Comparison
7 Best Cooby Alternatives in 2026
Cooby is a slick Chrome extension for syncing WhatsApp to HubSpot and Salesforce, but it is desktop-only, per-user priced and not a real shared inbox. Here are 7 alternatives compared honestly, with real pricing.
Pricing and features verified against each vendor's site on August 1, 2026
Cooby earns its place by doing one thing very well: it layers on top of WhatsApp Web in Chrome and syncs conversations two-way into HubSpot and Salesforce, adding workspace tabs, notes, labels and reminders along the way. If your sales manager measures activity in the CRM, Cooby quietly does the paperwork.
Its limits are structural. It is a browser extension, so it only works in desktop Chrome while the tab is open; there is no meaningful mobile workflow. Each seat wraps one person's WhatsApp Web, so there is no true shared team inbox with assignment and shared visibility. Pricing is per user, around $27 per user per month on annual billing. And there is no built-in AI drafting, no chat summaries, no voice transcription and no broadcast tooling.
This guide compares 7 alternatives: other tools on the existing-number lane (Spun, TimelinesAI, Periskope, WA Web Plus) and official Business API platforms (WATI, Respond.io, AiSensy) for teams that decide they need the template-marketing lane instead.
Why teams look for a Cooby alternative
These are the most common reasons buyers give, and they shape which alternative fits.
It only exists inside desktop Chrome
Close the tab, and Cooby is gone. If you or your team work from phones, or even just from another browser, there is nothing there. WhatsApp-first businesses are usually phone-first businesses.
Not a real shared inbox
Cooby organizes one person's WhatsApp Web. There is no shared team inbox where conversations get assigned, escalated and visible to the right teammates. Teams that grow past 2-3 reps feel this quickly.
Per-user pricing
Around $27 per user per month adds up as the team grows, and you are still paying it for a tool that only works while a browser tab is open.
No AI where it counts
There is no AI that drafts replies in your tone, summarizes long threads, answers questions about a chat, or transcribes voice notes. In 2026 that is a lot of manual work left on the table.
No broadcasts or scheduling
Cooby is about logging and organizing, not outreach. If you need broadcast lists, scheduled messages or campaign-style follow-ups, you need a different tool anyway.
CRM sync might be all you keep
Many teams realize the sync is the only feature they use. At that point the question becomes whether a full workspace with webhooks or Zapier into the CRM serves them better.
Cooby alternatives at a glance
| Feature | Spun | Cooby | TimelinesAI | Periskope | WA Web Plus | WATI | Respond.io | AiSensy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat, whole team | Per user | Per user | Per user | Per device license | Plan + per user | Plan + contacts + users | Plan + message credits |
| Entry price (paid) | $49/mo flat | ~$27/user/mo (annual) | ~$25/user/mo | ~$49/user/mo | ~$9/mo | $59/mo (annual) | $99/mo | $45/mo |
| Unlimited team members | Single user | |||||||
| Needs Business API approval | ||||||||
| Per-message Meta fees | ||||||||
| Works with your existing number | ||||||||
| WhatsApp groups | View only | Basic | ||||||
| Message templates required | ||||||||
| AI compose / summary / ask-a-chat | ChatGPT autoresponder | AI responses | Add-on credits | AI agents | Add-on | |||
| Voice note transcription | ||||||||
| Speech-to-speech translation | ||||||||
| Per-customer team scoping | Inbox-level | Roles | Roles | Advanced roles | Basic | |||
| Ticketing / SLA engine | Basic | Workflows | ||||||
| Named CRM integrations | Webhooks + Zapier | HubSpot, Salesforce | API + Sheets | |||||
| Free tier / trial | Free tier + trial | Free trial | 10-day trial | Free tier | Free version | 7-day trial | 7-day trial | Free tier |
Prices are the vendors' published entry-level paid plans as listed on their websites on August 1, 2026 (annual billing where noted). API-based platforms also pass through Meta's per-message fees, which vary by country and message category. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
1.Spun
Our pickBest for teams that want AI on their existing WhatsApp number, without the Business API
Spun takes a fundamentally different approach from Business API platforms. It connects to the WhatsApp number you already use by scanning a QR code, the same way WhatsApp Web links a device. That means no API approval, no dedicated number, no message templates, no 24-hour window and no per-message fees. Your chat history and your WhatsApp groups come with you.
