Alternatives
360dialog alternatives in 2026: 10 WhatsApp API options with prices, compared for developers and agencies
360dialog charges a flat fee per number in euros with no markup on Meta fees. Ten alternatives, from Meta's own Cloud API and per-message APIs to INR panels and white-label, with a dated price table.
By Broadchat teamPublished Updated 16 min read
In short
The best 360dialog alternative depends on your fee shape. With many low-volume numbers, a per-message API costs less than 360dialog's €49 per number per month: Gupshup adds $0.001 on each message, Plivo $0.001 plus $10 a month per WhatsApp Business account, Telnyx $0.004. With no vendor fee at all, use Meta's Cloud API directly and build everything. For rupee plans with a ready panel and 0% markup, look at Pabbly Chatflow or Getgabs. To resell a branded panel to clients, look at Broadchat. Prices below are from each vendor's own page on 1 Nov 2026.
What to compare
- Fee shape: a flat fee per number suits few busy numbers; a per-message fee suits many quiet ones.
- Whether the vendor adds anything to Meta's message charges, and whether it says so on its own pricing page.
- Inbound fees: some APIs charge their fee on messages your customers send you, not only on what you send.
- Billing currency, GST invoices and card or bank payment for an Indian company.
- What you get beyond the API: inbox, template screen, chatbot builder, campaign scheduler.
- Partner tooling: onboarding many client numbers through Embedded Signup, per-client billing, a branded panel.
- Throughput, support response targets and how escalations to Meta are handled.
- How easily you can leave: number ownership in your own business portfolio and webhook portability.
The alternatives
1. Broadchat
WebsiteBest for: Agencies and resellers who want a finished, white-label WhatsApp panel to sell to many clients instead of raw API access per number
A white-label WhatsApp Business API platform on Meta's official Cloud API, sold through partners who resell it under their own brand, domain and prices. Clients get campaigns, a shared team inbox, a visual chatbot builder, CRM, WhatsApp Flows and ecommerce. Developers get a per-channel access token, a Graph-compatible proxy API, webhooks and an API to trigger campaigns. Built and operated by Nxiora (India); not a Meta BSP and not affiliated with Meta.
Strengths
- Branded partner panel: logo, colours and own domain with automatic SSL (Growth partner tier and above)
- Partner sets client plans, coupons and a % or flat markup over Meta's base rate per country and category
- Inbox, chatbot builder, CRM and automations are part of the product, not separate per-number add-ons
- Per-channel token and Graph-compatible proxy API for clients who also need programmatic sends
Watch out for
- No self-serve sign-up for a single business; you buy through a partner
- Partner prices are quoted on request, not published
- Not a Meta Business Solution Provider; no SMS or voice; Instagram and Messenger still rolling out
- Raw-API developers who want only an endpoint may find the panel more than they need
Pricing: Partner cost per client account per billing cycle, quoted on request. Clients prepay Meta's message charges into a wallet at rates the partner sets. No public price list.
2. Meta Cloud API (direct)
WebsiteBest for: Engineering teams that want no middle layer and are ready to build and host every screen themselves
Meta's own hosted WhatsApp Business Platform. You create a Meta developer app, add a WhatsApp Business account in your business portfolio, generate a system-user access token and call the Graph API. You pay Meta's per-delivered-message charges to Meta, and you run your own webhooks, template management, inbox and token security.
Strengths
- No vendor subscription and no vendor fee on messages
- Every Cloud API feature as Meta documents it, on the day Meta ships it
- Full control of data, retention and integrations
Watch out for
- No inbox, campaign tool or chatbot builder: you build them
- You host webhooks, handle retries and secure long-lived tokens
- Support is through Meta's developer channels, not an account manager
Pricing: No vendor fee. Meta's per-delivered-message charges by category and country, billed by Meta (in INR for eligible India accounts). Development and hosting are your cost.
3. Gupshup
WebsiteBest for: Developers and ISVs that want the lowest stated per-message vendor fee with Meta charges at actuals
A conversational messaging company and Meta Business Solution Provider with WhatsApp APIs, no-code tools and AI agents. Its self-serve WhatsApp pricing page states a standard $0.001 Gupshup fee on each message, with WhatsApp's own fee billed at actuals. Media files over 64 KB are listed as free and voice calling is priced by the second.
