- WhatsApp only, or every chat app in one place?
- The nine platforms at a glance
- Platforms that stay close to WhatsApp
- Shared inboxes that reach past WhatsApp
- Chatbot and AI agent builders
- One line on each platform
- Questions to put to every WhatsApp vendor
- My advice before you change platforms
- Moving your WhatsApp number without losing customers
- Frequently asked questions
Pick a replacement for a WhatsApp-first chat tool by deciding one thing first: do you still want WhatsApp only, or one shared inbox that also handles Instagram, Messenger and other chat apps? Then shortlist from three kinds of tool: WhatsApp-focused platforms, multi-channel shared inboxes and no-code chatbot builders.
Look at a recent month of customer chats before you look at any software. If nearly every message arrived on WhatsApp, you're shopping for a like-for-like swap. If people also wrote to you on Instagram, Messenger or TikTok, and someone copied those chats around by hand, you're shopping for something bigger.
If you're leaving Interakt, the nine platforms below are listed in no particular order and grouped by scope: tools that stay close to WhatsApp, shared inboxes that cover several chat apps, and builders for chatbots and AI agents. Several of them are small independent vendors, which often means a more personal onboarding, so it's fair to ask how long they've been around. Every description comes from the vendor's own website, and every claim is labelled as theirs.
WhatsApp only, or every chat app in one place?
The platform you're leaving is WhatsApp-first, so the first fork in the road is scope. A WhatsApp-only tool keeps life simple: one channel, one set of templates and one screen to train your team on. A multi-channel inbox asks more of your setup, but it stops Instagram and Messenger chats sitting in a separate app on somebody's phone.
Whichever way you go, two things sit with WhatsApp rather than with the tool you pick: the approval of message templates and the rules on messaging charges. Ask each vendor how template approvals work on their platform and how messaging charges are passed through to you. A clear answer to both is a good sign about the rest of the onboarding.
The nine platforms at a glance
| Tool | Platform type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| BotPenguin | No-code chatbot builder | No-code bots on many channels |
| Callbell | Shared inbox with AI agents | One inbox for many chat apps |
| DoubleTick | WhatsApp API team inbox | Several WhatsApp numbers, one inbox |
| Gallabox | AI agents on WhatsApp | Turning chats into bookings |
| Respond.io | Omnichannel conversation platform | Chats from four big apps together |
| SleekFlow | Omnichannel messaging suite | WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS campaigns |
| Wassenger | WhatsApp team inbox and CRM | A whole team on one number |
| Wati | WhatsApp team inbox and AI | WhatsApp plus Instagram and TikTok |
| Zoko | WhatsApp platform for Shopify | Online shops selling on WhatsApp |
Platforms that stay close to WhatsApp
Zoko is aimed at Shopify brands, running sales, marketing and support from one WhatsApp number, and the vendor calls itself the highest-rated full-featured WhatsApp solution on the Shopify App Store. If your shop runs on Shopify, that focus is the reason to look.
DoubleTick pairs a WhatsApp Business API team inbox with bulk messaging and a no-code chatbot builder, and its own pitch is one inbox for several WhatsApp numbers across departments. Wassenger takes a shared-number approach too, with a CRM, sales funnels and auto-replies built in, and describes itself as the AI-native operating system for WhatsApp.
Shared inboxes that reach past WhatsApp
This is the group to look at if your customers don't stick to one app. Wati covers broadcasts, chatbots and AI agents on WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok. SleekFlow connects WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS to automate campaigns, leads and support, and the vendor calls it an AI suite for revenue-driving conversations.
Respond.io brings WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook chats into one team inbox with AI agents, and says you can scale chats, calls and campaigns from one place. Callbell is a shared inbox that adds Messenger, Telegram, TikTok and live chat for sales and support teams. For a wider comparison of this group, my guide to the best WhatsApp business tools for small businesses goes further.
Chatbot and AI agent builders
Some teams don't need a new inbox at all. They need automated answers to the same handful of questions, every day, at any hour. BotPenguin is a no-code builder for AI agents and chatbots on WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, phone and web. Gallabox focuses on AI agents that capture and qualify leads across WhatsApp, Instagram, web chat and voice, with the vendor's stated aim of moving customers to bookings.
