Your business’s AI agent for WhatsApp and Instagram DMs
Answer customer messages around the clock, in your words, with a person still in charge of refunds, prices and anything tricky. You pay for the replies it sends — not for every contact who writes to you.
Set it up in an evening, no code
- Step 1
Connect your Meta business account
Link WhatsApp Business, Instagram Direct or Messenger in Connections. Messages come to your own number and account, not a shared one.
- Step 2
Write what the agent should know
Add a short Context: what you sell, opening hours, delivery and returns, your ten most common questions, and what it must hand to a person.
- Step 3
Describe the workflow in one sentence
“When a WhatsApp message arrives, answer it from the Support Context; if it asks for a refund or a custom price, post it to Slack instead.” The AI Workflow Builder drafts it; you check and save.
- Step 4
Test on your phone, then switch it on
Message your business from your own phone. Every run shows what the agent did and what it cost, so you can fix the Context before customers see it.
Full walkthrough: put an AI agent on WhatsApp that works while you sleep.
Pay per reply, not per contact
One reply that reads about 3,000 tokens of business info and chat history and writes about 150 tokens back, on platform credits (provider cost plus 50%). Model prices from OpenRouter, checked November 2, 2026. Your run log shows the exact charge.
| Model | Credits per reply | 1,000 replies |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 5.5 | 0.056 | $0.56 |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | 0.46 | $4.64 |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | 1.13 | $11.25 |
On your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google key, replies cost 0 credits. Try other sizes in the LLM cost calculator. Meta’s own WhatsApp charges, if any, are billed by Meta.
How other WhatsApp and Instagram tools charge
Quoted from each vendor’s pricing page, linked in each row. Prices change — check the source before you buy.
| Tool | What the bill grows with | Cheapest plan with WhatsApp and AI |
|---|---|---|
| MultiverseAI | AI usage per reply: provider cost plus 50% (1 credit = $0.01), or 0 credits on your own model keys | Every account: 100 free credits, no plan needed. Pro: $29/mo with 2,500 credits; packs from $10 that never expire |
| ManyChat | Active contacts per month, with an overage fee per extra contact | Pro: $39/mo ($29/mo billed yearly) for 2,500 contactssource |
| respond.io | Monthly active contacts, users and AI credits | AI Agents start on Growth: $159/mo billed yearlysource |
| Instant Reply | AI replies per month | WhatsApp starts on Growth: $108/mo billed yearly, 35,000 AI repliessource |
| Wati | Plan per month, plus template message charges | Growth: $59/mo billed yearly, 3 userssource |
Pick one of them if…
- You run broadcasts or Instagram comment-to-DM campaigns.
- Several people answer chats together in a shared team inbox.
- You need TikTok DMs or SMS in the same tool.
Pick MultiverseAI if…
- You mostly want fast, accurate replies to customers who message you first.
- You want the bill to follow replies sent, not contacts or seats.
- The agent should also check a Google Sheet, a calendar or your store, and hand off to Slack.
What WhatsApp allows, in plain words
Reply inside the 24-hour window
Each customer message opens a 24-hour customer service window. Free-form replies only go out inside it; after that, you need an approved message template.source
1,000 free service replies a month
Since October 1, 2026, Meta charges for service messages again, after a free tier of 1,000 per business phone number each month. Unused ones don’t roll over.source
Your business’s agent, not a general chatbot
WhatsApp’s Business Solution Terms bar general-purpose AI assistants as the main thing offered on the platform. An agent that answers questions about your own business is the allowed use.source
One agent, the apps your customers use
WhatsApp and Instagram AI agent: common questions
How much does a WhatsApp AI agent cost on MultiverseAI?
You pay for the AI reply, not a monthly seat or per contact. A short reply that reads about 3,000 tokens of business info and chat history costs well under a credit on a fast model (1 credit = $0.01). Meta’s own WhatsApp charges, if any, go on your Meta bill.
Does it work with Instagram DMs and Messenger too?
Yes. Incoming WhatsApp, Instagram Direct and Messenger messages can each start a workflow, and the agent replies in the same chat. Telegram, Slack and Discord work the same way.
Is this allowed under WhatsApp’s 2026 rules?
An agent that answers customers about your own business is allowed. WhatsApp bars general-purpose AI assistants as the main product on its Business Platform, so don’t offer “ask me anything” chat to the public on WhatsApp.
Can the agent hand a chat to a person?
Yes. Add a Condition step: when a reply mentions refunds, prices or anything you list, the workflow posts it to Slack (or email) for a person instead of sending it.
Can it send the first message or broadcasts?
It’s built for replying. On WhatsApp, messages outside the 24-hour window need approved templates that Meta charges for, and MultiverseAI has no broadcast tool. For broadcast campaigns, ManyChat or respond.io fit better.
Do I need a separate WhatsApp number?
You need a number connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) through your Meta business account. You connect it once, and replies go out from that number.
Answer your next customer message with AI
Every account starts with 100 free credits — enough to connect your number, write the Context and test it from your own phone.