Interakt vs WhatsApp Business
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Interakt
WhatsApp Business platform for small businesses and D2C brands, with inbox, campaigns and Shopify tools.
WhatsApp Business
Free WhatsApp app for small businesses, with a business profile, catalog, auto-replies and labels.
The short answer
WhatsApp Business is the free Meta app that suits an owner or small team chatting with customers directly. Interakt is a paid WhatsApp API platform aimed at Shopify and D2C brands, with a shared inbox for unlimited agents, campaigns and ecommerce automations. Choose the free app for simple one-to-one selling, and Interakt when order updates, abandoned-checkout reminders and a larger support team make automation worth paying for.
Interakt or WhatsApp Business: our take
WhatsApp Business gives a small business its own WhatsApp number with a business profile, a product catalog customers can browse and order from, greeting and away messages, quick replies and labels for sorting chats. Broadcasts and click-to-WhatsApp ads on Facebook and Instagram help bring customers in. The app is free, and the paid Meta Verified subscription adds a verification badge, priority support and up to 10 linked devices. Beyond that it has no real team inbox, chatbot or CRM.
Interakt, owned by Jio Haptik, runs on the WhatsApp Business API and is a recognised Meta partner. Paid plans include a shared inbox with unlimited agents, broadcast and automated campaigns, a chatbot builder, WhatsApp catalog and checkout, and payment links. Its strength is ecommerce: the Shopify app syncs contacts and catalogues and sends order updates, abandoned-checkout reminders and cash-on-delivery-to-prepaid nudges, and it connects to WooCommerce, Razorpay and PayU. Newer plans add Instagram DM automation and a simple sales CRM, with WhatsApp AI agents as a paid add-on.
Interakt's Growth plan is ₹2,799 a month plus taxes, after a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and Meta's per-message fees are charged separately. It runs on the web with an Android app, while WhatsApp Business has apps for iPhone and Android plus web access. Interakt's focus is mainly India, South-East Asia, the Middle East and Brazil.
If a few people handle customer chats by hand and orders are modest, the free WhatsApp Business app does the job. If you sell through Shopify or WooCommerce and want automated order messages, recovery of abandoned carts and many agents on one number, Interakt is the stronger fit, as long as the subscription plus Meta's message charges make sense for your volume.
Which should you pick?
Choose Interakt if…
- Shopify and D2C brands that sell and send order updates over WhatsApp
- Strong Shopify tools such as abandoned-checkout and COD-to-prepaid flows
- Shared WhatsApp inbox with unlimited agents on paid plans
Choose WhatsApp Business if…
- Small businesses where an owner or small team chats with customers directly on WhatsApp
- You want a free option (Interakt is paid only)
- You need iOS, which Interakt doesn't list
- Free, and customers already have WhatsApp
- Catalog, cart and auto-replies built in
About each app
What is Interakt?
Interakt is a WhatsApp Business API platform built for small businesses and direct-to-consumer brands, and is owned by Jio Haptik, part of Reliance. It gives a team a shared inbox on one WhatsApp number, broadcast and automated campaigns, a chatbot builder, WhatsApp catalog and checkout, and payment links. Its strongest area is ecommerce: the Shopify app syncs contacts and catalogues and sends order updates, abandoned-checkout reminders and cash-on-delivery-to-prepaid nudges, and it connects to WooCommerce, Razorpay and PayU. Newer plans add Instagram DM automation, WhatsApp AI agents as an add-on and a simple sales CRM. Interakt is a recognised Meta Business Partner and mainly serves India, South-East Asia, the Middle East and Brazil. Pricing is a paid monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription after a 14-day free trial, with Meta's per-message charges billed on top. It runs on the web and has an Android app for replying on the go.
What is WhatsApp Business?
WhatsApp Business is Meta's separate WhatsApp app for small businesses that talk to customers one-to-one. It runs on its own phone number and adds a business profile with hours, address and website, a product catalog customers can browse and order from, automatic greeting and away messages, quick replies for common questions, and labels for sorting chats. Broadcasts let you message many customers at once, and newer Business Broadcast tools add scheduling and insights in some countries. Customers reach you through QR codes, short links and ads that click to WhatsApp on Facebook and Instagram. The app is free; a paid Meta Verified subscription adds a verification badge, impersonation protection, priority support and up to 10 linked devices for multiple agents. It suits shops and service businesses where the owner or a small team handles chats; larger teams needing a shared inbox, chatbots and campaign automation usually move to the WhatsApp Business Platform through a provider such as WATI or Interakt.
