respond.io vs PromptLab: which should you use for a WhatsApp inbox in 2026?
respond.io is a messaging inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and more, with broadcasts and AI agents; PromptLab is a CRM with a WhatsApp inbox built in.
Published 20 October 2026. Prices and features from each vendor's own pages.
The short answer
respond.ioPaid from $79/workspaceChoose it if you message customers on Instagram, Messenger and TikTok as well as WhatsApp.
PromptLabIn the CRM from $11.99/seatChoose it if you want WhatsApp, Telegram and email threads on the deal they belong to.
respond.io is a dedicated messaging inbox. It brings WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger and email into one place, with broadcasts, workflows and AI agents. PromptLab is a CRM for B2B teams that sell products, with a WhatsApp inbox built in. So you either run a messaging platform next to your CRM, or answer the chats inside the CRM.
Below, the two are compared on price, channels, broadcasts and chatbots, and CRM links. We make PromptLab, so every figure comes from respond.io's own pricing and product pages and PromptLab's pricing page, and we say where respond.io is stronger. respond.io is priced per workspace a month, billed annually, and PromptLab per user a month, billed monthly, unless we say otherwise.
respond.io vs PromptLab at a glance
| Checked on 20 October 2026 | respond.io | PromptLab |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | ||
| Paid plans, a month | $79 – $279per workspace | $11.99 – $99per seat |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Billing | Billed annually | Billed monthly |
| WhatsApp inbox | ||
| Telegram | ||
| Email in the same inbox | ||
| Instagram and Messenger | ||
| WhatsApp broadcasts | From$159/month | |
| Chatbots and auto-replies | From$159/month | |
| CRM integrations | From$159/month | Built in |
Pricing: $79 to $279 against $11.99 to $99
respond.io prices per workspace and by monthly active contacts. Starter is $79 a month, Growth $159 and Advanced $279, shown for the 1,000-contact tier, with Enterprise custom. Starter includes 5 users and extra users cost $12 a month each. There is a free 7-day trial. WhatsApp fees from Meta are not included and are charged by usage.
PromptLab Basic, which has the WhatsApp inbox, is $11.99 a user a month; Professional is $23.99 and Business $99, with a 14-day trial on Basic and Professional. Five PromptLab Basic users cost $59.95 a month, or $495 a year billed yearly. respond.io's plan buys the inbox alone and PromptLab's buys the CRM, so a team that also pays for a CRM pays for both.
Which channels each one covers
respond.io covers far more channels. Every plan includes the Telegram bot, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, Viber, LINE and WeChat, plus Gmail, Outlook and Microsoft 365, Yahoo and custom SMTP email.
PromptLab puts WhatsApp, Telegram and email threads in one shared inbox, each linked to its contact and deal. Connect a WhatsApp Business number, or a personal WhatsApp or Telegram account by scanning a QR code. You can assign a conversation to a teammate and leave internal notes. It has no Instagram or Messenger.
Broadcasts, workflows and AI agents
Instant, scheduled and segmented broadcasts, and the workflow builder, start on Growth at $159. So do AI Agents for reception, support and sales. Starter includes AI Assist and AI chat summaries but no AI Agents.
PromptLab's inbox has no WhatsApp broadcasts, no chatbots or auto-replies and no AI reply drafts, so a person answers each chat. It suits teams who sell one conversation at a time, not support at volume.
Where respond.io is stronger
For a messaging operation at volume, respond.io has far more. Broadcasts and AI Agents start on Growth, a mobile app and 24/7 support come on every plan, and it covers Instagram and Messenger, which PromptLab's inbox does not.
It also connects to other CRMs. HubSpot, Zapier, Make, n8n and a Developer API start on Growth, and Salesforce needs Advanced. The integrations page also lists an MCP server for Claude or ChatGPT.
Chats on the deal
In PromptLab every WhatsApp thread is on the contact and the deal. The quote, the notes and the chat sit together, and there is no sync between an inbox and a CRM.
Both connect to AI assistants: Claude and ChatGPT can connect to PromptLab over MCP, on every plan, and respond.io lists an MCP server too.
Which should you choose?
Choose respond.io if…
- You message customers on Instagram, Messenger and TikTok as well as WhatsApp.
- You need WhatsApp broadcasts and AI Agents that answer customers.
- You want a team inbox that connects to HubSpot or Salesforce.
Choose PromptLab if…
- You want WhatsApp, Telegram and email threads on the deal they belong to.
- You sell one conversation at a time and need no broadcasts or chatbots.
- You want per-user pricing from $11.99 with the CRM included.
Frequently asked questions
Is PromptLab a respond.io alternative?
For a sales team that talks to buyers on WhatsApp, Telegram and email, yes. For broadcasts, chatbots that answer customers, or Instagram and Messenger, no: respond.io does those and PromptLab does not.
Is respond.io cheaper than PromptLab?
No. respond.io Starter is $79 a month billed annually for the workspace and 5 users, with $12 for each extra user; five PromptLab Basic users cost $59.95 a month billed monthly. respond.io's price also excludes Meta's WhatsApp fees.
Can PromptLab replace respond.io?
If you answer chats by hand and sell through WhatsApp, Telegram and email, it can. If you run broadcasts or bots, keep respond.io.
Does respond.io work with a CRM?
Yes. HubSpot and a Developer API start on Growth at $159, and the Salesforce integration needs Advanced at $279. Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign and Zendesk are also listed.
Is there a CRM with a WhatsApp inbox built in?
Yes. PromptLab's shared inbox handles WhatsApp, Telegram and email on every plan, from $11.99 a user a month, with each conversation linked to its contact and deal and a 14-day free trial.
Sources
- respond.io, checked on 20 October 2026: respond.io pricing, respond.io integrations
- PromptLab, checked on 20 October 2026: PromptLab pricing
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