Buyer’s guide · WhatsApp CRM
Best WhatsApp CRM for Small Business in India (2026)
7 options compared honestly, with prices and who each one is right for. Updated November 2026.
Most Indian small businesses already sell on WhatsApp. The problem starts when chats pile up: replies get late, leads are forgotten, and nobody knows who answered whom. A WhatsApp CRM fixes that with a shared inbox, follow-ups, a simple pipeline and, increasingly, an AI agent that replies for you.
There is no single “best” tool. The right one depends on whether you need a full sales CRM, commerce features, cheap broadcasts, or an AI that answers every enquiry. Below is a fair comparison of the main options. We make one of them (ChatFlow), and we say so where it appears.
Quick answer
- Full sales CRM with GST invoicing: Zoho CRM
- AI replies on your existing number, free to start: ChatFlow
- Mature all-rounder for growing teams: Wati
- E-commerce / Shopify: Interakt
- Broadcasts on a budget: AiSensy
- WhatsApp sales teams: DoubleTick
- A few chats a day: the free WhatsApp Business app
Comparison table
| Tool | Entry price / month (before GST) | Free plan / trial | AI agent | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatFlow | Free plan; paid from ₹999 | Yes, forever + 30 days of everything | Included | AI replies on your existing number |
| Zoho CRM | Per user (see zoho.com) | Free trial | Zia AI on higher plans | Full sales CRM |
| Wati | Growth ~₹2,999 | 7-day trial | Credits included, limits by plan | Mature all-rounder |
| Interakt | Starter ~₹999 | Free trial | Paid add-on | E-commerce |
| AiSensy | Basic ~₹1,500 | Free plan | Add-on ₹1,350/mo | Broadcasts on a budget |
| DoubleTick | Ask their team | No trial (demo) | Included | WhatsApp sales teams |
| WhatsApp Business app | Free | Free | No | Solo owners |
Prices from each provider’s pricing page, checked October–November 2026. Meta’s WhatsApp message charges are extra for every tool on the Business Platform. Plans change often, so check the provider’s site before you decide.
What to look for in a WhatsApp CRM
- Official WhatsApp Business Platform, so your number is safe from bans.
- Shared team inbox with assignment, so two people never reply to the same customer.
- Follow-ups and reminders, so no lead goes cold.
- AI agent that answers common questions instantly, day and night, and hands hot leads to you.
- Keeping your number and app: can you keep using the WhatsApp Business app on the same number?
- Total cost: the plan price, plus Meta’s message charges, plus any AI or chatbot add-ons.
- Local support that can help you connect your number, ideally in your language.
The 7 options in detail
1. ChatFlow by Novynix
Best for: Small businesses that want an AI agent replying on their existing WhatsApp number, free to start
Disclosure: ChatFlow is our product, so judge it with that in mind. It is a WhatsApp-first CRM built around an AI agent that answers questions, qualifies the lead and books it, with a shared team inbox, pipeline, broadcasts, chatbot flows and analytics.
Good- Free plan forever (1 agent, shared inbox, 100 AI replies a month); every feature free for 30 days, no card needed
- Paid plans from ₹999/month + GST, with the AI agent included
- Keeps the WhatsApp Business app working on the same number, so you don’t lose the app or your chats
- Indian team that will set it up with you on WhatsApp, free
- Newer than Wati, Interakt or AiSensy, with fewer third-party integrations
- Not a full sales CRM with quotes, invoicing and GST like Zoho CRM
2. Zoho CRM
Best for: Businesses that need a full sales CRM (deals, quotes, invoicing, GST) and treat WhatsApp as one channel
Zoho CRM is a complete, Indian-built sales CRM with deep integrations across the Zoho suite. WhatsApp is connected through Zoho’s WhatsApp Business integration, so messages and templates sit inside CRM records.
Good- Very complete CRM: pipelines, quotes, reports, workflows
- INR pricing and GST-friendly Zoho ecosystem (Books, Invoice)
- Priced per user, so costs grow with team size
- More setup than WhatsApp-first tools; WhatsApp is an add-on channel, not the centre of the product
3. Wati
Best for: Growing teams that want a mature, established WhatsApp platform
Wati is one of the best-known WhatsApp Business API platforms, with a shared inbox, broadcasts, chatbots and a large integration list. Recent plans include AI agent credits with limits per plan.
