Bottom Line Up Front: ManyChat is a no-coding chatbot platform that helps you manage customer DMs across many channels, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Used by over 1 million creators, marketers & brands, ManyChat enables businesses to automate two-way, interactive conversations to grow their brand and generate sales, with users reporting over $65 million in sales generated through the platform.
What is ManyChat?
ManyChat is a conversational AI platform designed to help businesses in the eCommerce sector automate conversations across text messages, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. ManyChat was developed by ManyChat Inc., co-founded by Mikael Yang, Konstantin Klyagin, and Anthony Zolotarev. The platform was officially launched in 2015.
ManyChat is a comprehensive messaging bot creation platform that helps companies in generating messaging bots for Instagram direct messages, Facebook Messenger and SMS. The platform enables users to create two-way chatbots to communicate with customers in real-time and grow brand value.
Core Features and Capabilities
Visual Flow Builder
ManyChat comes with a simple drag and drop interface that does not require any coding knowledge for building messaging bots. The platform offers a visual flow builder to easily create a customized chatbot for your business. It allows you to set the perfect bot flow from start to end with different automation triggers.
Key Flow Builder Features:
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: Build complex chatbots without coding knowledge
- Auto-Arrange Steps: Automatically organize blocks in your chat automation
- Copy and Paste: Use Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V to copy blocks across browser tabs
- Testing Capabilities: Test chatbot flows directly in the ManyChat interface or on the target channel
Multi-Channel Automation
ManyChat helps you to automate interaction with customers across your social media platforms. The platform supports automation across multiple channels:
Supported Channels:
- Instagram Direct Messages
- Facebook Messenger
- SMS text messaging
- Telegram
- Email marketing
Growth Tools
If you have to list one standout feature of ManyChat, it would be its "Growth Tools". They help drive users from social media platforms to your chatbot. For example, if a customer comments on your Facebook post, the chatbot will send him a message on Messenger.
Growth Tool Features:
- Comment-to-DM automation
- Story mention responses
- Instant replies to comments and DMs
- QR codes and landing pages
- Website widgets
- 8 different ways to start conversations with potential customers
AI-Powered Features
Brand new AI features are now available in Pro and Elite plans. ManyChat AI presents:
AI Capabilities:
- AI Intent Recognition: Automatically recognizing intent of a message, offering relevant and more accurate responses compared to using keywords
- AI Steps: Scripted sets of AI-driven questions and responses for common cases like qualifying leads or sharing offers
- AI Copy Improvement: Improve copy on any message across automations by letting ManyChat AI offer text improvements
- AI Flow Builder Assistant: Comprehensive assistance in creating powerful automations
ManyChat Pricing Structure
Free Plan - $0/Month
Get started with access to ManyChat basic features to engage up to 1,000 contacts FREE OF CHARGE. Features include:
- Automate conversations with unlimited custom flows
- Access basic Growth Tools to drive leads
- 10 customer Tags for segmentation
- Channel Access: Instagram Direct Messages
Important Note: Access to some features will be restricted once 1000 contacts is reached with a Free account. Free accounts may not delete or unsubscribe any contacts from their audience.
Pro Plan - Starting at $15/Month
Grow your business with access to all advanced Pro features. Pro plans are billed monthly according to the size of your contact list:
- 500 contacts: $15/month
- 10,000 contacts: $65/month
- 50,000 contacts: $235/month
- Engage unlimited contacts with scaled pricing
- All Growth Tools included
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Integrations with third-party platforms
AI Add-on - $29/Month
Costs an extra $29/month if you want to use ManyChat's AI features like the AI Step or AI Flow Builder Assistant.
Custom Plan
Customize your ManyChat experience to meet (and exceed) your ambitious business goals with customized pricing to fit your needs.
How ManyChat Compares to Other Chatbot Platforms
Vs. Major Competitors
ManyChat vs Chatfuel: Manychat's interface is easier to use. It has a better live chat, works on more channels, and has better analytics to track conversions. Chatfuel has better analytics for unanswered questions and better customer support. ManyChat's flow builder is just a bit easier to use, has a smoother experience.
ManyChat vs MobileMonkey: Manychat is better than MobileMonkey. It has a better interface, more AI features, and more channels. It also has better live chat and analytics. But ManyChat is not available for websites. So if you are looking to create a chatbot on your website, MobileMonkey is the better fit.
Competitive Advantages
Market Leadership: ManyChat is ahead of the competition with avg. 85,120 monthly searches according to market analysis. ManyChat is site #3,028 in the world and #2,735 in the USA, making it a prominent leader in the chatbot space.
Official Partnerships: ManyChat is an official Meta Business Partner and one of the few companies that works as a partner with TikTok, ensuring compliance and platform stability.
User-Friendly Interface: ManyChat has one of the easiest-to-use interfaces I've ever seen in a chatbot platform. By using the flow builder, you can set up your first chat automation in a matter of minutes!
Target Users and Use Cases
Ideal Users
By industry, ManyChat reviewers are most commonly professionals in marketing and advertising (32%). The most frequent use case for ManyChat cited by reviewers is chatbot (93% of reviewers).
Primary User Categories:
- Creators and Influencers: Building audience engagement and monetization
- E-commerce Businesses: Automating customer service and sales processes
- Marketing Agencies: Managing client social media automation
- Small to Medium Businesses: Streamlining customer communication
Verified Success Stories
Real User Results:
- "We've used Manychat to generate over $65 million in sales..."
