Last updated: November 2026
TL;DR
- 360dialog gives you access to the WhatsApp Business API at a fee per number. Regular is €49 a month per number, Premium €99 and Scale €500, with Meta's message fees on top.
- The 5 alternatives in this guide: Invent, Twilio, Bird, respond.io and Wati.
- The real question is what you need on top of API access: a team inbox, an AI agent that answers, templates you can manage without code, or just a cheaper pipe.
- Meta's fees are the same everywhere. Each number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, and Meta bills the rest directly. What changes between providers is the platform fee and what it buys.
- Check who owns your WhatsApp Business Account before you switch. It decides how easily your number can move.
360dialog is one of the most used ways to get onto the official WhatsApp Business API. It connects your number, passes your messages through, and leaves the rest to you. For a developer building their own product, that is exactly right.
For many businesses, it is only the first step. They still need somewhere for the team to read and answer chats, an AI agent to reply at night, and a way to send templates without writing code. That usually means a second tool and a second bill.
This guide compares 5 alternatives on what they add on top of API access, how they charge, and who each one fits. All prices come from each provider's pricing page, checked on November 12, 2026.
Why teams look for a 360dialog alternative
These are the reasons that come up most when businesses compare WhatsApp providers.
- The fee repeats per number. Two brands or two countries means two platform fees before a single message.
- API access is not an inbox. Regular includes API access, support and integrations. Inbox, sendout and automation are add-ons on Premium.
- The AI is yours to build. Premium includes a Messaging MCP to plug in an AI agent you bring yourself. Nothing answers your customers out of the box.
- Two vendors, two bills. Most teams pair the API with a separate inbox or chatbot tool, plus Meta's bill.
Meta's own fees do not change with the provider. Since October 1, 2026, each WhatsApp number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, the replies you send inside an open 24-hour window. After that, Meta charges per message by category and country. 360dialog passes these fees through with no markup, and so do the platforms below.
The 5 best 360dialog alternatives
1. Invent: WhatsApp API with the AI agent and team inbox built in
Invent connects your WhatsApp number to the official API and adds the parts 360dialog leaves to you: an AI agent that answers, a shared inbox for your team, and a template editor.
- Connect in the app: Meta's Embedded Signup runs inside Invent, for a new number, a number moved from another provider, or a number that stays on the WhatsApp Business app through coexistence.
- AI agent: answers from your website, documents and policies, and can take actions such as looking up an order or booking a slot.
- Team inbox: WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Messenger, email and web chat in one shared inbox. AI routing sends each chat to the right teammate with the full conversation.
- Templates: create, submit for approval and send templates from the same app, with no code.
- Pricing: Business is $29 a month with $29 of usage, then pay as you go, with AI replies from $0.003 per message depending on the model. No per-seat or per-number platform fee. Meta's WhatsApp fees are a separate bill, sent directly by Meta. There is a free plan to try it.
Best for: businesses that want the WhatsApp API, an AI agent and the team inbox in one product and one plan.
2. Twilio: a programmable messaging API
Twilio is a developer platform for SMS, voice and WhatsApp. Like 360dialog, it gives you the API and you build what sits on top.
- Pricing: $0.005 per WhatsApp message, inbound or outbound, plus Meta's fees passed through. No monthly platform fee on the WhatsApp pricing page.
- What you build: the inbox, the AI and the template workflow, or you add other Twilio products.
Best for: engineering teams that already run SMS or voice on Twilio and want WhatsApp in the same code.
3. Bird: messaging channels with a free inbox
Bird, formerly MessageBird, sells WhatsApp, SMS and email messaging by destination, with a shared inbox you can use for free.
- Pricing: pay as you go by destination, for example $0.005 per US marketing message, plus Meta's fees. The inbox is free, and you pay for channel usage.
- AI: not listed on the pricing page, so check it in a demo.
Best for: teams that want low per-message pricing across several channels and a basic shared inbox.
4. respond.io: a multichannel inbox for larger teams
respond.io is a conversation platform built around a team inbox for WhatsApp and other messaging apps.
- Pricing: Starter is $99 a month on monthly billing with 5 users, and Growth is $199 with 10 users. AI agents start on Growth. Meta's WhatsApp fees are billed by Meta, outside the subscription.
- Contacts: plans also limit monthly active contacts.
Best for: larger support and sales teams that want a mature multichannel inbox and can budget for seats.
