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Understanding difference between Wati's Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and Growth plans

Summary

Wati offers two plans on the lower end for Indian customers: Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and Growth. Both plans give you access to Wati’s core WhatsApp Business API features, but they differ in how many users are included, the level of automation, and the advanced tools available.

Note: Broadcasts are now Campaigns – same powerful features, updated name!

This article breaks down the key differences so you can choose the plan that best fits your business needs.

Note:

  • PAYG plan is applicable to customers based out of India only.

  • The initial of PAYG plan credits are only valid for 90 days. Please ensure you utilise these credits in the first 90 days.

Instructions

Quick comparison table

Category

Pay-as-you-go (PAYG)

Growth

Users included

1

3

Additional credit top-up purchase

Unlimited

Unlimited

Service conversations

1,000/month

Unlimited

Templates

Marketing only

Marketing, Utility, Authentication

WhatsApp setup help

Self-service only

Assisted setup from Wati team + add-ons

Instagram inbox

No

Yes (shared inbox + features)

Chatbots

1

2

Automation triggers

500/month

1,000/month

Campaigns

Unlimited

15K/month + catalog/coupon templates

Commerce & Shopify

No

Catalog + Shopify sync

Integrations

None

2 integrations (e.g., Sheets, Zoho)

APIs

No

Contact & Messaging APIs (10K limit)

Support

Documentation only

Bot + Email + optional onboarding

Differences in detail

Here’s an easy-to-follow comparison between the Pay-as-you-go and Growth plans.

Users and conversations

  • PAYG: Includes 1 user. This plan includes 1,000 service conversations every month.

  • Growth: Includes 3 users. This plan includes unlimited service conversations.

  • Additional users: Not available on either plan.

Messaging templates

  • PAYG: Supports only marketing templates.

  • Growth: Supports marketing, utility, and authentication templates.

WhatsApp and Wati setup

  • Both plans: Access to the official WhatsApp API and website chat widget.

  • Growth only: Assistance with WhatsApp blue tick verification and Meta Business verification. Custom domain available as an add-on.

Instagram integration

  • PAYG: No Instagram features.

  • Growth: Shared inbox for Instagram DMs, assign to agent, quick replies, tagging, exporting, filtering chats, mobile inbox, and contact management.

WhatsApp team inbox

  • Both plans: Shared inbox, assign to agent, quick replies, tagging, exporting, filtering, trigger chatbots, and mobile app inbox.

  • Neither plan: Round robin chat assignment or phone number masking.

WhatsApp automation

  • PAYG: 1 chatbot, 1 keyword rule, 500 automation triggers per month.

  • Growth: 2 chatbots, 30 keyword rules, 1,000 automation triggers per month.

  • Both plans: Business hours, default actions, max 200 steps per chatbot.

Marketing and campaigns

  • PAYG: Unlimited campaigns, retargeting for reads and replies.

  • Growth: Up to 15,000 campaigns per month, catalog and coupon templates.

  • Both plans: Same messaging speed.

WhatsApp commerce and Shopify

  • PAYG: No commerce features.

  • Growth: WhatsApp catalog, order management, Shopify connection ($4.9/month), and catalog sync.

Integrations

  • PAYG: No integrations.

  • Growth: Supports up to 2 integrations, including Google Sheets, Zapier, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Zoho.

Note: The Google Sheets integration available on the Growth plan is different from the Google Sheets plugin/node available in the Chatbot Builder. The Google Sheets plugin/node is available only on the Pro and Business plans.

APIs and webhooks

  • PAYG: No APIs or webhooks.

  • Growth: Contact APIs, messaging APIs, assign-to-operator/bot API, up to 10,000 API calls per month with rate limits.

Support

  • PAYG: Self-served support based on support documentation only.

  • Growth: Documentation, WhatsApp bot support, and email support (24/5) from Wati team. Guided onboarding is available as an add-on.

PAYG vs Growth - which is the right plan for your business?

Choosing between PAYG and Growth depends on your business size and goals:

  • Choose Pay-as-you-go if:

    • You’re a small business or just starting out.

    • You only need 1 user.

    • You don’t rely on Instagram or advanced templates.

    • You want flexibility without committing to a monthly fee.

  • Choose Growth if:

    • You need more automation, templates, and chatbot rules.

    • You want to use Instagram DM features.

    • You need API access or integrations like Google Sheets, Zapier, or Shopify.

    • You expect higher conversation volumes or want unlimited service conversations.

    • You prefer guided support and onboarding options.

In short, PAYG works best for testing and small-scale operations, while Growth is designed for scaling businesses that need integrations, automation, and advanced support.

To view the price details, please go to Wati's pricing page. For assistance with upgrading your plan, log in to your Wati account and navigate to the subscription settings. If the upgrade option is not visible, contact Wati's support team for guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General

1. What is the difference between the Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and Growth plans?

The Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and Growth plans both include Wati's core WhatsApp Business API features, but they differ in the number of users included, messaging templates, automation capabilities, integrations, APIs, support options, and advanced features such as Instagram inbox and WhatsApp commerce.

2. Who can purchase the Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan?

The Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan is available only to customers based in India.

3. How long are the initial PAYG plan credits valid?

The initial credits included with the PAYG plan are valid for 90 days from the date they are issued.

Features and Capabilities

4. How many users are included in each plan?

  • Pay-as-you-go (PAYG): Includes 1 user.

  • Growth: Includes 3 users.

  • Additional users are not available on either plan.

5. Which messaging templates are available on each plan?

  • Pay-as-you-go (PAYG): Supports marketing templates only.

  • Growth: Supports marketing, utility, and authentication templates.

6. Which integrations are available on the Growth plan?

The Growth plan supports up to 2 integrations, including Google Sheets, Zapier, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Zoho.

The Google Sheets integration included with the Growth plan is different from the Google Sheets plugin/node available in the Chatbot Builder. The Chatbot Builder Google Sheets plugin/node is available only on the Pro and Business plans.

7. Does the PAYG plan include APIs or webhooks?

No. The Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan does not include APIs or webhooks.

The Growth plan includes Contact APIs, Messaging APIs, the Assign-to-Operator/Bot API, and supports up to 10,000 API calls per month, subject to rate limits.

8. Does the Growth plan include Instagram integration?

Yes. The Growth plan includes a shared Instagram DM inbox with features such as agent assignment, quick replies, tagging, chat filtering, chat exporting, mobile inbox access, and contact management. The PAYG plan does not include Instagram features.

Choosing a Plan

9. When should I choose the Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan?

The PAYG plan is suitable if you're a small business or just getting started, only need 1 user, don't require Instagram or advanced messaging templates, and want the flexibility of a pay-as-you-go pricing model.

10. When should I choose the Growth plan?

The Growth plan is suitable if you need additional automation, chatbot capabilities, API access, integrations, Instagram DM features, unlimited service conversations, or guided support and onboarding options. It is designed for businesses that are scaling their customer communication.

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