Side by side
| Attribute | Interakt | WhatsApp Business |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Android | iOS, Android, Web |
| Best for | Shopify and D2C brands that sell and send order updates over WhatsApp | Small businesses where an owner or small team chats with customers directly on WhatsApp |
| Status | Active | Active |
Interakt vs WhatsApp Business pricing
Interakt: paid
- Starting price: $55/month (Growth) source
- Growth plan: ₹2,799 a month plus taxes source
- Advanced plan: ₹3,799 a month plus taxes source
- Free trial: 14 days, no credit card source
WhatsApp Business: free plan + paid
We couldn't verify WhatsApp Business's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | Interakt | WhatsApp Business |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Interakt facts
7 of 7 verified- Starting price
- $55/month (Growth)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Growth $55 /mo (+taxes)”
- Owner
- Jio Haptik
- Checked Nov 8, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Launched by Reliance Jio – Haptik”
- Shopify
- WhatsApp sales channel app
- Checked Nov 8, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Interakt is now the #1 WhatsApp Sales Channel app on the Shopify app store & is also available for mobile Google Play store and App store.”
- Meta partner
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Ecosystem Map Built on the official WhatsApp Business API, Interakt is also a recognized Meta Business Partner”
- Growth plan
- ₹2,799 a month plus taxes
- Checked Nov 6, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Growth ₹2799 /mo (+taxes)”
- Advanced plan
- ₹3,799 a month plus taxes
- Checked Nov 6, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “Advanced ₹3799 /mo (+taxes)”
- Free trial
- 14 days, no credit card
- Checked Nov 8, 2026interakt.shop(opens source in a new tab)
- “14 day free trial | No credit card required on WhatsApp, Instagram & RCS!”
WhatsApp Business facts
4 of 4 verified- Auto-replies
- Greeting and away messages
- Checked Nov 8, 2026business.whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Respond automatically to messages received outside your business hours to set expectations and let customers know when you’ll be back.”
- Product catalog
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026business.whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Showcase your products and services in a mobile storefront”
- Multiple agents
- Up to 10 devices (Meta Verified)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026business.whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “linking up to 10 devices and agents to your account”
- Chat labels
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026business.whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Learn more Labels Organize and filter important customer conversations so you can quickly find and respond to messages that need your attention.”
Pros and cons of Interakt
- Strong Shopify tools such as abandoned-checkout and COD-to-prepaid flows
- Shared WhatsApp inbox with unlimited agents on paid plans
- 14-day free trial without a credit card
- Backed by Jio Haptik
- WhatsApp AI agents cost extra on top of the plan
- Meta per-message fees are charged separately
- Focus is narrow outside India and a few other markets
Pros and cons of WhatsApp Business
- Free, and customers already have WhatsApp
- Catalog, cart and auto-replies built in
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads connect to Facebook and Instagram
- Not a real team inbox; multi-agent use needs Meta Verified and caps at 10 devices
- No full chatbot or CRM features without moving to the API platform
- Some broadcast features are limited to select countries
Other apps to consider
WATIInstead of Interakt
Broader omnichannel inbox with Instagram and TikTok, and higher plans with Salesforce integration.
- AiAiSensy
Instead of Interakt
Free starting plan and no API setup fee, with similar broadcasts and chatbot builder.
respond.ioInstead of Interakt
Handles WhatsApp plus Instagram, Messenger and email in one inbox, with workflow automation beyond Interakt's D2C store focus.
TelegramInstead of WhatsApp Business
Free messenger with business features such as greetings, hours and quick replies, without Meta.
TwilioInstead of WhatsApp Business
For developers: send and receive WhatsApp messages from your own code through Twilio's API, alongside SMS and voice.
Interakt vs WhatsApp Business: common questions
Is Interakt better than WhatsApp Business?
WhatsApp Business is the free Meta app that suits an owner or small team chatting with customers directly. Interakt is a paid WhatsApp API platform aimed at Shopify and D2C brands, with a shared inbox for unlimited agents, campaigns and ecommerce automations. Choose the free app for simple one-to-one selling, and Interakt when order updates, abandoned-checkout reminders and a larger support team make automation worth paying for.
Is Interakt free?
No. Interakt is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is WhatsApp Business free?
WhatsApp Business has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Interakt or WhatsApp Business open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Interakt and WhatsApp Business support?
Interakt: Web and Android. WhatsApp Business: iOS, Android and Web.