On top of that connection, Spun layers a genuinely AI-first workspace: AI drafts replies in your tone, summarizes long conversations, answers questions about any chat, auto-labels and triages incoming messages, and can run a knowledge-base chatbot. Voice is a standout: voice notes are transcribed automatically, and Spun can even translate speech to speech so you can talk to customers across languages.
It is built mobile-first, which matters if you actually run your business from your phone. Team sharing is granular: you can give a virtual assistant or teammate access to only their customers' conversations rather than the whole inbox. Broadcasts and scheduling are included, with built-in caution: Spun helps you stay within safe sending limits rather than encouraging mass blasting.
Pros
- Works on your existing number and history via QR, no API approval
- Full WhatsApp groups support
- Flat pricing, unlimited team members
- AI compose, summaries, ask-a-chat, auto-labeling, daily briefing
- Voice transcription and speech-to-speech translation
- Per-customer conversation scoping for VAs and teams
- Mobile-first apps
Cons
- No ticketing / SLA engine (triage is AI-driven instead)
- Fewer named CRM integrations (webhooks and Zapier instead)
- Not designed for official-API use cases like green-tick verified mass notifications
2.TimelinesAI
Best for unifying many existing WhatsApp numbers into one inbox
TimelinesAI connects multiple existing WhatsApp numbers by QR code into a single shared inbox, with no Business API involved. It adds a ChatGPT-based autoresponder, Zapier and native CRM integrations, bulk messaging and a Chrome extension, and it keeps each number's chat history.
Costs are per seat, which adds up as the team grows. The AI is a bolt-on autoresponder rather than a drafting and summarizing workspace, there are no voice features, and the product is desktop-web-first. Team permissioning is inbox-level rather than per-customer.
Pros
- Connects many existing numbers into one shared inbox
- ChatGPT autoresponder plus Zapier and CRM integrations
- No API approval, keeps chat history and groups visible
Cons
- Per-seat pricing grows with the team
- AI is an autoresponder, not compose / summaries / ask-a-chat
- No voice transcription or speech translation
- Web-first with a limited mobile experience
3.Periskope
Best for managing WhatsApp groups and tickets at scale on your existing number
Periskope sits on the same lane as Spun: it connects to the WhatsApp numbers you already use by QR code, with no Business API, templates or per-message fees. Its focus is operations at scale: shared inboxes across multiple numbers, group management dashboards, ticketing with SLAs, bulk messaging and a developer API with Google Sheets integration.
The trade-offs are pricing and depth outside operations. Plans are per user, so costs grow with the team. The product is web-first, with a thinner mobile experience, and its AI is oriented at auto-responses and labels rather than a full drafting, summarizing and ask-a-chat workspace. There is no voice transcription or speech translation.
Pros
- Works on your existing number and groups via QR, no API approval
- Strongest group management dashboards in this comparison
- Built-in ticketing with SLAs, rare on the unofficial lane
- Developer API and Google Sheets integration
Cons
- Per-user pricing climbs with team size
- Web-first: mobile experience is limited
- AI is automation-oriented, not a drafting / summarizing workspace
- No voice transcription or speech-to-speech translation
4.WA Web Plus
Best cheap browser extension for solo WhatsApp power users
WA Web Plus is a browser extension that bolts utilities onto WhatsApp Web: auto-replies, scheduled and bulk messages, labels and funnels, contact export and privacy tweaks like hiding read receipts. For a few dollars a month it is a lot of convenience for one person.
It is a single-user tool, though. There is no team inbox, no roles, no shared visibility, and nothing runs when the browser tab is closed. The bulk-sender features carry real ban risk if abused, and there is no meaningful AI, transcription or analytics.