5. Wati: a WhatsApp inbox for small teams
Wati is a WhatsApp-first inbox with broadcasts and an AI agent called Astra.
- Pricing: Growth is $59 a month billed yearly with 3 users, one AI agent and 2,000 AI credits. Pro is $119 with 5 users and Business $279. Message fees follow Meta's rate card.
- Seats: Growth cannot add users. Pro and Business add users at $39 and $89 a month each.
Best for: small teams that live on WhatsApp and fit within three seats.
How each option charges you
Every provider passes Meta's message fees through. The difference is the platform fee on top, and what it buys.
- Per number: 360dialog charges €49 to €500 a month for each number.
- Per message: Twilio adds $0.005 per message, and Bird prices by destination.
- Per plan with seats: respond.io and Wati charge a monthly plan that grows with users and contacts.
- Per plan with usage: Invent charges $29 a month with $29 of usage, then by message, with no seat or number fees.
Run your own numbers through each model: how many WhatsApp numbers you run, how many people answer, and how many conversations the AI should handle alone.
How to choose the right alternative
Pick by the job, not by the longest feature list:
- You want customers answered on WhatsApp without building anything: choose a platform with the AI agent and inbox built in, such as Invent.
- You are a developer building your own product: stay with an API, such as 360dialog or Twilio.
- You need cheap messages across several channels: look at per-message pricing, such as Bird.
- You run a large team inbox and budget per seat: respond.io fits.
- You are a small WhatsApp-only team: Wati fits within three seats.
For a deeper look at the three ways to connect an AI agent, read how to connect AI to the WhatsApp Business API. For a side-by-side on price, see Invent vs 360dialog.
How to move your number away from 360dialog
Your WhatsApp number can move between providers, but Meta's account rules decide how. Check this before you switch.
- Find who owns the WhatsApp Business Account. Open Meta Business settings and look at the account that holds your number. If it is your business, you can move it yourself.
- Remove the old provider. In Meta Business settings, remove 360dialog's access to that account. Disconnecting inside 360dialog alone does not free the number.
- Connect the number in the new platform. In Invent, choose "New or moved number" in the connect dialog and finish Meta's Embedded Signup.
- Test before you switch traffic. Send a test message, check that templates are approved, and run your AI agent on a few real questions.
If the account belongs to the provider instead of your business, Meta does not let the number leave it. Ask the provider how they hand over accounts before you plan the date.
Why Invent adds the AI agent on top of the API
Most businesses do not want API access. They want customers answered. So in Invent the API is the plumbing under the product, not the product itself.
You connect your number in a few clicks, the AI agent answers from your content, and AI routing brings in a teammate when a person should reply. Templates, the inbox and the AI live in one app, on one plan, and Meta's fees stay a separate bill you can read line by line.
Pick the layer you actually need
If you build software, an API is the right tool, and 360dialog or Twilio will serve you well. If you run a business, the API is only the start. Choose the provider that covers the next layer, the inbox and the AI, so your customers get an answer and your team gets one place to work.
FAQs
What is the best 360dialog alternative?
Invent is the best 360dialog alternative for businesses that want the WhatsApp API, an AI agent and a team inbox in one plan, at $29 a month with $29 of usage. Twilio suits developers who want another API, and respond.io suits large teams that budget per seat.
Is there a cheaper alternative to 360dialog?
Yes. Invent has no per-number fee: Business is $29 a month with $29 of usage, then pay as you go, with AI replies from $0.003 per message depending on the model. Twilio has no monthly fee and charges $0.005 per message. 360dialog starts at €49 a month per number.
Does 360dialog include a chatbot or AI agent?
No. 360dialog provides WhatsApp API access. Its Premium plan adds a Messaging MCP so you can connect an AI agent you build or buy elsewhere, but no AI agent answers your customers out of the box.
Can I move my WhatsApp number from 360dialog to another provider?
Yes, if your business owns the WhatsApp Business Account. Remove 360dialog's access in Meta Business settings, then connect the number in the new platform. If the provider owns the account, Meta does not let the number leave it.
Do 360dialog alternatives charge Meta's WhatsApp fees?
Yes. Every provider passes Meta's message fees through, and each number gets 1,000 free service messages a month from Meta. What differs is the platform fee on top: per number, per message or per plan.
Can I keep the WhatsApp Business app on the same number?
Yes, with coexistence. The app and the API share one number, so you can still answer from your phone. Invent supports coexistence when you connect the number.
