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5 Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Pros, Cons & Pricing Compared

Román Filgueira

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7 min read
5 Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Pros, Cons & Pricing Compared
WhatsApp Partners / Business Solution Providers (BSP): Do You Need One?

TL;DR - What is the Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider?

Choosing the right WhatsApp BSP depends on your business size,s strategy and needs. Each platform serves a different stage of growth — from small WhatsApp teams to enterprises managing multiple channels. Here’s how the top providers compare.

  • Respond.io: Best for scaling B2Cs that need omnichannel AI Agents, advanced automation and integrations.

  • WATI: Small to mid-sized businesses focused mostly on WhatsApp and Instagram.

  • Trengo: Small to medium-size B2C businesses that require basic integrations and automation for doing support over chat.

  • Sleekflow: Businesses with low chat volumes and limited automation and support needs.

  • Bird: Mid to large businesses needing SMS + WhatsApp at scale, with flexible automation and API control. Best for technical teams.

There are numerous WhatsApp Business Solution Providers (BSPs) on the market, making it hard to choose the right one. Without the right information, you might end up with a provider that doesn’t fit your business needs — or worse, pay unnecessary costs.

If you're new to BSPs, we recommend starting with WhatsApp BSP: Everything You Need to Know for a quick introduction. But if you're ready to compare options and make an informed decision, we’ll walk you through 5 popular WhatsApp Business Solution Providers and how to choose the best one for your business.

How to Choose the Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider

We asked the COO of respond.io, Iaroslav Kudritskiy, what the main things are to look for when choosing a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider. In his experience, these are the three points that matter the most.

Factor

Why It Matters

What to Check

1. Reliability

You need fast, stable, always-on messaging and calls

- High platform uptime
- High-quality support

2. Usability

A good platform makes messaging easy to manage and scale

- CRM integration
- AI & automation
- Broadcast tools
- Reports

3. Pricing

High costs or rigid plans hurt growth

- No hidden markups
- Value-based pricing

1. Reliability & Stability

When customer calls and messages are core to your business, reliability is non-negotiable. You need a BSP that offers high uptime, fast message delivery and minimal disruptions — especially during peak traffic or critical moments.

Look for providers with a proven track record of 99.9% or higher uptime, as specified in their Service Level Agreement (SLA).

True reliability also depends on a responsive support team that’s available when you need it most. Support via live chat and call tends to be more effective than via e-mail.

2. Tooling & Usability

A good WhatsApp BSP should give you extra tools to help you get the most out of the WhatsApp API.

Most platforms offer a messaging inbox. Other than that, some offer features like CRM integrations, automation builders, AI features and broadcast capabilities.

For long-term success, ensure your BSP also includes analytics and reporting, as well as a way to view and manage the customer lifecycle (the stage of the sales funnel they are in).

3. Pricing & Flexibility

Choosing a BSP with transparent, flexible pricing is crucial if you want to make the most of your budget.

Look for providers that offer pass-through pricing on WhatsApp per-message charges, meaning you only pay what Meta charges, with no hidden markups.

Ideally, the BSP should give you room to grow with value-based pricing plans. Avoid rigid pricing models that force you into paying for features you don’t need or restrict your ability to scale.

With these three points in mind, we’ll help you decide between 5 of the most popular WhatsApp BSPs in the market.

Turn conversations into customers with respond.io's official WhatsApp API ✨

Manage WhatsApp calls and chats in one place!

What is the Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider?

Respond.io, WATI, Trengo, SleekFlow and Bird are among the most well-known BSPs. We’ll compare their features, reliability, and overall value to help you choose the best option for your business.

Respond.io

Respond.io is a preferred Meta Business Partner built for medium to large businesses. It excels in omnichannel communication with advanced automation, AI agents and enterprise-grade realiability and security.

Pros

Cons

  • There is a learning curve

  • Not ideal for small businesses that don't seek to scale

Pricing

Respond.io’s mid-tier Growth plan is priced at $159/month and supports up to 10 users. It includes unlimited automation, unrestricted use of the AI Agent, advanced reporting and more — all without extra charges for WhatsApp API account setup, hosting, or markups to Meta message fees.

Wati

WATI (WhatsApp Team Inbox) is built for small and medium-sized businesses that focus mostly on the WhatsApp Business API. It focuses on team collaboration and simple automation for customer conversations on WhatsApp.

