Manychat Pricing (2026): Plans, Active Contacts and Real Costs
Every Manychat plan, how Active Contacts are counted and billed, what AI and WhatsApp add, and the monthly bill at five audience sizes, as of October 2026.
By , research by the BestBots team · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Fact checked against each company's published pricing, documentation and verified user ratings. How we score
Manychat costs $0 to $199 a month in October 2026: Free covers 25 Active Contacts, and Essential ($17), Pro ($39), Business ($99) and Advanced ($199) include 250 to 25,000 contacts before charging $0.004 to $0.10 per extra contact. Annual billing drops those plans to $14, $29, $69 and $139 a month. AI, WhatsApp and SMS start on Pro.
- Starting price
- $17 per month
- Pricing model
- per plan plus per Active Contact
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days on Essential and Pro
- Price per resolution
- Not per resolution; plan price plus $0.004 to $0.10 per extra Active Contact
- Channels
- Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Messenger, Telegram; WhatsApp, SMS and email from Pro
- Human handoff
- Yes, unified Inbox on every plan; team assignment on Business and up
- Knowledge sources
- Uploaded business details and links for AI replies (Pro and up)
- Seats included
- 1 to 10 users and 1 to 5 Inbox seats by plan; extra Inbox seats $25
The price list
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | Annual total | Included Active Contacts | Channels | Users | Inbox seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | 25 | 2 (Instagram, TikTok, Messenger or Telegram) | 1 | 1 |
| Essential | $17 | $14 | $168 | 250 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Pro | $39 | $29 | $348 | 2,500 | 3, adds WhatsApp, SMS, email | 3 | 2 |
| Business | $99 | $69 | $828 | 7,500 | All | 5 | 3 |
| Advanced | $199 | $139 | $1,668 | 25,000 | All | 10 | 5 |
Extra Active Contacts:
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $0.10 | $0.082 |
| Pro | $0.05 | $0.038 |
| Business | $0.025 | $0.018 |
| Advanced | $0.004 | $0.0028 |
Other costs: extra Inbox seats are $25 each on Pro and up. Prices exclude tax and depend on billing country, and the final price shows at checkout. Source: Manychat's pricing page as archived on October 9, 2026.
What each limit means in practice
Active Contacts. A person counts once per monthly billing period when a message is sent or received through Manychat, by automation, AI, broadcast or the Inbox. A follower who comments your keyword on five reels in a month is still one contact.
Channels. Free and Essential connect any 2 of Instagram, TikTok, Messenger and Telegram. Pro connects 3 and unlocks WhatsApp, SMS and email. Business and Advanced connect all.
AI. AI replies, AI comment replies, goals, the AI Step and intent recognition are on Pro and up, with ChatGPT, Claude and DeepSeek integrations.
Automations. Free allows 4 live automations; every paid plan is unlimited.
Broadcasts. Pro and up can broadcast on WhatsApp, Telegram and Messenger (not Instagram or TikTok) and send WhatsApp templates. Pro, Business and Advanced include up to 10,000, 30,000 and 100,000 emails.
Team. Users and Inbox seats grow by plan; shared inbox assignment and team analytics start on Business.
Worked examples
| Account | Plan | Active Contacts a month | Monthly billing | Annual billing (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New creator | Free | 25 | $0 | $0 |
| Growing creator, no AI | Essential | 600 | $17 + 350 x $0.10 = $52 | $14 + 350 x $0.082 = $42.70 |
| Creator with AI | Pro | 4,000 | $39 + 1,500 x $0.05 = $114 | $29 + 1,500 x $0.038 = $86 |
| Social first brand | Business | 12,000 | $99 + 4,500 x $0.025 = $211.50 | $69 + 4,500 x $0.018 = $150 |
| Large brand | Advanced | 60,000 | $199 + 35,000 x $0.004 = $339 | $139 + 35,000 x $0.0028 = $237 |
Two things stand out. First, the upgrade math: at 4,000 contacts, Pro monthly costs $114 while Business costs $99 with 7,500 included, so Business is cheaper and adds team features. Check whether the next plan up is cheaper than your overage. Second, per contact cost falls fast: about $0.03 per contact on Pro at 4,000, under $0.006 on Advanced at 60,000.
