All comparisons
vs
vsInvent vs respond.io: what you actually pay per month
respond.io runs a capable WhatsApp inbox, but the AI agent starts one tier up and your contact volume is metered on top. Invent puts the agent, the inbox, the CRM and broadcasts on one $29/mo plan.Entry price$29/month
respond.io Starter is $79 a month, but it has no AI agent. The first plan with AI included is Growth at $159, before contact overage.
AI starts at$159/month
AI is not part of the $79 Starter plan. In Invent the agent is the product, not the upsell, and it answers on every channel from day one.
Contact overage$12per 100
Growth includes 1,000 monthly active contacts and bills every extra hundred. A busy month raises your invoice; our plan bills messages, not people.
01Pricing
respond.io pricing vs Invent
Both prices are the published monthly rate. respond.io figures are its Starter and Growth plans on monthly billing.Invent Business$29/monthIncludes $29 of usage. Overage at the same per-message rates, from $0.001.~3,000 Auto messages≈ $32 total
White-label + custom domainIncluded
SSO + audit logsIncluded
Team inbox, CRM, broadcastsIncluded
Free trial7 days
respond.io Growth$159/monthThe cheapest respond.io plan that includes AI. 1,000 monthly active contacts and 10 users included.AI agent includedGrowth only, not on $79
Monthly active contacts1,000, then metered
Extra usersBilled per seat
Records and pipelinesContacts only
Channel coverageBroad
From respond.io/pricing on monthly billing, verified Aug 5, 2026.
02Features
Feature comparison
The highlights. The full comparison table lives on the compare page.| Feature | Invent | respond.io |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | ||
| Entry plan | $29/mo, AI included | $79, no AI |
| AI agent on the entry plan | Included | From $159 |
| Billed by | Messages you send | Contacts you touch |
| What you get | ||
| Shared team inbox | Included | Included |
| Contacts and segments | Included | Limited capability |
| AI phone calls | Soon | Included |
Verified against respond.io pricing and docs, Aug 5, 2026. See the full matrix on the compare page.
03Fine print
The fine print
All from respond.io's own pricing page, Aug 5, 2026.AI starts at $159, not at the entry priceThe $79 Starter plan carries the inbox and automation but no AI agent. Adding AI means moving to Growth at $159 a month, so the price you compare against is rarely the price you pay.
Monthly active contacts are meteredGrowth includes 1,000 monthly active contacts and then charges $12 per extra 100. Advanced charges $15 per 100. Your bill tracks how many people wrote to you, which is exactly the number a good campaign increases.
Every extra seat is billedStarter adds users at $12 each, Growth at $20 and Advanced at $24, on top of the plan. Invent does not charge per seat.
WhatsApp fees are still yoursLike every WhatsApp platform, Meta conversation charges sit on top of the subscription. That part is the same on both sides; the difference is what the platform adds to it.
Leaving respond.io? We move you over, free
Book a free 30-minute call and we migrate your agent for you: knowledge, instructions, channels, branding. You just approve the result.
1Book a 30-minute callShow us your respond.io setup. Sources, instructions, integrations.
2We rebuild it hereKnowledge, instructions, channels, and your white-label branding. No charge.
3You flip the switchTest it side by side, go live when you are happy.
Common questions
How much does respond.io cost?
Starter is $79 a month without an AI agent, Growth is $159 with AI and 1,000 monthly active contacts, and Advanced is $279. Extra contacts, extra seats and WhatsApp fees are billed on top. Invent is $29/mo with the agent, inbox, CRM and broadcasts included.
Does respond.io include AI on the cheapest plan?
No. The $79 Starter plan has no AI agent; AI arrives on Growth at $159 a month.
Which is better, Invent or respond.io?
respond.io is a strong multichannel inbox if your team is large and your contact volume is predictable. Invent suits teams that want the AI agent, the CRM and broadcasts in one price and would rather not have their bill rise with every extra contact.
Is Invent a WhatsApp Business platform too?
Yes. Invent connects the official WhatsApp Business API, plus Instagram, Messenger, your website widget, SMS and Slack, all sharing one agent, one inbox and one contact record.
How do I migrate from respond.io?
Book a short migration call. We move your number, rebuild your automations as agent instructions and import your contacts, then you test both side by side before switching.
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