Gallabox offers tiered pricing plans for WhatsApp Business API, starting from ₹2,999/month for the Growth plan, ₹5,999/month for Scale, and ₹9,999/month for Pro, with a Custom plan available for larger enterprises. Each plan includes 1,000 free conversations per month, but additional conversations incur markups: up to 24.19% for marketing and 15.04% for utility and service conversations. Features like user limits, bot builders, integrations, and support options vary by plan (as covered in detail in the blog) with advanced capabilities often restricted to higher-tier subscriptions. Setup fees & hidden charges apply for advanced plans, and certain integrations, such as Shopify, come with extra charges. This pricing structure can become costly and complex, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses looking to scale their WhatsApp operations. On the contrary, Heltar-Best WhatsApp Business API comes as a savior by providing low cost plans catered to SMBs (Small and Medium sized Businesses), and different plans suited to the needs of larger enterprises. In addition, Heltar’s flat 5% markup policy makes sure that the API becomes an asset for your marketing team rather than a financial burden. Read the blog to discover how exactly.
Is WhatsApp API free?
While WhatsApp offers free options for small businesses through the WhatsApp Business App, this is a basic tool designed for immediate, small-scale customer communication, available for free on both mobile and desktop via WhatsApp Web.
However, for businesses looking to scale their operations, the WhatsApp Business API is the real game-changer—but it comes at a cost. The API is not free, and businesses must use one of WhatsApp’s Business Solution Providers like Gallabox or Heltar to access it.
Gallabox offers tiered pricing plans, which can quickly become expensive and complex to manage, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.
Heltar, on the other hand, provides a cost-effective, simplified pricing model, making it easier for businesses to scale without facing the high setup fees or confusing pricing structures that are often found with other providers.
In essence, while the WhatsApp Business App is free for basic usage, businesses seeking growth through automation, analytics, and other advanced features will need to invest in the WhatsApp Business API.
Gallabox Costs Breakdown
Setup Fee and Free Trials
Gallabox promotes a 15-day free trial, enabling businesses to test their services without initial investment. However, it’s essential to understand that the low upfront cost might be compensated by higher ongoing expenses.
Recurring Subscription Costs: Subscription fees at Gallabox are variable, starting from INR 3,000/- to INR 10,000/- per month, depending on the plan. This range accommodates different business sizes but can escalate with additional feature access.
Conversation Costs
Gallabox also charges per conversation, with rates varying based on the interaction type.
User-Initiated Conversations: These are charged when a customer contacts the business, triggering a 24-hour window of unlimited messaging.
Business-Initiated Conversations: Charges apply when the business starts the conversation, with the same 24-hour unlimited messaging rule.
These costs can add up, especially for businesses with high customer engagement rates.
Gallabox Pricing Plans: A Closer Look
Gallabox offers structured pricing tiers, each designed to cater to different stages of business growth:
Growth Plan (₹2,999/month)
Designed for small teams to manage WhatsApp interactions.
Supports up to 6 users.
Includes basic bot builder, essential conversation tools, and 10 app integrations.
Basic messaging API and email support available.
Scale Plan (₹5,999/month)
Designed for fast-growing businesses using WhatsApp automation.
Includes everything in Growth, plus critical conversation tools and advanced segmentation.
Offers assisted onboarding, advanced bot builder, and more app integrations.
WhatsApp support and onboarding assistance included.
Pro Plan (₹9,999/month)
Designed for businesses looking to scale their WhatsApp operations.
Includes all features from Scale, with additional pro-level segmentation and custom API integrations.
Enhanced onboarding, account setup support, and more advanced business integrations.
Custom Plan (Custom Pricing)
Tailored for large enterprises needing bespoke WhatsApp automation solutions.
Includes features like conversational AI, dedicated hosting, SSO, high-speed messaging, and a security audit.
