How to choose a WhatsApp CRM for your small business

Must-have features

Check these before comparing prices:

• Official WhatsApp Business API (Meta) — unofficial connections can get your number banned.
• A shared team inbox with history and clear ownership of each conversation.
• An AI agent that answers from your own information and hands off to a person.
• A sales pipeline and automatic follow-ups.
• Transparent pricing, no long contracts, and a free trial.

What it costs

Pricing models vary: some tools charge per company, others per user or per active contact. As public references, respond.io starts at about US$ 79–99/month, and Kommo charges US$ 15–45 per user per month with a 6-month minimum. Atenza starts at US$ 29/month per company, with a 7-day free trial and no contract.

Also ask about Meta's per-message fees for marketing templates, and whether AI usage is included or billed separately.

Questions to ask vendors

Get the answers in writing:

• Is it the official WhatsApp Business API?
• Is pricing per company, per user or per contact?
• Is AI included? Can I bring my own AI key?
• Can I cancel anytime?
• Can I export my data if I leave?

Sources

• respond.io pricing (eesel.ai)
• Kommo pricing (kommo.com)