Strengths
- Stated vendor fee of $0.001 on each message
- Meta's charges billed at actuals
- Large ISV programme and WhatsApp voice calling
Watch out for
- Its fee applies to incoming session messages as well as outgoing ones
- No ready inbox or campaign panel in the self-serve API
- Enterprise terms only through sales
Pricing: $0.001 Gupshup fee on each template or session message (outgoing and incoming text); Meta fee at actuals. Subscription and free trial: Not stated on the pricing page.
4. Twilio
WebsiteBest for: Product teams already on Twilio for SMS or voice that want one API and one bill across channels
A cloud communications platform where WhatsApp sits next to SMS, voice and email. Twilio charges its own fee on each inbound and outbound WhatsApp message and passes Meta's template fees through. Failed messages carry a smaller processing fee. A free trial needs no credit card.
Strengths
- Pay as you go, no subscription
- Same API style and console for WhatsApp, SMS and voice
- Free trial without a credit card
Watch out for
- Its $0.005 fee applies to inbound as well as outbound messages
- Separate $0.001 fee on messages that end in Failed status
- No campaign screen or shared inbox in the base API
Pricing: $0.005 Twilio fee on each inbound or outbound message, plus Meta's fee passed through; $0.001 on failed messages. Volume discounts via sales. USD.
5. Telnyx
WebsiteBest for: Developers who want WhatsApp messaging and calling on the same number as their SMS and voice, with no monthly minimum
A communications API company that added WhatsApp messaging, WhatsApp calling and Embedded Signup inside its Mission Control portal. Its pricing page says Meta's rates are passed through unchanged, there is no platform fee, minimum or contract, and Telnyx adds a fixed fee on each message.
Strengths
- No platform fee, minimum or contract, as stated on its page
- Meta's rates passed through unchanged
- One number across voice, SMS, WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls
Watch out for
- $0.004 Telnyx fee on each message on top of Meta's rate
- Developer product: no marketing campaign panel or team inbox described
- USD billing
Pricing: $0.004 Telnyx fee on each message; $0.0025 a minute for WhatsApp calling; Meta's fees passed through. No platform fee or minimum. Free trial: Not stated ("Start building for free" sign-up).
6. Plivo
WebsiteBest for: Teams with a handful of WhatsApp Business accounts and steady volume who want a small, published per-message fee
A CPaaS provider with SMS, voice and WhatsApp APIs. Its WhatsApp pricing page lists Meta's category rates and adds two Plivo fees: one on each inbound and outbound message and a monthly fee per registered WhatsApp Business account. Multimedia inside a conversation carries no extra charge and volume discounts are offered.
Strengths
- Small published fee: $0.001 on each message
- No extra charge for media inside a conversation
- Volume discounts offered for higher volumes
Watch out for
- $10 a month for each registered WhatsApp Business account
- Fee applies to inbound as well as outbound messages
- API only; no inbox or campaign screen described
Pricing: $0.001 Plivo fee on each inbound and outbound message plus $10/month per registered WhatsApp Business account, on top of Meta's rates. Free trial: Not stated on the pricing page.
7. Bird
WebsiteBest for: International teams that want WhatsApp plus email and SMS with prepaid plans that discount the vendor fee
Bird (formerly MessageBird) publishes a WhatsApp price list: a fixed Bird fee on every outbound message in every category, with Meta's fee charged on top by category and destination. Optional deposit plans add spendable balance and discounts on Bird's outbound fee on higher tiers.
Strengths
- Published fee on every outbound message, same across categories
- Deposit plans with up to 20% off Bird's outbound fee
- Pay as you go also available
Watch out for
- $0.005 Bird fee on each outbound message
- No free tier for WhatsApp messaging
- Prices in USD or EUR
Pricing: $0.0050 Bird fee on each outbound message (all categories), Meta's fee extra. Optional monthly plans: $15, $100, $500 or $2,500 deposit with rate discounts. No free tier stated.