Pros

  • Supports WhatsApp Business App integration (coexistence)

  • Offers no-code automation tools and an AI support agent

  • CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot

  • Integration with WhatsApp click to chat ads

  • Includes a mobile app for on-the-go messaging

Cons

  • Automation setup can feel fragmented across separate modules

  • Broadcasts only on WhatsApp

  • No WhatsApp calls

  • The platform may slow down under high message volumes

  • Wati’s support experience is inconsistent, with only email support for the Growth plan

  • WhatsApp messages include markup charges beyond Meta’s official rates

Pricing

The mid-tier WATI plan costs $79 for five users, making it a budget-friendly choice for small teams, but keep in mind the extra messaging markups and other unexpected fees. For instance, Shopify integration and 1,000 AI support responses are paid add-ons.

Trengo

Trengo is an omnichannel platform tailored for small businesses managing customer communication across multiple channels. It combines WhatsApp with email, SMS, Instagram, and more, offering a unified inbox and automation tools.

Pros

  • Supports multiple channels, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and custom channels

  • Offers rule-based automation for routing and tagging

  • CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot

  • It has AI agents and other AI features, though in beta

  • Mobile app available for basic messaging tasks

Cons

  • No support for LINE or Viber

  • Broadcast is not available for Messenger, Telegram, or other channels

  • May experience performance issues under heavy message loads

  • Customer support is limited in availability and responsiveness

Pricing

Trengo starts at $579/month for twenty users, but key features like broadcast are paid add-ons. The number of conversations for this plan is limited to 18,000/year. For more, you’ll have to pay extra fees. The same happens with conversations with an AI surcharge.

Sleekflow

Sleekflow is aimed at small to mid-sized businesses that want a multichannel communication tool with a focus on WhatsApp automation.

Pros

  • Supports major messaging channels including WhatsApp, LINE, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and SMS

  • It has AI agents and other AI features

  • CRM integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce

  • Offers rule-based automation

  • Provides a mobile app for managing conversations on the go

Cons

  • Does not support TikTok, email or custom channel integrations

  • No broadcast support for Messenger, Telegram, or Viber

  • No WhatsApp calls

  • May experience slowdowns with high message volumes

  • Customer support is limited in availability and responsiveness

  • $15 for each hosted number per month

Pricing

SleekFlow’s mid-tier plan costs $349/month and includes only 5 users. Pricing is based on the total number of stored contacts, not just the ones you actively engage with.

By default, Sleekflow has several usage limits. For example, all Sleekflow users receive 500 credits for AI Agent usage. There are 3 types of AI Agents to choose from: Basic Support uses one credit per message, while Sales Growth and Custom use two credits per message. Last, you’ll also need to pay for flow enrolment credits to trigger automation workflows.

Bird

Bird is best suited for enterprises that need to manage SMS, WhatsApp, and other channels at scale. Originally focused on SMS, Bird also supports other messaging apps with advanced routing and contact tools.

Pros

  • Supports major communication channels, including WhatsApp, SMS, Email, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and more

  • Offers WhatsApp Business Calling API for voice call integration

  • CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot

  • Allows contact merging to unify customer profiles across channels

  • Provides flexible automation options through flows and APIs

Cons

  • Does not support custom-built channels outside its predefined list

  • WhatsApp broadcast setup requires technical configuration via Flow Builder

  • Automation tools are spread across different modules, making set up less intuitive

  • Platform performance can worsen under heavy message volume

  • Customer support is limited in availability and lacks clear SLAs

Pricing

Bird’s pricing model is modular, requiring businesses to pay separately for platform access, messaging and certain features, making it less transparent than bundled alternatives.

The standard plan starts at $45/month for up to 3,000 contacts, with scalable tiers based on contact volume. It includes two user seats, while additional seats are only available through custom enterprise agreements.

Each BSP has its strengths depending on your business size, messaging needs, and technical capacity. But choosing the right provider isn’t just about fit today — it’s about finding a platform that grows with you.

