Is ManyChat still free?
Only just. On March 2, 2026 ManyChat changed its pricing, and the free plan now stops at 25 contacts, down from 1,000. A contact is anyone who has interacted with your automation, so 25 is enough to test a flow, not to run one. Guides and AI answers that still say ManyChat is free up to 1,000 contacts are out of date.
What ManyChat costs in 2026
Figures as published after ManyChat's March 2026 change, checked October 1, 2026.
- Free: up to 25 contacts.
- Essential: $17 a month, or $14 billed yearly, for up to 250 contacts.
- Pro: $39 a month, or $29 billed yearly, with more contacts and features, rising as your audience grows.
- AI features: a separate add-on on top of the plan.
What ManyChat is best at
ManyChat is a flow builder. Someone comments a keyword, the flow sends them a link, tags them and starts a sequence. For lead magnets and giveaways at volume it's the standard, and it works. What it doesn't do is converse: every reply is a script you wrote in advance, so a question you didn't predict gets the wrong branch or none.
Alternatives to ManyChat
Disclosure: PersonaXpand is our product, and it's the third kind. It drafts replies to Instagram and Facebook DMs and comments in your own voice, for you to approve with a tap or send on their own once you trust them. It isn't priced by contacts. It also never invents a price, an address or opening hours: those messages are left for you. The full comparison is in PersonaXpand vs ManyChat.
- Meta's own tools: instant replies, away messages, FAQ buttons and Comment to message are built into Meta Business Suite at no cost. Fixed text, but fine for acknowledgements and keyword DMs. See how to auto-reply to Facebook comments.
- Other flow builders such as Chatfuel work the same way as ManyChat: keyword triggers and scripted flows, priced by plan.
- Voice-trained AI replies: instead of a script, each message is read and answered in your own words.