Chatfuel prices a plan per business, with unlimited active contacts and unlimited messages, and puts its limit on AI use instead. When we checked its pricing page and limits page in 2026, the Business plan cost $20 a month billed monthly or $18 a month billed yearly ($216 for the year), and included $20 of AI credits a month. Agency S cost $100 a month billed monthly or $90 a month billed yearly, with $100 of AI credits and 3 companies (Agency prices rechecked in 2026). Prices depend on your billing country and change, so treat the numbers below as a dated snapshot and confirm them on Chatfuel’s pricing page.
For Chatfuel next to ManyChat, respond.io, and VivaDialog in one place, see the total cost comparison.
Chatfuel plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly, per month | AI credits a month | Companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business | $20 | $18 | $20 | 1 |
| Agency S | $100 | $90 | $100 | 3 |
Checked in 2026 from the United States, in US dollars. The pricing page has a “Yearly -10%” toggle. The larger Agency sizes cost $225 (M), $440 (L), $850 (XL), and $2,050 (XXL) a month. We did not record their AI credits or company limits.
What the plan costs over a year
| Chatfuel plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Business | $216 | $240 |
| Agency S | $1,080 | $1,200 |
Billed monthly instead of yearly costs $24 more over a year on Business and $120 more on Agency S. Chatfuel’s pricing FAQ says you can get a refund if you cancel within 3 days on a monthly plan or within 30 days on a yearly plan.
What the AI limit means
Chatfuel’s limits page says the plan includes unlimited active contacts and unlimited messages. The fair-use limit applies only to AI processing, and the work that does not use AI is unmetered: keyword replies, button flows, broadcasts, and other automations without AI do not count toward it.
When the AI limit is reached, the limits page says “your bot pauses.” The AI assistant stops replying until the limit resets, or until you renew early. Chatfuel says you can connect your own OpenAI key by asking support, and that fair use does not apply with your own key.
So the practical question is how much of your traffic needs AI. If most replies are keyword answers and button flows, the cap may never matter. If an AI assistant answers every message, the cap is the number to estimate before you choose.
How VivaDialog handles the same moment
VivaDialog also has a monthly AI quota: 200 AI replies on Starter and 1,000 on Growth. When it runs out, AI replies pause until next month. Fixed-text automations, the inbox, and manual replies keep working. You can switch to your own AI key at any time in Settings.
The difference lies in what else is capped. Chatfuel puts no cap on contacts or messages. VivaDialog counts conversations, 500 a month on Starter and 2,000 on Growth, so a high-volume account may get more conversations for its money on Chatfuel.
Comments and channels
On the Business plan, Chatfuel lists “Reply to post comments automatically” and “Reply to Reels comments automatically.” Its comments page describes a comment or keyword starting a DM conversation that continues as a flow. Its channels are Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and a website chat. Threads is not listed. Builders use visual flows with templates, and every plan starts with a free trial without a card.
VivaDialog next to Chatfuel
| Chatfuel (checked in 2026) | VivaDialog | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest paid plan, billed monthly | Business: $20 | Starter: $9 |
| Lowest paid plan, billed yearly | $18 a month, $216 a year | $7.20 a month, $86.40 a year |
| What the plan limits | AI use; contacts and messages unlimited | 500 conversations and 200 AI replies a month |
| When AI runs out | The bot pauses | AI replies pause; fixed-text automations keep running |
| Threads | Not listed | Replies in the same inbox |
| Yes | Not supported yet | |
| Flows | Visual flows | From Growth, a list of steps with waits and branches |
VivaDialog prices come from the pricing page. Yearly billing is 20% off and paid once for the year. The two are close in price, so the choice rests on channels and limits, not on the monthly figure. The full side-by-side is on VivaDialog vs Chatfuel.
When Chatfuel is the better pick
- You need WhatsApp or TikTok DMs and comments today. VivaDialog does not support WhatsApp, and on TikTok it only schedules video posts.
- You build multi-step chatbot flows with lead forms and integrations such as Google Sheets, Zapier, and Stripe.
- Your volume is high and mostly non-AI, where unlimited contacts and messages fit better than a monthly conversation quota.
VivaDialog fits better when you want Threads in the same inbox, when you want automations to keep answering with fixed text after the AI quota runs out, or when your team mainly answers comments and DMs rather than building long flows.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Chatfuel cost?
In 2026, the Business plan was $20 a month billed monthly or $18 a month billed yearly, with $20 of AI credits a month. Agency S was $100 a month billed monthly or $90 billed yearly (checked in 2026).
Does Chatfuel charge per contact or per message?
Not according to its limits page, which lists unlimited active contacts and messages. The limit is on AI processing.
What happens when I hit Chatfuel’s AI limit?
The bot pauses and the AI assistant stops replying until the limit resets or you renew early. Keyword replies, button flows, and broadcasts do not count toward it.
Can I use my own OpenAI key with Chatfuel?
Chatfuel’s limits page says you can connect one through support, and that fair use does not apply with your own key.
Is there a cheaper Chatfuel alternative?
VivaDialog Starter is $9 a month billed monthly or $7.20 billed yearly, with the limits above. Best Instagram DM automation tools lists eight tools with prices and check dates.
VivaDialog is in early access right now, and participants get the Growth plan free for 30 days. The pricing page has the details.