with natural language and guides conversations without relying on rigid rules. You can create custom flows for different goals using a visual builder, from collecting leads to sending targeted offers.

Chatfuel also offers a seamless integration with tools like Shopify, Google Sheets, HubSpot and Zapier. That means you can sync user data, automate responses and provide personalized support without switching between platforms.

See also: Top 7 chatbot platforms for customer service in 2022

Ready to try it yourself? Start your free trialand launch your first AI-powered chatbot today—no code and no technical expertise required.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Facebook

WhatsApp

Instagram

Website

Conversational marketing

Bot platforms

Broadcast & automation

AI & intent recognition

Stronger AI automation

Built-in chat widgets

Better support

Features

  • Visual chatbot builder:Create custom chatbot flows using a no-code, drag-and-drop interface that’s beginner-friendly and built for speed.

  • AI and Natural Language Processing:Use advanced natural language processing to understand complex queries, automate responses and maintain smooth customer interactions in multiple languages.

  • Live chat: Switch from bot to human in real time when needed, so you can offer personalized support without missing a beat.

  • Audience segmentation:Automatically group users based on behavior or data to increase customer engagement, drive sales and improve customer satisfaction.

  • Flow triggers:Set custom triggers based on what users say or do—perfect for automating conversations and personalizing the customer experience.

  • Shared inbox + agent assignments:Give your support teams a central inbox with task assignments, so no message is missed or duplicated.

  • Mobile inbox app: Manage conversations from any device. Ideal for teams who aren’t always at their desks.

  • Broadcasting: Launch chat marketing campaigns to selected segments on Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages and WhatsApp.

  • eCommerce capabilities: Accept payments directly through chat, track purchases and send order updates. Chatfuel is built for eCommerce businesses looking to automate customer interactions and boost revenue.

  • Pre-built chatbot templates:Choose from templates for lead capture, support or product recommendations.

Pricing

Chatfuel comes with a free trial and offers paid plans:

  • Facebook & Instagram:$23.99 per month

  • WhatsApp:$34.49 per month

Customers.ai

Image source: G2

Customers.aiis a multi-channel messaging platform built for marketers and sales teams who want to turn website visitors and ad clicks into real conversations. This ManyChat alternative focuses on helping you capture, qualify and convert leads across web chat, SMS, Messenger and Instagram.

See also: Instagram chatbots: what they are and how to make them

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Web chat

Conversational marketing

Audience segmentation

Focused on retargeting anonymous traffic with AI

Features

  • Unified chat inbox:Manage conversations from Messenger, Instagram and SMS in one place.

  • AI chatbot builder:Use the no-code chatbot builderto automate customer interactions and capture leads 24/7.

  • Lead generation tools:Built-in features like Lead Magnet pages and ad targeting tools make it easier to grow your list and follow up with personalized messaging.

Pricing

The tool offers a 7-day free trial; its pricing starts at $199/month.

Landbot

Image source: G2

Landbot is a visual chatbot builder that turns forms into interactive conversations. It’s good for businesses that want to build web- and WhatsApp-based chatbots with logic-based flows, no coding skills required.

See also: 7 hidden benefits of chatbots, from improving SEO to informing content strategy

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Website

SMS

Conversational marketing

SMS marketing

Better customer support

Better suited for web-based lead gen

Features

  • Drag-and-drop chatbot builder:Map conversation paths using visual blocks—good for teams with zero technical skills.

  • WhatsApp chatbot automation:Create smart flows that qualify leads, answer FAQs and trigger CRM actions in WhatsApp chats.

  • Embedded web widgets:Add chatbot pop-ups to your site to improve engagement and collect visitor data in real time.

Pricing

New users get a 14-day free trial. The pricing starts at €40/month.

SendPulse

Image source: G2

SendPulse is a ManyChat alternative for multi-channel marketing automation. You can use it to run SMS and email campaigns, automate customer communication on messaging apps and create landing pages and online courses.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Website

SMS

Email 

SMS marketing

Broadcasting

Strong WhatsApp automation with built-in CRM integration

Features

  • Omnichannel automation:Build chatbots and schedule broadcasts across messaging apps, email and push notifications from a single dashboard.

  • CRM integration:Store and manage leads inside the SendPulse built-in CRM, no third-party tools needed.

  • Chatbot templates: Launch bots with pre-built flows for sales, bookings and support across multiple channels.

Pricing

You can explore the platform with its free plan. The paid plan starts at $10/month for 500 contacts.

Klaviyo

Image source: Datascientest

Klaviyo is a platform for sending SMS, emails and mobile push notifications. You can use it to centralize customer data and interactions and build, deliver and optimize personalized experiences.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Push notifications

SMS

Email

Marketing automation

SMS marketing

Strong AI for eCommerce emails

Features

  • Automated flows: Trigger email, SMS and chat messages based on user behavior, suitable for recovering carts, onboarding or re-engaging cold leads.

  • Personalization:Use customer data to segment audiences and send highly relevant, behavior-based messages.