The Best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Side by Side Comparison

BSP

Channels supported

WhatsApp Calling API

AI & Automation

Integration with Hubspot and Salesforce

Reliability

Pricing

Respond.io

WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram DM, Facebook Messenger, custom channels and more

✅ Omnichannel AI + advanced automation

✅ 99.9% uptime + 24/5 chat and call support, 24/7 AI support

$159/month for 10 users. No extra charges for features

WATI

WhatsApp and Instagram DM

⚠️ Basic no-code tools + WhatsApp-only AI agent

⚠️ Slows at volume + limited support

$79/month for 5 users. Markups & hidden fees apply

Trengo

WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and more (no TikTok)

✅ Rule-based automation + basic AI

⚠️ Unstable under load + limited support

$569/month for 5 users. Add-ons required for features

SleekFlow

WhatsApp, Faceobook Messenger, Instagram DM and more (no TikTok)

✅ AI agents + rule-based automation

⚠️ Slows at scale + limited support

$349/month for 5 users. Pricing based on contact count

Bird

WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and more (no TikTok)

⚠️ Strong tools but split across modules

⚠️ Slows at scale + unclear SLAs

$45/month for 3,000 contacts. Modular & opaque pricing

Many platforms are designed with small businesses in mind, but as your company grows, limitations in messaging channels, automation capabilities and platform stability can quickly become roadblocks. Migrating to a new platform later often means dealing with data transfer, team retraining and potential service disruptions.

WATI offers a good starting point for small teams using the WhatsApp Business API, but its lack of supported channels restricts customer entry points and engagement opportunities.

Trengo and SleekFlow provide more flexibility with multichannel support and basic AI tools, yet they still fall short when it comes to scalability and feature depth. Bird, meanwhile, can be complex due to fragmented tools and unclear pricing, making it difficult to evaluate and use effectively.

Respond.io stands out as being feature-rich with unique offerings like WhatsApp coexistence and WhatsApp Business calling API. While not one of the cheapest options, pricing is transparent and value-based.

Last, none of these solutions guarantees top stability with high chat volumes like respond.io. Also, respond.io’s support is regarded by G2 users as one of its biggest strengths.

Which WhatsApp Business Solution Provider Should I Choose?

BSP

Best for

Respond.io

Startups to enterprises needing scalable omnichannel communication, advanced AI & automation, and CRM integration. Ideal for growing teams, medium and large size businesses and enterprises.

WATI

Small to mid-sized businesses focused mostly on WhatsApp and Instagram.

Trengo

Small to medium-size B2C businesses that require basic integrations and automation for doing support over chat.

SleekFlow

Businesses with low chat volumes and limited automation and support needs.

Bird

Mid to large businesses needing SMS + WhatsApp at scale, with flexible automation and API control. Best for technical teams.

With advanced WhatsApp capabilities, seamless CRM integrations, full omnichannel coverage, enterprise-grade stability and transparent pricing, respond.io is the ideal long-term solution for business growth.

Experience it yourself — start your free respond.io trial today.

Turn conversations into customers with respond.io's official WhatsApp API ✨

Manage WhatsApp calls and chats in one place!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WhatsApp solution provider?

A called a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP), is a Meta-approved company that helps businesses use the WhatsApp Business API. These providers offer everything from setup to support and may include features like message automation, analytics, and integrations with other tools.

Which is the best WhatsApp API provider?

Respond.io: Ideal for startups to enterprises needing the most advanced features for reliable, scalable omnichannel communication. Great for teams managing sales and marketing across multiple channels.

WATI: Best for small to mid-sized businesses focused on WhatsApp.

Trengo: Fits small to medium B2C businesses offering support over chat. Centralizes channels like WhatsApp, Messenger and email with simple automation.

Sleekflow: Designed for businesses with low chat volumes and minimal automation needs. Works well for manual outreach and conversational selling.

Bird: Ideal for mid to large businesses with technical teams needing SMS and WhatsApp at scale. Strong fit for transactional messaging via API.

Do I need a solution provider to use WhatsApp?

Not necessarily. Today, businesses can access the WhatsApp API in two ways:

  • Directly through Meta — a simple, self-serve option, although you still need a messaging inbox.

  • Through a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) — preferred by businesses that want added tools, support and scalability.

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Román Filgueira
Román Filgueira
Román Filgueira, a University of Vigo graduate holding a Bachelor's in Foreign Languages, joined the respond.io team as a Content Writer in 2021. Román offers expert insights on best practices for using messaging apps to drive business growth.
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