Good- Mature and widely used
- Strong team inbox and integrations
- Growth plan from about ₹2,999/month before GST
- 7-day trial, no free plan
4. Interakt
Best for: E-commerce and D2C brands on Shopify or WooCommerce
Interakt (backed by Jio Haptik) is strong on commerce: WhatsApp catalogs, cart and order notifications, and store integrations.
Good- Excellent commerce and catalog features
- Low entry price (Starter from about ₹999/month)
- AI agents are a paid add-on on higher plans
- Less focused on service businesses like clinics or salons
5. AiSensy
Best for: Businesses that mainly send broadcasts and campaigns on a budget
AiSensy is popular in India for affordable template campaigns at scale, with a free plan to start and paid plans from about ₹1,500/month.
Good- Free plan available
- Strong broadcast and campaign tools
- AI agent is a paid add-on (₹1,350/month) and the chatbot builder is extra
- Message charges are prepaid credits on top of the plan
6. DoubleTick
Best for: Sales teams that sell over WhatsApp and want AI built into every plan
DoubleTick is a WhatsApp sales CRM for teams, with a mobile-first inbox, broadcasts and AI agents included in every plan.
Good- AI agents built into all plans
- Good for field and sales teams working from the phone
- No free trial (demo instead)
- Confirm current pricing with their team before you commit
7. WhatsApp Business app (free)
Best for: Solo owners with a small number of chats a day
Meta’s free app gives you a business profile, labels, quick replies and a simple greeting message. It is the right place to start, and you outgrow it when more than one person needs to reply, or leads start slipping through.
Good- Free
- Nothing to set up
- No AI agent, no real pipeline or reports
- Hard for a team to share and track who replied
How to choose in 2 minutes
- Fewer than 20 chats a day and only you replying? Stay on the free WhatsApp Business app.
- Need quotes, invoices and a full sales process across channels? Choose Zoho CRM.
- Selling products online? Shortlist Interakt.
- Mostly sending offers and reminders to a big list? Shortlist AiSensy.
- Losing enquiries because nobody replies fast enough, especially after hours? Try an AI-first tool like ChatFlow, which you can start free on your existing number.
New to the idea? Read what a WhatsApp CRM is and how WhatsApp message pricing works in India. Comparing specific tools? See Wati vs AiSensy vs Interakt.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best WhatsApp CRM for a small business in India?
It depends on what you need most. For a full sales CRM with quotes and GST invoicing, Zoho CRM. For e-commerce, Interakt. For broadcasts on a budget, AiSensy. For a mature all-rounder, Wati. For an AI agent that replies to every enquiry on your existing number with a free plan, ChatFlow. If you only get a few chats a day, the free WhatsApp Business app is enough.
Is there a free WhatsApp CRM?
Yes. ChatFlow has a Free plan forever (1 agent, shared inbox, 100 AI replies a month) and AiSensy has a free plan for broadcasts. The WhatsApp Business app is also free but is not a real CRM. Meta’s own message charges apply on the WhatsApp Business Platform whichever tool you use.
Do WhatsApp CRMs charge for messages on top of the plan?
Yes. On the official WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta charges per template message (marketing, utility, authentication). Some tools pass this through at Meta’s price, others add a markup or sell prepaid credits. Always check both the software price and the message charges.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app after connecting a CRM?
With some tools, yes. Meta now lets a number stay on the WhatsApp Business app while also connecting to the Business Platform (coexistence). ChatFlow supports this, so your phone app and your chats keep working. Check this before you connect, so you don’t have to delete your WhatsApp account.
How much does a WhatsApp CRM cost per month in India?
From free (ChatFlow Free plan, AiSensy free plan, the WhatsApp Business app) to roughly ₹1,000–₹3,000 a month for entry paid plans, plus Meta’s message charges. Full CRMs like Zoho CRM charge per user, so a team of five costs more.
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