8. Vonage
WebsiteBest for: Enterprises with very high volume in a few regions who want a fee that falls with volume
Vonage's Messages API covers WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, Messenger and Viber. WhatsApp is priced in two parts: Meta's fee per delivered message, and a Vonage platform fee that its page says starts as low as €0.0001 (US$0.00016) and adjusts by volume and region. WhatsApp calling has its own Vonage fee by the minute.
Strengths
- Lowest stated starting platform fee in this list
- Fee falls with volume and region
- Messages API covers several channels in one integration
Watch out for
- The exact fee for your volume is in a pricing table or via sales, not one number
- Developer product; you build the inbox or buy another Vonage product
- Billing in EUR or USD
Pricing: Meta fee per delivered message plus a Vonage platform fee "as low as 0.0001 Euros (0.00016 USD)", varying by volume and region. Calling: $0.004 a minute Vonage fee. "Try it free" sign-up.
9. Getgabs
WebsiteBest for: Indian businesses and resellers who want 0% markup on Meta fees and a ready panel at the lowest INR entry price here
A WhatsApp platform with INR plans, a stated "No Markup" on Meta fees and Meta's India rates shown on its pricing page. Plans differ mainly by API rate limit and features; Shopify and WooCommerce are supported on all plans, and a reseller programme offers your own brand, logo and domain.
Strengths
- Plans from ₹699 a month
- States no markup on Meta fees
- Free onboarding and setup on monthly or annual plans
Watch out for
- Basic plan capped at 20 API calls a minute
- Free trial not mentioned on the pricing page
- Fewer published details on partner panel controls
Pricing: Basic ₹699/month (₹6,990/year), Plus ₹1,499/month (₹14,990/year), Pro ₹4,499/month (₹44,990/year). Meta fees at 0% markup.
10. Pabbly Chatflow
WebsiteBest for: Small Indian teams that want Meta's rates with 0% markup, many numbers and unlimited users on a fixed yearly price
A WhatsApp API inbox, broadcast and chatbot tool from Pabbly. Its page states "0% Markup Fees" and shows Meta's India rates. Paid plans include unlimited team members, chatbots and tags, there is a free plan, and lifetime plans are sold as a one-time payment with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Strengths
- 0% markup on Meta fees, stated on the page
- Free plan with 100 credits a month and 2 numbers
- Unlimited team members; lifetime plans
Watch out for
- No white-label or reseller programme found
- Credit allowances per plan to track
- Lowest monthly prices need yearly billing
Pricing: Free ₹0; billed yearly: Standard ₹1,499, Pro ₹3,079, Unlimited ₹6,249 a month. Lifetime: ₹23,399 ($249) to ₹1,87,899 ($1,999) one-time. 30-day money-back.
Information about Meta Cloud API (direct), Gupshup, Twilio, Telnyx, Plivo, Bird, Vonage, Getgabs, Pabbly Chatflow comes from its public website and documentation, checked on . Products and prices change; check the linked sources before you decide. Meta Cloud API (direct), Gupshup, Twilio, Telnyx, Plivo, Bird, Vonage, Getgabs, Pabbly Chatflow is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify the product.
The short answer
Most people searching for 360dialog alternatives are paying €49 or more per WhatsApp number every month and wondering whether a different fee shape would be cheaper or simpler. Here is the quick map, based on each vendor's own pricing page on 1 Nov 2026:
- You want no vendor at all: Meta's own Cloud API. Zero vendor fee, but you build the inbox, template screens and webhook handling.
- You have many numbers with low volume: a per-message API. Gupshup ($0.001 on each message), Plivo ($0.001 plus $10 a month per WhatsApp Business account) and Telnyx ($0.004, no monthly minimum) publish their fees.
- You already use Twilio, Bird or Vonage for SMS: add WhatsApp on the same account and bill.
- You want a finished panel in rupees with no markup on Meta fees: Pabbly Chatflow or Getgabs.
- You are an agency that wants to resell a branded panel: Broadchat (prices on request), or the reseller programmes listed below.
