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ManyChat Pricing (2026): Every Plan, Active Contacts and What Brands Really Pay
ManyChat costs $14 to $139 a month billed annually, priced by active contacts. Here is what brands really pay at 10,000 to 100,000 contacts, and the costs not on the pricing page.
Updated October 2026 · By Sonakshi Nathani, Co-founder and CEO, Manifest AI by BIK
Short answer: ManyChat costs $14 to $139 a month on annual billing, depending on the plan, and every plan is priced by active contacts: the number of people you message in a month. Go over your plan's allowance and you pay per extra contact. There's a free plan for up to 25 contacts. In practice, a brand messaging 10,000 people a month pays about $114 a month on annual billing, and one messaging 50,000 pays about $209, before WhatsApp fees and the extra tools a store usually needs.
Disclosure: we make BIK, an alternative to ManyChat for ecommerce brands. All ManyChat figures come from ManyChat's pricing page as of October 2026. Prices on that page are shown per month, billed annually; monthly billing costs more, and the final price appears at checkout.
ManyChat plans and prices
| Plan | Price per month (billed annually) | Billed per year | Active contacts included | Overage per extra contact (annual / monthly billing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 25 | - |
| Essential | $14 | $168 (18% off) | 250 | $0.082 / $0.10 |
| Pro | $29 | $348 (25% off) | 2,500 | $0.038 / $0.05 |
| Business | $69 | $828 (30% off) | 7,500 | $0.018 / $0.025 |
| Advanced | $139 | $1,668 (30% off) | 25,000 | $0.0028 / $0.004 |
Essential and Pro come with a 14-day free trial, and ManyChat offers a refund if you cancel within 30 days of purchase.
What each plan includes
| Plan | Channels | Users and inbox | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 2 (Instagram, TikTok, Messenger or Telegram) | 1 user, 1 inbox seat | Up to 4 live triggers; "Powered by Manychat" branding |
| Essential | 2 | 2 users, 1 inbox seat | Unlimited automations, tags, contact data collection; no branding |
| Pro | 3, adding WhatsApp, SMS and email | 3 users, 2 inbox seats | Broadcasts, Manychat AI for DMs and comments, Inbox AI labels |
| Business | Unlimited | 5 users, 3 inbox seats | Multi-user inbox with assignments, automation insights, priority support |
| Advanced | Unlimited | 10 users, 5 inbox seats | Everything in Business, fastest support |
What counts as an active contact
ManyChat defines it simply: one person equals one active contact for the month. According to eesel's breakdown, a contact becomes active whenever a message is sent to or received from them, whether through an automation, Manychat AI, a broadcast or the inbox. A few practical consequences:
- Broadcasts are the biggest cost driver. Messaging your whole list in a month makes every recipient active.
- Your list size isn't your bill. Contacts who don't hear from you that month don't count.
- Overage is billed monthly, even on annual plans, and ManyChat doesn't switch your automations off when you exceed your allowance.
What brands really pay
Because overage rates differ by plan, the cheapest plan changes as you grow. Here is the lowest cost at each audience size on annual billing:
| Active contacts a month | Cheapest plan | Approx. cost per month | How we got there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | Pro | $29 | Within Pro's 2,500; Essential would be $14 + 750 × $0.082 = ~$76 |
| 2,500 | Pro | $29 | Included |
| 5,000 | Business | $69 | Included; Pro would be $29 + 2,500 × $0.038 = $124 |
| 10,000 | Business | ~$114 | $69 + 2,500 × $0.018 |
| 25,000 | Advanced | $139 | Included |
| 50,000 | Advanced | ~$209 | $139 + 25,000 × $0.0028 |
| 100,000 | Advanced | ~$349 | $139 + 75,000 × $0.0028 |
Two breakpoints are worth knowing. Above about 430 active contacts, Pro is cheaper than Essential. Above about 11,400, Advanced is cheaper than Business. If you're near either line, move up a plan.
Three worked examples
A new store with a small Instagram following
It messages about 1,500 people a month: comment-to-DM replies on reels and a monthly giveaway. Plan: Pro at $29 a month billed annually. Essential looks cheaper, but at 1,500 contacts it would cost about $116 with overage. At this stage, ManyChat is very good value.
A growing DTC brand adding WhatsApp
It messages about 12,000 people a month across Instagram and WhatsApp, including a weekly WhatsApp broadcast. Plan: Advanced at $139 a month, since Business would cost about $150 at this size. On top: Meta's WhatsApp fees, a Zapier or Make plan to pull Shopify order data, and a helpdesk once the 5 inbox seats run out.