- "My Instagram account gained over 1 million followers in less than a year..."
- "I've had over 3 million new views to my account in the last 30 days."
Common Use Cases
Creators, small businesses and brands all over the world use us to send links, collect emails, grow followers, boost engagement, attract leads, drive sales, and respond to customers. You can streamline your entire operation while answering FAQs and converting followers immediately 24/7/365.
Technical Specifications and Integrations
Integration Capabilities
ManyChat supports integration with different third-party platforms, making your chatbot more functional:
- Google Sheets
- Zapier
- MailChimp
- ConvertKit
- HubSpot
- Klaviyo
- Shopify (for e-commerce integration)
Advanced Features
Contact Management:
- ManyChat maintains the complete contact list
- View all contacts that interacted with the chatbot in one click
- Custom fields and tags for detailed segmentation
- Past conversation history tracking
Analytics and Insights:
- ManyChat offers insightful analytics to judge bot performance and customer behavior
- Active/inactive/net contacts tracking
- Click rate and open rate metrics
- Performance insights across all channels
Live Chat Integration:
- ManyChat has a built-in live chat called Inbox
- Smooth chatbot-to-human handoff capabilities
- iOS and Android apps for mobile management
- Advanced Inbox Pro with additional features
User Experience and Feedback
Positive User Reviews
From verified user feedback:
"They make it easy to automate the chat flow, which enables you to redirect visitors to pages or lead magnets tailored to their responses in the automated chatbot flow."
"Automated chatbot flows: You can build automated chatbot flows with ManyChat that can respond to client queries, provide tailored messages, and even manage purchases and payments."
Users find the drag-and-drop interface user-friendly, enabling them to build complex and tailored chatbots without coding knowledge. Users say this feature helps save time by handling repetitive queries and enhancing customer engagement.
Areas for Improvement
61% of reviewers feel negative about ManyChat's value for money/pricing. Some users report that ManyChat offers affordable pricing with a free plan and reasonably priced subscription plans, but others feel the cost is steep for advanced features.
Customer Support Concerns: ManyChat has a reputation for poor customer support, slow response times, and often no response at all according to some user feedback, with TrustPilot rating ManyChat at 1.9 out of 5 (poor).
Platform Evolution and Funding
So far, ManyChat has raised $23.1 million in total funding, including an $18 million Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from previous investors including Indicator Ventures.
The platform has evolved significantly since its 2015 launch, adding AI capabilities, expanding channel support, and improving user experience based on market demands.
Getting Started with ManyChat
Simple Setup Process
Get up and running in 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Sign up for free - Start your free trial — no credit card required
Step 2: Connect to your channels - Link all your favorite social or messaging apps
Step 3: Go live in minutes - Automate your selling, replying, and so much more!
Template Library
Go live in minutes with templates or go deep with our visual Flow Builder. ManyChat provides merchants with a variety of template possibilities. There will, however, be a distinction between Pro and Free templates. Only a ManyChat Pro account is required to install the Pro templates.
Limitations to Consider
Contact Restrictions on Free Plan:
- Limited to 1,000 contacts
- Cannot delete or unsubscribe contacts on free plan
- Feature restrictions once contact limit is reached
AI Features Cost Extra:
- AI capabilities require additional $29/month add-on
- Not included in base Pro pricing
Platform Dependencies:
- Relies on third-party platform policies (Meta, TikTok, etc.)
- Subject to changes in social media platform APIs
Website Chat Limitations: ManyChat does not offer a standalone web chat widget since Meta sunset its web application. It mainly integrates with platforms like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Final Verdict: Is ManyChat Worth It?
For Social Media-Focused Businesses: Highly Recommended
ManyChat excels as a comprehensive chatbot platform for businesses focused on social media automation and customer engagement. The platform's proven track record, official partnerships, and extensive feature set make it a strong choice for businesses looking to automate their social media interactions.
Best for:
- E-commerce businesses using social media for sales
- Content creators and influencers building audience engagement
- Marketing agencies managing multiple client accounts
- Small to medium businesses looking to automate customer service
- Companies focused on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger
Consider Alternatives if:
- You need website chat functionality (consider Chatfuel or Tidio)
- Customer support quality is a top priority
- You're on a very tight budget and need extensive features
- You require advanced AI capabilities without additional costs
- You need primarily email marketing automation
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will using ManyChat get my social account locked? A: Not at all! In fact, we're one of the very few companies that works as a partner with TikTok and an Official Meta Business Partner.
Q: Do I need to know how to code to set up the automations? A: No coding needed! Our automation builder is intuitive with options for every skill level — from Quick Automations that guide you step-by-step to our customizable Flow Builder where you can create simple or robust solutions.
Q: What's the difference between the Free and Pro plans? A: The Free plan supports up to 1,000 contacts with basic features, while Pro plans start at $15/month with unlimited contacts, advanced Growth Tools, and full analytics.
Q: Does ManyChat work with TikTok? A: As of 2024, ManyChat does not support direct integration with TikTok. ManyChat focuses on automating interactions on platforms like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, email, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
Exploring more chatbot and automation options? Check out our comprehensive AI Marketing Tools Directory featuring 100+ tools including chatbot platforms like Chatfuel and Tidio, marketing automation solutions, and customer engagement tools to find the perfect solutions for your business communication needs.
Rating: 4.1/5 stars - Excellent for social media chatbot automation with user-friendly interface and strong market position, though customer support and pricing transparency could be improved.