Respond.io alternatives for clinics
Respond.io is a general omnichannel inbox with AI agents, priced from US$ 99 a month plus Meta's WhatsApp fees. It suits clinics that want one inbox for many channels and are ready to build their own agent. Clinics that want a WhatsApp assistant already trained for healthcare, a lower monthly cost, or a hospital-grade system have other options. This guide sets out what Respond.io offers a clinic, where it is the better choice, and the alternatives.
Every product fact below comes from the vendor's own page, read by us on 16 October 2026, and links to the page it came from. Prices are in the currency the vendor showed us. "Not found" means we did not find it on the pages we read, not that it does not exist. Confirm prices and features with the vendor before you sign.
What does Respond.io offer a clinic?
- One inbox for many channels: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok (beta), LINE, Viber, Telegram, WeChat, SMS, email, web chat and calls (Respond.io, integrations).
- AI agents that it describes as "autonomous, role-based systems that can reply to customers and perform relevant actions", built from templates such as "receptionist", or drafted for you by its Copilot (Respond.io, AI agents).
- Calendar integrations with Google Calendar, Calendly and Cal.com, and CRM integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive and others (Respond.io, integrations).
- Clinic use cases on its own page: "enquiry handling, treatment recommendations and appointment bookings over chats and calls", and follow-ups after no-shows or when results are ready (Respond.io, medical clinics).
Respond.io is clear about one limit: "it is not a clinical records system, and it isn't designed to store or transmit health records or diagnoses" (Respond.io, medical clinics).
What does it cost?
- Plans at 1,000 monthly active contacts: Starter US$ 99, Growth US$ 199, Advanced US$ 349 a month; billed yearly, US$ 79, 159 and 279 (Respond.io, pricing).
- AI agents are included "at no extra cost" on Growth and above, under a fair use policy; Starter lists AI Prompt and AI Assist but not AI agents. Extra AI credits are US$ 15 per 1,000 (Respond.io, pricing).
- On top: "WhatsApp fees are not included in any respond.io subscription", extra users cost US$ 15 to 30 a month each, and contacts above your tier cost extra (Respond.io, pricing).
- Trial: 7 days, "No credit card needed", with Growth features for 5 users (Respond.io, pricing).
So the realistic entry point for a clinic that wants an AI agent is Growth, US$ 199 a month, plus Meta's message fees.
When Respond.io is the better choice
- You answer patients on many channels, including LINE, Viber, Telegram, email or calls, and want them in one inbox.
- You already have a CRM, such as HubSpot or Salesforce, and want conversations synced to it.
- You want to design the agent yourself, with your own workflows, routing rules and HTTP calls to your systems.
- You want a stated security certification. Respond.io states it is "ISO 27001 certified" and "fully GDPR compliant" (Respond.io, security). We found no HIPAA or BAA statement.
When it may not fit a clinic
- You want something trained for healthcare on day one. Respond.io's agents start from general role templates. What the agent says about emergencies, symptoms or medication is yours to write and test.
- Budget. For one practice with one WhatsApp number, US$ 199 a month plus Meta fees and extra users can be more than the job needs.
- You need a records system. By its own description, it is not one.
What are the alternatives?