Pros
- Very cheap, with a usable free version
- Quick auto-replies, scheduling, labels and contact export
- Works instantly on top of WhatsApp Web
Cons
- Single user: no team inbox, roles or shared visibility
- Only works while the browser tab is open
- Bulk-sender features carry real account-ban risk
- No meaningful AI, transcription or analytics
5.WATI
Best-known Business API platform for small businesses
WATI is one of the most popular entry points to the WhatsApp Business API, with a shared team inbox, broadcast campaigns, no-code chatbots and a large integration marketplace including Shopify and Zoho.
The trade-offs are cost structure and seat limits: the Growth plan is hard-capped at 3 users, extra seats on higher tiers cost $24 to $69 per user, AI features are credit-based add-ons, and Meta's per-message fees apply on top of every plan.
Pros
- Mature product with a large integration marketplace
- Strong broadcast and chatbot tooling
- Well-documented, big user community
Cons
- Growth plan capped at 3 users with no way to add more
- Per-user fees stack quickly on growing teams
- API limits: templates, 24-hour window, no groups, dedicated number
6.Respond.io
Best omnichannel platform for mid-market teams on the Business API
Respond.io is one of the most polished omnichannel platforms on the API lane. It unifies WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more into one AI-powered inbox, with strong workflow automation, AI agents and deep reporting.
The trade-off is cost structure: you pay for the plan, for user seats and for Monthly Active Contacts. Growth at $199/mo includes 1,000 active contacts; beyond that you pay $12 per extra 100. For high-volume teams this adds up quickly, and Meta's per-message fees still apply on top.
Pros
- Excellent omnichannel inbox and automation builder
- AI agents for lead qualification and support
- Strong analytics and enterprise-grade controls
- HubSpot, Salesforce and many native integrations
Cons
- Expensive for small teams; contact-based billing is hard to predict
- Business API only: templates, 24-hour window, no groups
- Overkill if WhatsApp is your only channel
7.AiSensy
Best budget Business API option, especially in India
AiSensy is a WhatsApp-only marketing platform with one of the lowest entry prices on the API lane and a genuinely free forever tier for basic use. It is an official Meta BSP and is very popular in India.
Note the dual pricing: the same Basic plan is Rs 1,500/mo on the Indian pricing page but $45/mo on the USD page. AI capabilities and chatbot flows are paid add-ons, and the platform is squarely aimed at broadcast marketing, which brings template costs and compliance discipline with it.
Pros
- Very low entry price and a free tier
- Purpose-built for WhatsApp campaign marketing
- Official Meta BSP with CTWA ad tooling
Cons
- WhatsApp-only, no omnichannel inbox
- AI and flow builder are paid add-ons
- Marketing-heavy usage means high template message bills
FAQ
Cooby alternatives: frequently asked questions
Try Spun on your existing WhatsApp number
Scan a QR code, keep your number and chat history, and get an AI-powered shared inbox for your whole team at one flat price. No Business API approval, no per-message fees, no templates.
Start your free trialWhich Cooby alternative should you pick?
On the existing-number lane: TimelinesAI is the closest step up if you want a real multi-number shared inbox with CRM integrations, Periskope if group management and ticketing are your workload, and WA Web Plus if you are solo and only want cheap utilities. If your strategy is template-based marketing at scale on the official API, WATI, Respond.io and AiSensy are the standard picks, with per-message fees and no groups.
If the reason you tried Cooby was to give WhatsApp some structure for a sales team, Spun is the fuller answer: a true shared inbox on your existing number, per-customer scoping for reps and VAs, AI drafting and summaries, voice transcription, broadcasts and scheduling, on mobile and desktop, at a flat price for unlimited team members. CRM sync runs through webhooks and Zapier rather than native HubSpot/Salesforce connectors, which is the honest trade-off.
Start your free Spun trialFree trial, no credit card required. See pricing.