A scaling brand with large broadcasts
It messages about 60,000 people a month. Plan: Advanced at about $237 a month ($139 + 35,000 × $0.0028). ManyChat itself is still inexpensive. The real cost sits in the tools around it, and in the revenue you can't attribute to individual posts and flows.
How ManyChat pricing compares with other Instagram tools
| Tool | Pricing model | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| ManyChat | Active contacts a month, plus overage | $0; paid from $14/month billed annually |
| Chatfuel | Plan plus AI credits | $18/month billed yearly, with $20 in AI credits (source) |
| Gorgias | Helpdesk tickets | $10/month for 50 tickets (source) |
| Richpanel | Seats plus AI usage; social media agent about $0.05 per conversation | $99/seat/month billed annually (source) |
| BIK | Unique contacts, AI credits included | From $250/month |
ManyChat and Chatfuel are the cheapest ways to automate Instagram. Gorgias and Richpanel price Instagram as part of a helpdesk. BIK prices Instagram, WhatsApp, email, the helpdesk and AI agents together.
Costs that aren't on the pricing page
- WhatsApp fees. WhatsApp needs Pro or higher, and Meta's own messaging charges are billed separately through your Meta account, not by ManyChat.
- Shopify data. ManyChat no longer supports a native Shopify integration, as a community moderator confirmed in June 2025. To answer "where is my order?" or send order updates, brands use Zapier, Make or custom API requests. The same thread warns that Make and Zapier "can get expensive" at volume.
- Catalog apps. Showing live products inside chats takes a paid third-party app, such as ShopSync by Letmetalk for Messenger.
- A helpdesk. Plans include 1 to 5 inbox seats. Once DMs include returns and complaints, most stores add a helpdesk for the support team.
- Monthly billing. The headline prices assume annual billing; paying monthly costs 18% to 30% more.
How to keep your ManyChat bill down
- Pick the plan by active contacts, not features. Use the breakpoints above.
- Segment broadcasts. Message the people likely to buy instead of your whole list, since every recipient becomes active.
- Pay annually if you're sure you'll stay a year.
- Watch overage monthly. It's billed every month, even on annual plans.
- Add up the whole stack, including Zapier or Make, catalog apps and a helpdesk, before deciding ManyChat is the cheapest option.
ManyChat vs BIK pricing
The two price very differently because they do different jobs.
| ManyChat | BIK | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0, then $14 to $139/month billed annually | From $250/month, plus a startup plan |
| Priced by | Active contacts a month, plus overage | Unique contacts, with AI credits included |
| Shopify data | Through Zapier, Make or API requests | Native catalog and order data |
| Selling in Instagram DMs | Links to your store | Product cards from your catalog, add to cart, checkout in the DM |
| Helpdesk | 1 to 5 inbox seats | Full helpdesk; free with Manifest AI, unlimited seats |
| Channels | Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram; WhatsApp, SMS, email from Pro | Instagram, WhatsApp, email, SMS and voice in one CRM |
When ManyChat is cheaper: creators and small stores using Instagram for lead capture and simple replies, especially under a few thousand active contacts a month.
When BIK is better value: stores where Instagram drives sales and support. Once you add order data, a catalog, checkout in DMs, a helpdesk and WhatsApp and email to a ManyChat setup, the gap closes, and BIK reports revenue per post on top.
FAQ
Is ManyChat free?
Yes, for up to 25 active contacts a month, 2 channels and 4 live triggers, with ManyChat branding on messages.
How much is ManyChat Pro?
$29 a month billed annually ($348 a year), for 2,500 active contacts. Extra contacts cost $0.038 each on annual billing, or $0.05 on monthly billing.
What is an active contact in ManyChat?
Any person you exchange a message with in a month, through automations, AI, broadcasts or the inbox. Each person counts once a month.
Does ManyChat charge for WhatsApp messages?
WhatsApp is available from Pro. Meta's WhatsApp messaging fees are billed separately through your Meta account.
Does ManyChat have a Shopify integration?
Not natively anymore. Brands connect Shopify through Zapier, Make, custom API requests or third-party apps.
Is there a ManyChat free trial?
Essential and Pro include a 14-day free trial, and you can get a refund if you cancel within 30 days of purchase.
What's the best ManyChat alternative for ecommerce?
For stores selling and supporting on Instagram, BIK. See ManyChat alternatives for ecommerce and BIK vs ManyChat.