Hidden costs to plan for
- Viral posts. One reel with a comment trigger can add thousands of contacts in a week. Set an overage threshold.
- Plan gates. AI, WhatsApp, SMS and email all need Pro, so Essential is a dead end if you plan to use them.
- Inbox seats. A team answering DMs by hand needs Inbox seats at $25 each beyond the plan's allowance.
- Annual lock in. Annual plans cannot be downgraded or moved to monthly until the term ends.
- Messaging platform rules. WhatsApp templates and SMS are subject to the carriers' and Meta's own rules and fees; check those separately.
How Manychat compares
| Product | How it bills | Entry price | AI included from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manychat | Plan plus per Active Contact | Free, $17 Essential | Pro, $39 |
| Tidio | Plan plus Lyro conversations | Free, $29 Starter | Lyro from $39 for 50 |
| Crisp | Flat per workspace | Free, $45 Mini | Mini, with $5 credits |
| Chatbase | Message credits | $40 Hobby | Hobby |
| Intercom Fin | $0.99 per outcome | Seats from $29 | Every plan |
Manychat is the cheapest way into social DM automation, and the only one here priced by audience reach rather than by AI work. For support conversations, per resolution tools can be cheaper. All tracked prices are on the AI Price Index.
How to keep the bill down
- Pay annually once your audience size is stable; overage rates drop by 18% to 30%.
- Compare your overage against the next plan up every month.
- Use specific comment keywords rather than triggers on every comment.
- Set an overage cap before any campaign you expect to go viral.
Is Manychat worth the price?
For creators and social first brands, yes: Pro at $29 to $39 a month for AI, WhatsApp and 2,500 contacts is fair value if DMs drive your sales. It gets expensive for large, lightly engaged audiences on the lower plans, where overage stacks up. Read the full Manychat review or compare Manychat alternatives.
Manychat plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 25 Active Contacts, 2 channels (Instagram, TikTok, Messenger or Telegram), 4 live automations, 1 user, Manychat branding |
| Essential | $17 per month | 250 Active Contacts then $0.10 each, 2 channels, unlimited automations, 2 users, no branding, Google Sheets; $14 per month billed annually |
| Pro | $39 per month | 2,500 Active Contacts then $0.05 each, 3 channels incl. WhatsApp, SMS, email, Manychat AI, broadcasts, 3 users, 2 Inbox seats, Zapier, Make, API; $29 per month billed annually |
| Business | $99 per month | 7,500 Active Contacts then $0.025 each, all channels, 5 users, 3 Inbox seats, team inbox assignment, priority support; $69 per month billed annually |
| Advanced | $199 per month | 25,000 Active Contacts then $0.004 each, all channels, 10 users, 5 Inbox seats, priority support; $139 per month billed annually |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Manychat cost per month?
Essential is $17, Pro $39, Business $99 and Advanced $199 a month billed monthly. Billed annually they are $14, $29, $69 and $139 a month, or $168, $348, $828 and $1,668 a year. A free plan covers 25 Active Contacts.
What does Manychat charge per contact?
Beyond your plan's included Active Contacts, each extra contact costs $0.10 on Essential, $0.05 on Pro, $0.025 on Business and $0.004 on Advanced on monthly plans, or $0.082, $0.038, $0.018 and $0.0028 on annual plans. Overages are billed monthly.
Is Manychat AI an extra charge?
Manychat AI is included on Pro, Business and Advanced, per the pricing page. It is not available on Free or Essential.
Is Manychat free?
Yes, the Free plan costs $0 for up to 25 Active Contacts a month, with 2 channels, 4 live automations, 1 user and Manychat branding. No credit card is required.
Does Manychat have a free trial?
Essential and Pro have a 14 day free trial. Manychat also refunds plans canceled within 30 days of purchase.
Can I cap Manychat overage charges?
Yes. You can set an overage threshold that controls whether overages are allowed and how many extra Active Contacts you will pay for. If you upgrade mid cycle, overages already incurred are forgiven.
Can I switch from annual to monthly?
Not until the annual term ends. Annual plans also cannot be downgraded until the term ends. Monthly plans can switch to annual at any time, with unused time credited.