If you have three or four busy numbers and value 360dialog's support response targets, staying is often the right call. We build Broadchat, so read our entry with that in mind; every other fact on this page comes from the vendor's own site.
360dialog alternatives compared: price table (checked 1 Nov 2026)
Vendor fees only. Meta's own message charges come on top in every row, except where a vendor says it adds nothing to them. "Not stated" means we could not find it on the vendor's own pages.
| Platform | Starting price | Free trial | Markup on Meta rates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360dialog (for reference) | €49 per number per month (Regular) | Not stated | None ("No markup on Meta fees") | Few busy numbers, support SLAs |
| Broadchat | On request, per client account | Partners can offer clients a time-limited free plan | Set by the partner (% or flat) | Agencies reselling a branded panel |
| Meta Cloud API | No vendor fee | Not applicable | None (you pay Meta) | Teams that build everything |
| Gupshup | $0.001 on each message | Not stated | None stated (Meta at actuals) | Lowest stated per-message fee |
| Twilio | $0.005 on each inbound or outbound message | Yes, no card | Meta fee passed through | Existing Twilio users |
| Telnyx | $0.004 on each message, no minimum | Not stated (free sign-up) | None ("passed through unchanged") | Voice + WhatsApp on one number |
| Plivo | $0.001 on each message + $10/month per WABA | Not stated | Meta rates listed separately | A few WABAs, steady volume |
| Bird | $0.005 on each outbound message | No free tier | Meta fee extra | Multichannel international teams |
| Vonage | From €0.0001 on each message, by volume | "Try it free" | Meta fee extra | Very high volume enterprises |
| Getgabs | ₹699 a month | Not stated | 0% ("No Markup") | Lowest INR panel price |
| Pabbly Chatflow | Free plan; ₹1,499/month billed yearly | Free plan + 30-day refund | 0% ("0% Markup Fees") | Unlimited users, fixed yearly cost |
Prices exclude GST and change often. Re-check the vendor's page on the day you decide.
Why teams look beyond 360dialog
360dialog has a clean model: a flat monthly fee per WhatsApp number (Regular €49, Premium €99, Scale €500), no markup on Meta fees, 24/7 human support with response targets that tighten by tier, and up to 1,000 messages per second on Scale. Premium adds business verification help and inbox and automation tools. Its Partner Platform for software companies starts at €250 a month plus €49 for each regular channel. Nothing in that is a reason to leave. The reasons we hear are about fit:
- The number count grows faster than the volume. A flat €49 per number is efficient for a bank sending 200,000 messages from two numbers. It is expensive for an agency running forty small clients who send a few hundred messages each.
- Euro billing. Indian finance teams often want INR invoices with GST, and euro card payments add foreign exchange charges.
- The team is not technical. Regular is API access plus support. A clinic or a shop expects a campaign screen and a chatbot builder on day one.
- One vendor for every channel. Product teams with SMS and voice elsewhere would rather add WhatsApp to that account.
How we picked and checked these ten
We started from what 360dialog buyers actually are: developers and software companies who want API access, plus agencies who want to serve many clients. Every option had to run on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform; unofficial tools that automate the WhatsApp app are excluded (see official vs unofficial WhatsApp API). For each vendor we opened its own pricing page on 1 Nov 2026 and copied the figures as written. Where a figure was missing, the table says "Not stated" rather than quoting a review site. We did not convert currencies, because exchange rates move and your bank's rate is what you will pay.
The alternatives in detail
Meta Cloud API, directly
Going direct removes every vendor fee. You still pay Meta per delivered template message; for India that is ₹0.8631 per delivered marketing message and ₹0.115 per delivered utility or authentication message (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026, excl. GST), and service replies beyond the first 1,000 a month per number are charged too. What you give up is everything a provider builds on top: an inbox for agents, a template editor, campaign scheduling, retries and reporting. Budget real engineering time for webhook handling, a permanent system-user access token and monitoring. This route suits a product company whose WhatsApp use is narrow and well defined, such as order notifications sent from its own backend.
