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Customer Support · head to head

Hiver vs ManyChat

Hiver logo

Hiver

Customer Support

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
ManyChat logo

ManyChat

Live Chat

Chatbot and automation platform for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69; ManyChat pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • They diverge on capability: Hiver covers Shared inbox, ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hiver and ManyChat actually diverge.

Attributes where Hiver and ManyChat differ
AttributeHiverManyChat
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Chrome-extensionweb, ios, android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Analytics
  • Gmail
  • Google Workspace

Only in ManyChat

  • Visual Flow Builder
  • Instagram Automation
  • WhatsApp Automation
  • SMS Marketing
  • Broadcast Campaigns
  • E-commerce Integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot ManyChat
  • Customer support via Gmailnot ManyChat
  • Team email collaborationnot ManyChat

ManyChat

  • Automating Instagram DM and comment repliesnot Hiver
  • Lead generation via chat funnelsnot Hiver
  • WhatsApp order updates and broadcastsnot Hiver
  • E-commerce cart recovery via chatnot Hiver

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

ManyChat

  • Pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • WhatsApp automation requires a connected WhatsApp Business API number with separate messaging costs.
  • The free plan has restrictive contact and feature limits compared to paid competitors.
  • Advanced flow logic can become difficult to manage for very complex automation sequences.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/month
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/month
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

ManyChat

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Limited contacts
    • Core automation features
    • Basic channels
  • Pro$15/month
    • Higher contact limits
    • All channels
    • Broadcast messaging

Which should you pick?

Choose Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
  • You also want email assignment.
Hiver review

Choose ManyChat if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want instagram automation.
ManyChat review

Questions people ask

Is Hiver or ManyChat better?
Neither clearly leads. Hiver starts at Free and ManyChat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hiver or ManyChat?
Hiver starts at Free and ManyChat at Free.
Does Hiver or ManyChat run on more platforms?
Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension. ManyChat runs on web, ios, android.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hiver best used for?
Hiver is most often used for shared inbox management, customer support via gmail, team email collaboration. Of those, shared inbox management and customer support via gmail are not what ManyChat is typically brought in for.
What can Hiver do that ManyChat cannot?
Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Instagram Automation, WhatsApp Automation, SMS Marketing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ManyChat: How much does Manychat cost?

Manychat offers a free plan at $0/month and Pro plan starting at $15/month. Pro plan pricing scales with number of contacts. Elite tier offers custom pricing. Free plan allows automation for up to 1,000 contacts.

Source
ManyChat: What channels does Manychat support?

Free plan supports Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger. Pro and Elite plans add WhatsApp, SMS text messaging, and email. All channels allow unlimited custom automation flows once contacts are engaged.

Source
ManyChat: How does Manychat AI pricing work?

Manychat AI features including Intention Recognition, AI Steps, Text Improver, and Flow Builder Assistant are available in Pro and Elite plans at no extra cost. Pro plan includes monthly Chaos AI credits for AI-powered features.

Source
ManyChat: Can I cancel my Manychat subscription anytime?

Yes, Manychat allows cancellation of payment plans at any time. No long-term contract is required. Standard payment methods including credit cards are accepted.

Source
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