Honest comparison · 2026

Wati vs RichAutomate

Quick answer

As of June 2026, Wati starts at $49/mo (~₹4,100) with USD billing, while RichAutomate charges ₹0/mo platform fee with INR + GST invoicing. For Indian D2C brands sending over 100,000 messages a month, RichAutomate typically costs 18-30% less per message and includes free BSP migration. Both run on the same Meta WhatsApp Cloud API v24.

Wati is a popular pick for early-stage D2C, but Indian brands hitting 100k+ messages/month often find pricing opaque and the flow builder limited for AI-driven journeys. Here is a side-by-side that does not pull punches.

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Side-by-side

Where Wati and RichAutomate differ on what actually matters for Indian D2C brands.

Feature	Wati	RichAutomate
Meta WhatsApp Cloud API	Yes	Yes
Visual drag-and-drop flow builder	Basic — linear flows	Graph-based with branching, delays, AI nodes
Shared team inbox	Yes	Yes
AI agent / GenAI replies	Add-on, extra cost	Built-in, OpenAI + Gemini compatible
Meta Native Flows	Limited support	Full support with dynamic endpoints
Dual billing (Client Pay / SaaS Pay) Critical for agencies billing clients separately	No	Yes
Wallet + ledger with date range	Invoice-only, monthly	Real-time wallet, downloadable ledger
Per-message + per-window billing transparency	Bundled into plan	Itemised, matches Meta rates exactly
Razorpay subscription billing	No	Yes
Public REST API + API keys	Limited endpoints	Full REST API, scoped keys
Webhooks for inbound, status, billing	Inbound + status only	Inbound, status, billing, flow events
Realtime via WebSockets	Polling-based	Pusher-compatible WebSockets
Multi-language template manager	Yes	Yes
Campaign CSV upload + segmentation	Yes	Yes
Pricing in INR with GST handling	USD billing for some plans	INR-native with GST invoice
Migration support from existing BSP	DIY	Free migration team for switchers
India support / WhatsApp office hours	Email + chat	WhatsApp + phone, IST hours
DPDP Act 2023 compliance built-in	Generic privacy controls	India-specific consent + retention

Meta per-message rates are published by Meta and identical across BSPs (utility, marketing, authentication, service). The only variable is the BSP platform fee + per-message markup. Verified against business.whatsapp.com/products/platform-pricing as of June 2026.

5 reasons Indian brands switch from Wati to RichAutomate

Cut platform fee from $49+/mo (USD) to ₹0/mo with INR + GST invoicing — no FX risk on month-end accounting.
Move from linear flow builder to graph-based flows with conditional branching, parallel delay nodes, and inline AI calls.
Run dual billing (Client Pay or SaaS Pay) so agencies can bill end-clients separately on the same dashboard.
Get a real-time wallet ledger with date-range CSV export instead of monthly bundled invoices.
Include free 7-day migration — RichAutomate rebuilds templates and flows so you keep your WABA number with zero downtime.

Our take

When Wati is the right call — and when it isn't.

Pick Wati if you are early-stage (< 50k contacts), comfortable with USD billing, and need a polished out-of-box CRM with strong customer support reputation. Pick RichAutomate if you ship in India, need INR billing with GST invoicing, run agencies that bill clients separately (Client Pay), or want full control over your flow logic and AI replies without per-feature add-on fees. Migration is free — we line-item your last 3 Wati invoices and rebuild the equivalent flows on RichAutomate within 7 days.

Free 24-hour audit

Still on Wati? Send us your last invoice.

We line-item your current BSP costs against Meta's published rates and benchmark against 3 competitors. You get the report on WhatsApp within 24 hours. No commitment.

Frequently asked

Does Wati or RichAutomate use the same Meta WhatsApp Cloud API?+

Both run on the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API v24+. Per-message Meta rates (utility, marketing, authentication, service) are identical across all BSPs because Meta sets them. The cost difference comes from the BSP platform fee and per-message markup, not the underlying Meta charge.

How long does migration from Wati to RichAutomate take?+

A 7-day window is typical: 1 day to port WABA registration, 1-2 days to clone templates and re-submit them to Meta, 2-3 days to rebuild flows in our visual builder, 1 day for QA, 1 day to switch DNS / webhook URLs. Our migration team does this for you at no extra cost for switchers.

Can I keep my existing WhatsApp Business number when switching?+

Yes. WhatsApp Business numbers are portable between BSPs. Meta requires a 7-day cool-down between deletion from old BSP and registration on new BSP. We co-ordinate the timing so there is zero downtime in production messaging.

Is RichAutomate cheaper than Wati for high-volume Indian D2C brands?+

For brands sending over 100k marketing messages a month, the per-message markup plus dual-billing transparency typically saves 18-30 percent. We will benchmark your actual last invoice in our free 24-hour audit before you commit to switching.

Does RichAutomate have an Android or iOS app?+

The shared inbox and dashboard are mobile-responsive web apps that work in any modern browser. Native apps are on the 2026 roadmap. The web app is installable as a PWA for home-screen access.

Personalised cost comparison

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