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Head-to-head · Chat Api

Gupshup vs Ably Chat

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Gupshup #4 in Chat Api 8.6/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Gupshup
Ably Chat #7 in Chat Api 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Ably Chat

Gupshup leads on 0 checks, Ably Chat on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGupshup · 8.6/10
  • Free planonly Ably Chat
  • Most featuresAbly Chat · 1 of 4

Gupshup scores higher on our rubric for chat api: 8.6 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

Ably Chat offers free plan; Gupshup doesn't.

Gupshup is the better fit for businesses building cross-channel messaging bots. Ably Chat is the better fit for developers adding realtime chat to apps.

  • Gupshup fits best

    Businesses building cross-channel messaging bots

  • Ably Chat fits best

    Developers adding realtime chat to apps

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Side by side

Feature Gupshup 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Ably Chat 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.2
Ranking #4 in Chat Api #7 in Chat Api
Best for Businesses building cross-channel messaging bots Developers adding realtime chat to apps
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $0.001/unit usage-based $29/mo
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web Web, iOS, Android
Integrations 500+ integrations 8 integrations
Features Gupshup 0/4 · Ably Chat 1/4
Group chat Not checked yet Not checked yet
Self-hosted option Not checked yet Not checked yet
End-to-end encryption Not checked yet Not checked yet
Moderation tools Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
SDK platforms Not checked yet JavaScript, React, React Native, Kotlin (Android), Kotlin (JVM), Swift
Group size limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Visual and code-based bot builders support different creation workflows.
  • Deploy journeys across WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, web, RCS, and voice.
  • Live-agent handoff, analytics, and 500 integrations extend bot operations.
  • Supports 1:1 chat, group rooms, presence, typing indicators and reactions
  • Includes persistent history, push notifications and moderation workflows
  • Free plan includes 6M monthly messages and 200 concurrent connections
Cons
  • The $0.001 messaging fee applies to all messages.
  • WhatsApp fees are billed at actuals and vary by country and message type.
  • Its focus is chatbot journeys and multichannel messaging, not in-app chat APIs.
  • Standard and Pro plans also charge for usage
  • Free plan is capped at 200 concurrent channels and connections
  • Enterprise pricing is custom
Our verdict

Gupshup is a conversational AI and messaging platform for businesses building customer engagement, marketing, commerce, and support experiences. It is aimed at mid-market and enterprise teams that want to automate conversations across…

Read the review →

Ably Chat gives developers a chat SDK and API for adding realtime conversations to applications. It covers 1:1 messaging, group rooms and livestream chat, with presence, typing indicators, reactions, message editing and deletion. The…

Read the review →
  1. GupshupChat Api 8.6Paid
  2. Ably ChatChat Api 8.2Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Gupshup — where it wins

    • Visual and code-based bot builders support different creation workflows.
    • Deploy journeys across WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, web, RCS, and voice.
    • Live-agent handoff, analytics, and 500 integrations extend bot operations.

    Where it doesn't

    • The $0.001 messaging fee applies to all messages.
    • WhatsApp fees are billed at actuals and vary by country and message type.
    • Its focus is chatbot journeys and multichannel messaging, not in-app chat APIs.

  • Ably Chat — where it wins

    • Supports 1:1 chat, group rooms, presence, typing indicators and reactions
    • Includes persistent history, push notifications and moderation workflows
    • Free plan includes 6M monthly messages and 200 concurrent connections

    Where it doesn't

    • Standard and Pro plans also charge for usage
    • Free plan is capped at 200 concurrent channels and connections
    • Enterprise pricing is custom

More comparisons

All chat api comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update