Gupshup
Gupshup is the closest like-for-like swap for a developer who likes 360dialog's "no markup" story but wants to pay by the message instead of by the number. Its page states a standard $0.001 fee on each message with Meta billed at actuals. Two things to model: the fee is listed for incoming session messages too, and enterprise features go through sales. For an ISV with dozens of small client numbers, the per-message fee is usually far below €49 a number.
Twilio
Twilio is the default for teams already sending SMS or making calls through it. The WhatsApp fee is higher than Gupshup's or Plivo's, and it applies to inbound messages as well, so a support-heavy number where customers write in often costs more than the outbound count suggests. The benefit is one console, one invoice and documentation many developers already know. Our Broadchat vs Twilio comparison covers the panel-versus-API trade-off in more depth.
Telnyx
Telnyx is a newer WhatsApp option worth a look if calling matters. One number can carry voice, SMS, WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls, and Embedded Signup runs inside its portal so you can onboard a client's WhatsApp Business account without switching tools. The page states no platform fee, minimum or contract, with a fixed Telnyx fee added to each message.
Plivo
Plivo's model mixes both shapes: a small fee on each message plus $10 a month for each registered WhatsApp Business account. That makes it cheap for a company with one or two accounts and steady traffic, and less attractive for an agency that registers a separate account for every client. Media inside a conversation is not charged extra.
Bird
Bird publishes a single fee on every outbound message regardless of category, which makes forecasting simple. Its deposit plans ($15 to $2,500 a month) turn into spendable balance and cut Bird's outbound fee by up to 20% on higher tiers. There is no free tier for WhatsApp, so plan a small paid test.
Vonage
Vonage states the lowest starting platform fee here, but "starting" is the operative word: the fee depends on volume and region, and the exact number for your traffic comes from its pricing table or sales team. It suits enterprises with large, predictable volume to a few countries.
Getgabs and Pabbly Chatflow
These two are for the reader who came to 360dialog for "no markup" but really wanted a ready tool rather than an API. Both show Meta's India rates on their pricing pages and state 0% markup. Getgabs is cheaper to start (₹699 a month) and has a reseller programme; Pabbly Chatflow has a free plan, unlimited team members and lifetime one-time plans.
Broadchat
Broadchat is for an agency that does not want to build anything. Each client gets a full panel (campaigns, inbox, chatbot builder, CRM) under the agency's brand, and the agency sets client plans and a markup over Meta's base rate per country and category. Clients who also need code can use a per-channel access token and a Graph-compatible proxy API, with template sends billed to the channel wallet. The honest limits: no self-serve sign-up, prices on request, and it is not the right tool if all you want is an endpoint.
Worked example: an agency with 20 quiet numbers
Illustrative only. Arjun runs a Jaipur agency with 20 client numbers. Each sends about 1,500 outbound template messages a month and receives about 500 replies. That is 30,000 outbound and 10,000 inbound messages in total. Vendor fees only, before Meta's charges and GST:
| Option | How the vendor fee is calculated | Vendor fee a month |
|---|---|---|
| 360dialog Regular | 20 numbers × €49 | €980 |
| Gupshup | 40,000 messages (in and out) × $0.001 | $40 |
| Plivo | 40,000 × $0.001 + 20 accounts × $10 (if each client has its own account) | $240 |
| Telnyx | 30,000 outbound × $0.004 (inbound fee not stated separately) | $120 or more |
| Twilio | 40,000 × $0.005 | $200 |
| Bird | 30,000 outbound × $0.005, before plan discounts | $150 |
| Meta direct | No vendor fee; your build and hosting cost instead | $0 + engineering |
Meta's charges are the same whichever API you pick, because they follow Meta's rate card for the recipient country and category. Now flip the shape: two numbers sending 100,000 messages each. 360dialog Regular costs €98 a month, while Twilio's fee on 200,000 outbound messages alone is $1,000. Fee shape, not headline price, decides the winner. A panel or white-label option replaces this arithmetic with a per-client seat price plus any messaging markup, so compare it on what the agency would otherwise spend building an inbox and dashboards.
How to choose
- Count numbers and messages for the last three months. Split outbound, inbound and failed. Inbound matters for Twilio, Gupshup and Plivo.
- Decide whether you need screens. If agents will reply to customers, you need an inbox; a raw API means building one.
