ChatDesq vs WATI: WhatsApp API pricing for India (2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-30 · By Akash Saxena, Product Manager, ChatDesq · India prices, excl. GST · We make ChatDesq. WATI facts are from WATI's own pages, linked below.
Short answer: ChatDesq costs less at every volume we tested, mainly because it has a ₹0 platform fee, forever, and charges ₹0 for extra users. Per marketing message the two are level on WATI's Growth plan (₹1.036 vs ₹1.0357), and WATI's Pro and Business plans are lower. WATI is the larger, more established platform, with 100+ integrations (including HubSpot and Salesforce) and listed SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 compliance. Choose WATI if you need those.
Who is each one best for?
ChatDesq suits Indian D2C brands that want low fixed costs; WATI suits teams that need deep integrations and compliance paperwork.
Choose ChatDesq if:
- You want no monthly plan fee and to pay only per message.
- You need more than 3 people in the inbox without paying per user.
- You want automation flows and an AI agent included without credit limits by plan.
Choose WATI if:
- You want an established vendor. WATI says it is "trusted by 16,000+ businesses across 190+ countries" (wati.io, checked 2026-10-30). ChatDesq launched in 2026.
- You need CRM integrations such as HubSpot (Pro) or Salesforce (Business), or many of its "100+ integrations".
- Your security team asks for certifications. WATI lists GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
- You send very high marketing volume on the Business plan, where WATI lists ₹0.9667 per marketing message and volume discounts on broadcasts.
- You want a 7-day free trial of a full paid plan.
How do the prices compare?
WATI charges a plan fee from ₹2,199 a month (billed yearly) plus per-message rates; ChatDesq charges per message only.
| ChatDesq | WATI Growth | WATI Pro | WATI Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan fee, billed monthly | ₹0 | ₹2,999 | ₹6,499 | ₹18,499 |
| Plan fee, billed yearly (per month) | ₹0 | ₹2,199 | ₹4,899 | ₹14,799 |
| Marketing message | ₹1.036 | ₹1.0357 | ₹0.9926 | ₹0.9667 |
| Utility message | ₹0.138 | ₹0.1495 | ₹0.1495 | ₹0.1380 |
| Authentication message | ₹0.138 | ₹0.1495 | ₹0.1495 | ₹0.1380 |
| Service message (after 1,000 free) | ₹0.138 | ₹0.1380 | ₹0.1380 | ₹0.1231 |
| Users included | Unlimited | 3 (no extra users) | 5 (+₹1,299/user/month) | 5 (+₹2,199/user/month) |
Sources: ChatDesq pricing; WATI pricing (plan fees from the page's billing toggle) and WATI's India INR rate cards for each plan, dated 2026-10-01, linked from "View Rate Card" on that page. Checked 2026-10-30.
What does a month actually cost?
ChatDesq is cheaper at all three volumes. We used WATI's cheapest plan that fits each volume, billed yearly (its lowest fee): Growth for the first two rows; Pro for the third, because Growth allows 15,000 broadcasts a month. Mix: 1 marketing message for every 2 utility messages; service replies inside the free 1,000.
| Monthly volume | ChatDesq | WATI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 marketing + 2,000 utility | ₹1,312 | ₹3,534 (Growth) | ₹2,222 less on ChatDesq |
| 10,000 marketing + 20,000 utility | ₹13,120 | ₹15,546 (Growth) | ₹2,426 less on ChatDesq |
| 50,000 marketing + 1,00,000 utility | ₹65,600 | ₹69,479 (Pro) | ₹3,879 less on ChatDesq |
Working (10,000 + 20,000): ChatDesq 10,000 × ₹1.036 + 20,000 × ₹0.138 = ₹13,120. WATI Growth ₹2,199 + 10,000 × ₹1.0357 + 20,000 × ₹0.1495 = ₹15,546. Excl. GST. Monthly billing on WATI adds ₹800 to ₹1,600 a month on these plans. Extra users on WATI add ₹1,299 or ₹2,199 per user per month.
Try your own mix in the WhatsApp cost calculator.
How do the features compare?
WATI sets limits by plan; ChatDesq includes everything on one plan. This table lists only what each company's own pages state. "Not stated" means we couldn't find it, not that it's missing.
| Feature | ChatDesq | WATI |
|---|---|---|
| Official WhatsApp Business API | Yes | Yes (Meta Business Partner badge) |
| Shared team inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Broadcasts | Included, no monthly cap stated | Growth: 15,000/month · Pro and Business: unlimited |
| AI agent | Included | Astra AI agents: 1 (Growth), 2 (Pro), unlimited (Business), with monthly AI credits |
| Automation | No-code flows included | 1,000 / 2,000 / 5,000 free automation triggers a month by plan; more as add-on |
| API | REST API with scoped keys | 10k (Growth), 200k (Pro), 20M (Business) API calls a month |
| Webhooks | Real-time webhooks included | Growth: none · Pro: limited · Business: extensive |
| CRM integrations | Not stated | HubSpot (Pro), Salesforce (Business); "100+ integrations" |
| Shopify integration | Included | Add-on, US$4.99/month |
| Extra WhatsApp number | Not stated | ₹2,499/month per number |
| Security certifications | Not stated | GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 listed |
| Free trial / plan | ₹0 plan | 7-day free trial |
Sources: chatdesq.com/pricing; wati.io/pricing; wati.io. Checked 2026-10-30.
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatDesq cheaper than WATI?
On published India rates checked on 2026-10-30, yes at the volumes we tested. ChatDesq has no plan fee. WATI Growth costs ₹2,999 a month (₹2,199 billed yearly). Per marketing message the two are level (ChatDesq ₹1.036, WATI Growth ₹1.0357); ChatDesq is lower on utility and authentication. Excl. GST.
What does WATI charge per message in India?
WATI's India rate cards dated 2026-10-01 list marketing at ₹1.0357 (Growth), ₹0.9926 (Pro) and ₹0.9667 (Business). Utility and authentication are ₹0.1495 on Growth and Pro and ₹0.1380 on Business. Service is ₹0.1380 on Growth and Pro after 1,000 free a month.
How many users does WATI include?
WATI's pricing page lists 3 users on Growth with no option to add more, and 5 users on Pro and Business, with extra users at ₹1,299 and ₹2,199 per user per month. ChatDesq includes unlimited team members at ₹0.
When is WATI the better choice?
WATI is a larger, more established platform. It says it is trusted by 16,000+ businesses in 190+ countries, lists 100+ integrations including HubSpot and Salesforce, and lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 compliance. Choose it if those matter more than cost.
Sources (checked 2026-10-30): chatdesq.com/pricing · wati.io/pricing/ · WATI India rate cards (cdn.clare.ai/pricing/Wati-Pricing-Rate-Card-Growth-Plan-INR-I.pdf, …-Pro-Plan-INR-I.pdf, …-Business-Plan-INR-I.pdf) · wati.io/
