---
title: respond.io
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/respond-io/
category: WhatsApp Customer Service Software
points: 85
rank: 1 of 11
facts_checked: 2026-10-09
---

# respond.io

Shared inbox for WhatsApp and other channels, with workflows, AI agents and broadcasts on higher plans.

85 points out of 100. #1 of 11 WhatsApp customer service platforms. Vendor: respond.io. Website: https://respond.io/

- Starter costs $79 a month billed yearly and includes 5 users [1].
- Extra users on Starter cost $12 a month [1].
- There is a free 7-day trial, but no free plan [1].
- Meta's WhatsApp fees are not in any subscription; Meta charges them by usage [1].
- Starter has no broadcasts; they start on Growth at $159 a month billed yearly [1].

Verdict: respond.io suits teams that want a WhatsApp inbox with workflows, AI agents and bulk template sends, and can pay for the Growth plan to get them [1][7]. It names ISO 27001 and lists a developer API from Growth [1][12]. The catch: Starter has no broadcasts, webhooks need the Advanced plan, and no SOC 2 Type II report is named [1][11][12]. Best for: Teams that want workflows and AI agents on top of a WhatsApp inbox.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price and fees | Cheapest plan for 3 agents | $79/mo | 9/12 | Starter, $79 a month billed yearly, includes 5 users, above the 3 counted; shared inbox listed as Team and Custom Inboxes [1]. |
| Price and fees | Price of one more agent | $12/mo | 2/3 | Extra Starter user, $12 a month; the page does not give a separate yearly seat price [1]. |
| Price and fees | Free plan with WhatsApp | No | 0/3 | Pricing page lists paid plans and a free 7-day trial only [1]. |
| Price and fees | Free trial of 7 days or more | Yes | 2/2 | Pricing page offers a free 7-day trial of Growth features [1]. |
| Price and fees | Meta message fees | at_cost | 6/6 | Pricing page says Meta charges WhatsApp fees by usage; help page links to Meta's rate card for exact rates. No markup is stated [1][13]. |
| Team inbox | Automatic chat assignment | Yes | 6/6 | Workflows (Growth and above) can assign new contacts round robin or to the user with the fewest open contacts [1][3]. |
| Team inbox | Internal notes | Yes | 3/3 | Comments are visible only to workspace users and never to contacts [4]. |
| Team inbox | Satisfaction survey on WhatsApp | Not published | 0/3 | A workflow template asks a rating question after a conversation closes, but the page does not name WhatsApp [14]. |
| Team inbox | Agent and response-time reports | Yes | 5/5 | The Users report shows conversations assigned, average first response time and average response time per user [5]. |
| Team inbox | Agent mobile app | Yes | 3/3 | Pricing lists a Mobile App from Starter; help article describes it as letting agents respond to messages [1][6]. |
| Automation and broadcasts | No-code chatbot builder | Yes | 8/8 | Workflows overview calls the builder a visual editor with a drag-and-drop canvas; Workflows are on Growth and above [1][7]. |
| Automation and broadcasts | AI agent from your help content | Yes | 7/7 | AI Agents are listed from Growth; the product page says they work across WhatsApp and other channels from approved knowledge sources [1][8][15]. |
| Automation and broadcasts | Template broadcasts | Yes | 7/7 | Broadcasts are listed on Growth and above; Starter has none [1]. |
| Channels and integrations | Keeps the WhatsApp Business app | Yes | 4/4 | Help article says the same number works on the WhatsApp app and respond.io through the API [10]. |
| Channels and integrations | Other channels | Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Email, SMS, Website chat, Telegram | 6/6 | Help centre lists channel guides for Instagram, Messenger, Email, SMS, Telegram and a website chat widget [2]. |
| Channels and integrations | Named integrations | Shopify, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier | 8/8 | Integrations page lists all four; pricing lists Zapier and Make integrations from Growth [1][9]. |
| Channels and integrations | Public API and webhooks | Yes | 4/4 | Developer API is available on Growth and above and links public API documentation; webhooks need Advanced or above [1][11][16]. |
| Security and trust | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Yes | 5/5 | Security page says respond.io is ISO 27001 certified [12]. |
| Security and trust | Open source | Not published | 0/3 | Not found on the vendor's pages [1][12]. |
| Security and trust | Single sign-on | Not published | 0/2 | Pricing lists Single Sign-On (SSO) on Advanced but names no SAML or OIDC; the security page does not mention it [1][12]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $79/month, billed yearly [1] | $79 |
| Growth | $159/month, billed yearly [1] | $159 |
| Advanced | $279/month, billed yearly [1] | $279 |

Month-to-month prices are higher: $99 Starter, $199 Growth, $349 Advanced [1]. WhatsApp fees from Meta are charged separately [1]. Top-ups carry a 5.5% payment processing fee, waived from 1 October 2026 until further notice [13].

## Strengths

- Names ISO 27001 certification [12].
- Reports show conversations assigned and first response time per user [5].
- Round-robin assignment is set up through workflows [3].
- Supports WhatsApp coexistence, so the same number works in the Business app and the platform [10].
- Lists Shopify, HubSpot, Salesforce and Zapier integrations [9].

## Limits

- Starter has no broadcasts; Growth costs $159 a month billed yearly [1].
- Webhooks are available only on the Advanced plan and above [11].
- No SOC 2 Type II report is named on the security page [12].
- No free plan; only a 7-day trial [1].

## Sources

1. [respond.io pricing](https://respond.io/pricing), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
2. [Channels](https://respond.io/help/channels), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
3. [Assignment strategy: automatic contact distribution](https://respond.io/help/convert-leads/assignment-strategy-automatic-contact-distribution-load-balancing), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
4. [Collaborating with your team in Inbox](https://respond.io/help/inbox/collaborating-with-your-team-in-inbox), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
5. [Reports: Users](https://respond.io/help/dashboard-reporting/reports-users), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
6. [Mobile app overview](https://respond.io/help/mobile-app/mobile-app-overview), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
7. [Workflows overview](https://respond.io/help/workflows/workflows-overview), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
8. [Managing AI knowledge sources](https://respond.io/help/ai-agents/managing-ai-knowledge-sources), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
9. [respond.io integrations](https://respond.io/integrations), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
10. [Migrating from WhatsApp personal or WhatsApp Business app](https://respond.io/help/whatsapp/migrating-from-whatsapp-personal-or-whatsapp-business-app), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
11. [Webhooks](https://respond.io/help/integrations/webhooks), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
12. [respond.io security](https://respond.io/security), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
13. [WhatsApp fees](https://respond.io/help/organization-settings/whatsapp-fees), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
14. [Send CSAT and save data](https://respond.io/help/retain-customers/send-csat-and-save-data), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
15. [AI Agents](https://respond.io/ai-agents), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09
16. [Developer API](https://respond.io/help/integrations/developer-api), respond.io, accessed 2026-10-09