| Product | What it is | AI agent | Calendar | Price published | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respond.io | Omnichannel inbox with AI agents | Included from Growth | Google Calendar, Calendly, Cal.com | US$ 99 to 349 a month plus Meta fees (source) | 7 days, no card |
| Wati | WhatsApp Business API platform; the AI agent is Astra | Astra, priced separately, US$ 99 or 399 a month | Calendly; Google Calendar through Pabbly or Zapier | US$ 69 to 349 a month plus message fees (source) | 7 days |
| AiSensy | WhatsApp marketing and engagement platform | AI Chat Agent add-on, US$ 50 a month for 1,000 AI messages | Calendly through Integrately; Google Calendar not found | US$ 0 to 899 a month plus message credits (source) | Free plan; 14-day trial offered |
| Bot MD | Healthcare AI agents for hospitals and clinic chains in Asia-Pacific | Eight named agents, including scheduling | Live provider calendars through clinic and hospital systems (Plato, Hummingbird, BizBox, Origin) | Not published; demo only (source) | Not found |
| ClinicConvo (ours) | WhatsApp chatbot built only for clinics | Included; opens trained for your specialty | Google Calendar (free/busy only) | US$ 99 to 349 a month (source) | Up to 200 patient messages within 7 days, no card |
Wati: if you mostly send WhatsApp campaigns and reminders
Wati is a WhatsApp Business API platform with a team inbox, broadcasts and no-code chatbots, from US$ 69 a month (US$ 59 billed yearly), plus message fees (Wati, pricing). Its AI agent, Astra, is a separate product: US$ 99 a month for 5,000 credits on web and WhatsApp, or US$ 399 for 25,000 (Astra, pricing). Calendly connects directly; Google Calendar works through Pabbly Connect or Zapier (Wati help). Its trust center lists SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR (Wati trust center). Read one claim carefully: Wati's healthcare page says "WhatsApp is HIPAA compliant" (Wati, healthcare), while Meta's terms for the WhatsApp Business Platform say the platform is not. See our HIPAA chatbot guide and Wati alternatives guide.
AiSensy: the lowest published entry price
AiSensy calls itself a WhatsApp marketing and engagement platform. It has a Free Forever plan, then US$ 45, 99, 299 and 899 a month (AiSensy, pricing). The AI Chat Agent and the chatbot flow builder are add-ons (US$ 50 and US$ 80 a month), and WhatsApp messages are pre-paid separately. Its AI agent FAQ says the agent "responds in English only" for now (AiSensy, AI agents). Its healthcare page describes booking, reminders and report delivery; we found no EMR integration (AiSensy, healthcare). More in our AiSensy alternatives guide.
Bot MD: for hospitals and clinic chains
Bot MD sells healthcare AI agents (FAQ, scheduling, pre-admission, remote monitoring, surveys and more) on WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, LINE, Telegram, SMS and web, and integrates with clinic and hospital systems such as Plato, Hummingbird, BizBox and Origin (Bot MD, AI agents; integrations). It states it is "ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, and SOC 2 certified" (Bot MD, security). It is sales-led and aimed at hospitals in Asia-Pacific, with no public price.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What is the full monthly cost at my message volume, including the AI, extra users and WhatsApp fees?
- Who writes what the AI says about symptoms, emergencies and medication, and can I see it handle those messages before going live?
- Does it read my calendar, write to it, or only send a booking link?
- Can I keep my current WhatsApp number and chat history?
- Where is patient data stored, and what does the vendor state about HIPAA, GDPR or your local law?
Common questions
How much does Respond.io cost for a clinic? On 16 October 2026 its pricing page showed US$ 99, 199 and 349 a month at 1,000 monthly active contacts, with AI agents included from Growth (US$ 199), plus Meta's WhatsApp fees.
Does Respond.io have a free trial? Yes, 7 days with no credit card, with Growth features for 5 users.
Is Respond.io HIPAA compliant? We found no HIPAA or BAA statement on its security and healthcare pages. It states ISO 27001 certification and GDPR compliance.
Disclosure: we make ClinicConvo. It is one more alternative, and you should weigh it knowing we wrote this page. It is an AI chatbot that answers a clinic's WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger messages at any hour, from US$ 99 a month, with a free trial of up to 200 patient messages within 7 days, no card.
Where it is weaker than Respond.io: far fewer channels (no LINE, Viber, Telegram, email or calls), no CRM integrations such as HubSpot or Salesforce, no workflow builder, and no security certification to show.
Where it may fit: a clinic that wants an assistant already trained for its specialty, that never diagnoses and sends emergencies to the local emergency number, at a lower monthly cost. Try it here.
Sources
- Respond.io. Pricing, AI agents, Integrations, Medical clinics, Security.
- Wati. Pricing, Astra pricing, Healthcare, Google Calendar help article, Trust center.
- AiSensy. Pricing (USD), AI agents, Healthcare.
- Bot MD. AI agents, Integrations, Security, Demo.
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