  • Campaigns: Send targeted messages, such as product launches, seasonal promotions or flash sales, to specific segments of your audience. Klaviyo lets you customize these campaigns with branded templates and A/B testing.

See also: How to use a chatbot to provide an engaging, informative user onboarding experience

Pricing

Although there’s no free trial, Klaviyo offers a free plan. The pricing starts at $60/month.

ActiveCampaign

Image source: G2

ActiveCampaign is a platform that combines CRM, chatbot and email marketing automation. It’s designed for service-based businesses and agencies seeking more intelligent workflows and lifecycle marketing.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

SMS

Emails

SMS marketing

Email marketing

Conversational marketing

Marketing automation

Advanced features for building email and SMS flows

Features

  • Conversational automation:Set up chatbots to start conversations, handle customer inquiries, ask qualifying questions and pass leads to the right team member.

  • Customer experience automation (CXA):Trigger actions across email, SMS and CRM based on how users engage in chat.

  • CRM and pipeline tools: Manage leads, score them and track progress with your chatbot flows.

Pricing

You get a 14-day free trial. The paid plan starts at $145/month for 1,000 contacts.

Intercom

Image source: G2

Intercom offers AI-driven solutions for support teams, sales and onboarding. While not a traditional chatbot platform, it’s a ManyChat alternative for companies that want to automate customer service across apps, websites and messaging channels.

See also: 9 best Intercom alternatives in 2024 (free & paid)

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Emails

SMS

Websites

Conversational marketing

AI-powered tools for chat flows

Help desk AI and automated ticket routing

Features

  • AI-powered help desk:Use AI to handle complex queries, route tickets and pull answers from a comprehensive knowledge base using natural language processing.

  • Customizable messenger:Tailor the messenger to match your brand, from colors and greetings to placement and behavior. You can also add apps, help articles and bots directly inside the chat.

  • Workflows: Automate complex customer journeys with visual workflows that combine bots, messages and human support.

Pricing

After a 14-day free trial, the pricing starts at $39 per seat/month.

IBM watsonx Assistant

Image source: Medium

IBM watsonx Assistant is an AI-powered chatbot solution for enterprises handling high-volume customer interactions. It’s suitable for businesses that need innovative AI-powered tools with built-in natural language processing across multiple languages. IBM watsonx Assistant offers seamless integration with CRM systems, messaging apps and chat widgets for a unified experiences across channels.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

SMS

Website

Phone assistants

Bot platforms

Advanced, AI-first interface for complex bots

Features

  • Advanced NLP capabilities:Understands complex queries, context and tone, helping automate customer support.

  • Multilingual support:This chatbot platform supports multiple languages and maintains accurate tone and flow across communication channels.

  • AI agent builder:Create intelligent, task-specific AI agents that can handle workflows like onboarding, scheduling or ticket resolution

See also: How to create a multilingual chatbot

Pricing

You can explore the Plus plan for 30 days for free. After that, the pricing starts at $140/month.

Drift

Image source: G2

Drift is a conversational platform that helps B2B sales teams automate customer interactions and qualify leads in real time. It’s a solid ManyChat alternative if you focus less on social DMs and more on high-intent, web-based customer conversations. As for its integration capabilities, Drift connects with CRMs, calendars and marketing tools like Salesforce, Marketo and HubSpot.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

SMS

Website

Emails

Bot platforms

Conversational marketing

Stronger CRM + calendar integrations for sales teams

Features

  • AI-powered chatbot tools:Automate lead capture and meeting bookings directly on your site using intelligent chat triggers.

  • Flow builder: Customize chatbot workflows visually to fit each stage of your sales funnel.

  • Live view: See which website visitors are active in real time, then proactively start conversations with high-intent leads.

Pricing

Contact sales to receive custom pricing.

HubSpot Marketing Hub

Image source: G2

HubSpot Marketing Hub offers built-in chatbot tools and automation that tie directly into your CRM. You can use it to attract the target audience, improve customer engagement and run marketing campaigns. HubSpot connects seamlessly with your existing tools, from Gmail and Slack to eCommerce platforms and ad networks.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Websites

Emails

Conversational marketing

Marketing tools

Deeper personalization using contact behavior

Features

  • Marketing automation: Set up personalized workflows that trigger emails, internal notifications or chatbot actions based on user behavior.

  • Forms: Capture leads directly from your website with customizable forms that sync automatically with your CRM.

  • Lookalike lists:Automatically create new contact lists that mirror your best customers. HubSpot uses CRM and behavior data to help you target similar audiences across platforms for better campaign performance.

Pricing

HubSpot doesn’t offer a free trial. Its pricing starts at €880/month.

Watermelon

Image source: G2

Watermelon is a chatbot platform that automates customer interactions across your website, WhatsApp and social channels. This ManyChat alternative uses GPT-4 to power its chatbots, but it needs access to the right data from your organization to learn and respond accurately.

Channels

Shared with ManyChat

VS. Manychat

Social media

Websites

Conversational marketing

Marketing automation

Easier setup and flow sharing

Features

  • Chatbot tools with NLP:Handle real-time customer conversations using bots that understand context and respond in multiple languages.