If a bot is all you're after, my list of the best chatbot builders covers builders that aren't tied to WhatsApp at all.
One line on each platform
Alphabetical, and in no particular order of preference.
BotPenguin
Best for: Building no-code chatbots and AI agents that answer on WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, phone and web, with a free plan stated on its site.
Callbell
Best for: Sales and support teams sharing one inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, TikTok and live chat.
DoubleTick
Best for: Businesses running several WhatsApp numbers across departments from one team inbox, with bulk messaging and a no-code chatbot builder.
Gallabox
Best for: Capturing and qualifying leads with AI agents on WhatsApp, Instagram, web chat and voice, aimed at moving customers through to bookings.
Respond.io
Best for: Teams that want WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook chats in one inbox, with AI agents helping on conversations.
SleekFlow
Best for: Automating campaigns, lead handling and support across WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS from one messaging suite.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Wassenger
Best for: Small teams sharing a single WhatsApp number, with a CRM, sales funnels and auto-replies built in.
Wati
Best for: Brands that want WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok in one platform, with AI agents running conversations by rules you set.
Zoko
Best for: Shopify brands handling sales, marketing and support on WhatsApp from one number.
Questions to put to every WhatsApp vendor
- Templates. Who submits your message templates for approval, and what happens when one is rejected?
- Messaging charges. How are WhatsApp's own messaging charges passed through to you, and where will you see them?
- Your number. Can you bring your existing WhatsApp Business number, and can you take it with you if you leave?
- Opt-ins. Can you import the opt-in records you already hold, so broadcasts only go to people who agreed to hear from you?
- Handover. When a bot can't answer, how does the chat reach a person, and does that person see the full history?
Rules on marketing messages and consent vary by country, so check your local regulator's guidance as well as WhatsApp's own business policies.
My advice before you change platforms
Don't let a long feature list make the decision. Most small businesses use a handful of things every day: the inbox, broadcasts, a few automated replies and a link to their shop or CRM. Write those down, then shortlist two tools from the group that matches your scope. If WhatsApp carries nearly everything, stay in the first group. If you've got customers scattered across Instagram and Messenger, the shared inboxes are where I'd start.
Then give your team a say. The people answering chats all day will notice clumsy handovers and slow searches long before a manager does, and they're the ones who'll make the new tool work or quietly route around it.
Moving your WhatsApp number without losing customers
- Ask the new vendor exactly how your current number moves across, and whether there's any gap when messages can't get through.
- Export your contacts, opt-in records and approved template wording before you cancel anything.
- Rebuild your most-used automations first, then the rest.
- Send a test broadcast to your own phone and to a colleague's before you message customers.
- Watch replies closely for the first week, because that's when missed chats show up.
Done in that order, most customers won't notice you've moved at all.
Do you make WhatsApp messaging or chat inbox software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What should a small business look for in a WhatsApp platform?
Start with scope: WhatsApp only, or several chat apps. Then check broadcasts, automated replies, a shared team inbox and how it connects to your shop or CRM. Ask how template approvals and messaging charges are handled before you sign.
Can I keep my WhatsApp Business number if I switch?
Usually you can move a number between providers, but the steps and any downtime depend on the vendors involved. Ask the new vendor to walk you through the process before you cancel your current plan.
Do I need a platform, or is the WhatsApp Business app enough?
The app works well for one person on one phone. Once several people answer chats, you send broadcasts or you want a chatbot, you'll want a platform built for teams, which is what tools like these are for.
Is a shared inbox better than a WhatsApp-only tool?
Not always. A shared inbox helps when customers write on several apps. If almost every chat comes through WhatsApp, a focused tool can be simpler to set up and easier for a small team to learn.
Are the chatbot builders hard to set up?
The builders here describe themselves as no-code, so you can create flows without a developer. Plan time to write good answers, though: a bot's only as helpful as the content you give it.
Are these platforms ranked?
No. They're in no particular order and grouped by scope, because the right fit depends on which channels your customers use.