- Check the Meta line. Ask each vendor in writing whether Meta's charges are passed through unchanged. Our explainer on provider markup on Meta fees shows how to read a rate card.
- Check currency and invoices. From 1 Jan 2027, eligible India-billed accounts must be on INR billing with Meta; ask how your provider handles this.
- Run one real number for two weeks before moving the rest. Watch delivery webhooks, template approval times and support replies.
Moving a number off 360dialog
Your number and WhatsApp Business account live in your own business portfolio, not with 360dialog, which its page also highlights as zero lock-in. Moving usually means connecting the account to the new provider through Embedded Signup or a migration, approving templates again where needed, and pointing webhooks at the new endpoint. Our number migration guide lists the steps and the usual failure points, such as two-step verification PINs.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is your fee charged on inbound messages, failed messages or only delivered outbound ones?
- Is there a monthly fee per number or per WhatsApp Business account?
- What is your support response time, and who escalates to Meta when a number is restricted?
- Can we export contacts, templates and message history if we leave?
- Do you issue GST invoices in INR?
For background on how accounts, numbers and Meta billing fit together, start with what the WhatsApp Business API is. If you plan to sell WhatsApp to clients, read how to start a WhatsApp reseller business and see the white-label panel.
Sources
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers, checked 1 November 2026
- Cloud API get started — Meta for Developers, checked 1 November 2026
- 360dialog pricing — 360dialog, checked 1 November 2026
- Gupshup WhatsApp self-serve pricing — Gupshup, checked 1 November 2026
- Gupshup partners — Gupshup, checked 1 November 2026
- Twilio WhatsApp pricing — Twilio, checked 1 November 2026
- Telnyx WhatsApp pricing — Telnyx, checked 1 November 2026
- Telnyx WhatsApp product page — Telnyx, checked 1 November 2026
- Plivo WhatsApp pricing — Plivo, checked 1 November 2026
- Bird WhatsApp pricing — Bird, checked 1 November 2026
- Vonage WhatsApp pricing — Vonage, checked 1 November 2026
- Getgabs pricing — Getgabs, checked 1 November 2026
- Pabbly Chatflow — Pabbly, checked 1 November 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
Last updated:
Frequently asked questions
Does 360dialog mark up Meta's WhatsApp fees?
No. 360dialog's pricing page says "No markup on Meta fees, no hidden costs". It charges a flat fee per number per month instead: €49 Regular, €99 Premium or €500 Scale, checked on 1 Nov 2026.
What is the cheapest 360dialog alternative for developers?
On stated vendor fees, Meta's own Cloud API has none, then Gupshup at $0.001 on each message and Plivo at $0.001 plus $10 a month per WhatsApp Business account. Which is cheapest for you depends on how many numbers you run and how many messages each sends; the worked example on this page shows the arithmetic.
Which 360dialog alternative bills in rupees?
Getgabs and Pabbly Chatflow publish INR plans and state 0% markup on Meta fees. Broadchat partners can bill their clients in INR. Meta itself bills eligible India accounts in INR, and those accounts must switch to INR billing by 31 Dec 2026.
Can I use the WhatsApp API without a provider like 360dialog?
Yes. Meta's Cloud API works directly through a Meta developer app, and you pay Meta's message charges yourself. You will need to build or buy the inbox, template screens, webhook handling and token security that a provider otherwise supplies.
Do per-message providers charge for messages customers send me?
Some do. Twilio's $0.005 fee and Plivo's $0.001 fee are stated for inbound and outbound messages, and Gupshup lists its fee for incoming session messages. Bird states its fee on outbound messages. Count inbound volume before you compare.
Is 360dialog's Partner Platform better than a white-label panel?
They solve different problems. The Partner Platform suits a software company that already has a product and needs WhatsApp inside it. A white-label panel suits an agency without its own product that wants to sell a finished tool to clients under its brand.
Will my Meta message charges change if I switch providers?
Meta's own charges follow its rate card for the recipient's country and the message category, so they are the same whichever provider you use. What changes is the vendor fee, any markup the provider adds, and the billing currency.