  • Customized chatbot workflows: Create tailored flows using a simple visual builder.

  • Live chat support + integrations: Switch to human agents instantly, and connect Watermelon to your CRM or help desk for better follow-up.

Pricing

Watermelon offers a 7-day free trial. The pricing starts at €150/month.

How to choose the best ManyChat alternative

If you’re on the hunt for a ManyChat alternative, the good news is: there’s no shortage of solid options. We covered ten alternatives, each with different strengths depending on your use case.

Many of these platforms offer a free plan to test things out before committing. But beyond pricing, it’s worth considering your broader communication strategy: what you’re automating, who you’re talking to and what kind of support workload your team can handle.

Some tools excel at Instagram DM automation, while others are for multi-channel customer conversations across various platforms. A few offer advanced capabilities for tech experts, while others focus on keeping the learning curve low with a user-friendly interface. And the best platforms provide valuable insights to help you optimize what’s working.

Tips on choosing a suitable platform

  • Define your goals:What do you need: lead gen, support, sales or all of the above?

  • Map your desired features:Think channels, integration capabilities, segmentation, templates.

  • Set a realistic budget:How much are you willing to spend to get real results?

  • Look at reviews:What does the active user community say about ease of use, onboarding and support?

  • Test a few:Most tools offer a free plan or trial, so you can explore without pressure.

Best ManyChat alternative: Comparison table

Let's compare the Manychat alternatives to help you choose the right tool for your business.

Platform

Key features

Best for

Rating on G2

Free plan

Chatfuel

AI and NLP

Shared inbox

Assigning agents

Mobile inbox app

Triggering flows from live chat

Chatbot templates

Customization

Expert chatbot building services

Automating sales, support and engagement across Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and web chat, especially for eCommerce and service-based businesses

4.4

Customers.ai

Unified chat inbox

AI chatbot builder

Lead gen tools

Capturing anonymous website visitors and converting them into leads

4.8

Landbot

Drag-and-drop chatbot builder

WhatsApp automation

Embedded web widgets

Replacing static forms with dynamic web and WhatsApp bots

4.7

SendPulse

Omnichannel automation

CRM integration

Chatbot templates

Combining email, chatbot and SMS outreach

4.6

Klaviyo

Automated workflows

Personalization

Campaigns

Triggering personalized email and SMS flows based on user behavior

4.6

ActiveCampaign

Conversational automation

CX automation

CRM and pipeline tools

Automating lead qualification and lifecycle marketing

4.5

Intercom

AI-powered help desk

Customizable messenger

Workflows

Managing high-volume, support-driven conversations using AI and live chat

4.5

IBM watsonx Assistant

Advanced NLP capabilities

Multilingual support

AI agent builder

Handling complex, multilingual support and service inquiries

4.4

Drift

AI-powered chatbot tools

Flow builder

Live view

Automating lead capture, qualification and booking meetings

4.4

Hubspot Marketing Hub

Marketing automation

Flows

Lookalike lists

Unifying chat with email marketing, landing pages and CRM

4.4

Watermelon

NLP chatbot tools

Customized chatbot workflows

Live chat support

Launching multilingual AI chatbots with GPT-4

4.5

Conclusion

Choosing the right chatbot platform comes down to more than just features or price. It’s about how well the tool fits your business goals, your team’s workflow and how much complexity you’re willing to manage. Every platform we covered offers something different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

If you need a solution with advanced capabilities like audience segmentation, API integrations, the latest generation of ChatGPT built-in and more, consider Chatfuel. You won't need coding knowledge to create custom automation for lead generation, customer support, sales, re-engagement and marketing campaigns.

Useful across industries, Chatfuel integration is available for websites, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and other customer-favorite social media.

Ready to give it a try? Start your free trialwith Chatfuel and see how it fits.

FAQs  

Which is better, Chatfuel or ManyChat?

It depends on what you need. ManyChat is suitable for simple Instagram and Messenger automation. However, Chatfuel offers more flexibility across platforms (including WhatsApp and web), stronger AI tools and more robust templates for eCommerce and support. If you want something that scales with your business, Chatfuel is a better long-term pick.

What is the disadvantage of ManyChat?

ManyChat works well for basic use cases, but it can feel limiting if you need more advanced automation, deeper integrations or AI functionality. Some users also mention a steeper pricing curve as their subscriber count grows.

Are there any good Manychat alternatives for creating AI agents?

Yes. Chatfuel, IBM watsonx Assistant, Intercom and Watermelon all support building AI-powered chatbots or agents. These platforms give you more control over intent recognition, multi-turn conversations and bot-to-human handoffs.

Which ManyChat alternatives offer the most advanced AI features in 2025?

If you’re looking for advanced AI that’s easy to use, Chatfuel is one of the strongest options. It gives you access to GPT-4-powered chat automation, pre-built flows and real-time learning from your own data, without the complexity. It’s ideal for teams that want more intelligent bots.