The table below provides a comprehensive look of these plans:
Feature | Growth(₹2,999/month) | Scale (₹5,999/month) | Pro (₹9,999/month) | Custom (Contact for Pricing) |
Free Conversations per Month | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | Customizable |
Number of Users | Up to 6 | Up to 6 | Up to 6 | 25+ Users |
Advanced Conversation Tools | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Assisted Onboarding | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bot Builder | Basic | Advanced | Advanced | Conversational AI |
Business App Integrations | 10 Essential Integrations | 15 Critical Integrations | 25 Advanced Integrations | Customizable |
Custom API Integrations | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Advanced Messaging API | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conversation Widget + Custom Integrations | No | No | Yes | Yes |
WhatsApp Support (Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM) | No | Yes | Yes | Customizable |
Onboarding Support | No | Yes | Yes | Customizable |
Dedicated Hosting | No | No | No | Yes |
High-Speed Messaging | No | No | No | Yes |
WhatsApp Conversation Sessions and Charges (as applicable in India)
While the actual charges that Meta levies on businesses for the conversations are as follows:
Marketing Conversation - INR 0.7265
Utility Conversation - INR 0.1150
Service Conversation - INR 0.2906
Gallabox charges the businesses the following marked up rates:
Marketing Conversation - INR 0.9023
Utility Conversation - INR 0.1323
Service Conversation - INR 0.3342
EXTREMELY HIGH CONVERSATIONAL MARKUPS
Upon deeper analysis, we observe that Gallabox charges upto 24.19% markup on marketing conversations, upto 15.04% markup on utility and service conversations. These charges can end up being a big financial burden, eating into your business’ marketing budget and decreasing the ROI as you scale up.
In contrast, Heltar-Best WhatsApp API offers a straightforward and transparent pricing model with a blanket 5% markup across all conversation types. This consistency provides businesses with predictable costs that helps them in scaling their business with no excessive markups.
Calculate your WhatsApp conversation charges with our Pricing Calculator!
Why Choose Heltar Over Gallabox?
Metric | Gallabox | Heltar |
Base Subscription Fee | Expensive - Starts ₹2,999/month | Lower, budget-friendly -n Starts ₹999/month |
Pricing Structure | Tiered, complex | Simplified, transparent |
Markup on Conversations | Up to 24.19% (Marketing), 15.04% (Utility/Service) | Flat 5% across all conversation types |
Setup Fees | High for advanced plans | No Setup Fees |
API Integrations | Charged separately (e.g., USD 5/month for Shopify) | No extra charges |
Onboarding Support | Only in Scale Plans and above | Available to all customers |
Customer Support | Limited (No setup support in Growth plan) | Full support for all customers |
User Interface | Complex & Difficult to navigate | Intuitive & user-friendly |
Lower Platform Fees and Markups
Gallabox: Gallabox’s pricing plans start from ₹2,999 per month, scaling up to custom pricing for the Pro plan. The multiple packages and tiered features make it expensive, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. The incremental costs for unlocking advanced features force businesses to either commit to higher-tier plans or compromise on functionality.
Heltar: In contrast, Heltar offers lower subscription fees with a base plan starting at a more affordable monthly rate. It is designed to be budget-friendly for businesses of all sizes, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking to minimize upfront costs, along with a simplified and transparent conversation pricing model, charging a flat 5% markup across all conversation types.
No Extra/Hidden Charges for Integrations
GallaBox: While GallaBox provides robust features, many advanced capabilities are locked behind higher-priced plans. Essential features like advanced analytics, automated workflows, and API integrations are only available in the more expensive plans. Apart from that, GallaBox charges extra fees for employing integrations, like an additional USD 5 per month for a shopify integration.
Heltar: Heltar includes advanced features—automation, analytics, customer segmentation. Businesses benefit from unrestricted access to essential tools allowing them to leverage full functionality of the platform.
Intuitive and User-Friendly Interface
Gallabox: Gallabox offers a variety of features, but the interface could be difficult to learn for inexperienced users. The tiered functionality makes it hard to locate important tools within the complex menu structure it offers. It may be a real pain for people who are not familiar with navigating multi-tiered software ecosystems.
Heltar: Heltar’s platform is designed with ease of use in mind. It features an intuitive interface, making it simple to navigate, even for those new to such systems. The user-friendly dashboard provides easy access to key tools, reducing the learning curve and allowing businesses to get up and running quickly without sacrificing functionality or efficiency.
Well Rounded Customer Support: While GallaBox does not provide even setup support in the growth plan, in Heltar, End-to-End Customer Support is made available to all customers, irrespective of their subscription plans. For us, at Heltar, Our Customers are our biggest priority, and we ensure they are well served through a comprehensive knowledge transfer of our platform and continued assistance.
Try Heltar today!
Start with our free trial and experience the difference in service and support. Choose Heltar for a straightforward, feature-rich approach to WhatsApp Business communications that won't strain your budget.
Read more about the WhatsApp Business API pricing.
