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Live Chat · head to head

ManyChat vs Olark

ManyChat logo

ManyChat

Live Chat

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Olark logo

Olark

Live Chat

Make your business human

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ManyChat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ManyChat pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.; Olark the AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan
  • They diverge on capability: ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Olark covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ManyChat and Olark actually diverge.

Attributes where ManyChat and Olark differ
AttributeManyChatOlark
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, ios, androidWeb
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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 ManyChat

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

Only in Olark

  • Live chat
  • Chat transcripts
  • Visitor insights
  • Customization
  • Offline messaging
  • Shortcuts
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

What people use each for

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

ManyChat

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

Olark

  • Live chat on a website with a small support teamnot ManyChat
  • Running an AI agent on website conversations with human handoffnot ManyChat

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Olark

  • The AI website agent is a $400 a month flat plan billed annually at $4,800, which is a large step from the $29 per agent human only plan
  • That flat price covers only one human seat, with each additional seat at $29 a month
  • Regional routing, SSO and custom SLAs require a custom enterprise plan with no published price

Pricing, plan by plan

ManyChat

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

Olark

$29/month
  • Standard AI Website Agent$400/month
    • One human agent seat included
    • Unlimited AI conversations
    • Automatic FAQ and knowledge updates
  • Live Chat Only$29/month
    • Human operators only
    • No AI component
    • Upgradeable to AI later
  • Custom Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Regional routing
    • Advanced integrations
    • Custom workflows

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Olark if

  • You need live chat.
  • You also want chat transcripts.
Olark review

Questions people ask

Is ManyChat or Olark better?
Neither clearly leads. ManyChat starts at Free and Olark at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ManyChat or Olark?
ManyChat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ManyChat and $29/month for Olark.
Does ManyChat or Olark run on more platforms?
ManyChat runs on web, ios, android. Olark runs on Web.
Can I use ManyChat for free?
Yes. ManyChat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Olark starts at $29/month.
What is ManyChat best used for?
ManyChat is most often used for automating instagram dm and comment replies, lead generation via chat funnels, whatsapp order updates and broadcasts, e-commerce cart recovery via chat. Of those, automating instagram dm and comment replies and lead generation via chat funnels are not what Olark is typically brought in for.
What can ManyChat do that Olark cannot?
ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Instagram Automation, WhatsApp Automation, SMS Marketing. Olark covers Live chat, Chat transcripts, Visitor insights, Customization.

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
Olark: How much does Olark's Standard AI plan cost?

Olark's Standard AI Website Agent plan costs $400 per month when billed annually ($4,800/year). This includes one human agent seat, unlimited AI conversations, automatic FAQ updates, lead capture, and white glove support with no token limits or overages.

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
Olark: What is the cost for additional agent seats on Olark?

Additional human agent seats on Olark cost $29 per agent per month. This rate applies when upgrading from the Standard AI plan.

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
Olark: Does Olark charge based on token usage?

No, Olark explicitly states 'No token costs, ever.' The Standard AI plan charges per agent seat with no usage-based overages or token limits, avoiding unexpected cost spikes during peak traffic periods.

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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