You typed Respond.io vs Kommo because both put WhatsApp and Instagram in one product. They are not the same product.
Respond.io is a customer conversation platform: a shared inbox, routing, and AI Agents across many channels. Kommo (formerly amoCRM) is a messaging CRM: a visual sales pipeline with WhatsApp and Instagram sitting inside the lead card. Buy the inbox when agents need to share a queue. Buy the CRM when reps need stages, fields, and a bot that moves deals.
TL;DR
- Respond.io scored 59 / 80 on an omnichannel inbox card. Buy it if five or more people route WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and calls from one floor. Starter is $99/month ($79 yearly). Workflows and AI Agents start on Growth at $199/month ($159 yearly).
- Kommo scored 55 / 80 on that inbox card, 8 / 10 as a sales CRM. Buy it if you want pipelines, Salesbot, and WhatsApp in one CRM from $15 per user. Advanced ($25) is the first plan with bots and broadcasts.
- InstantDM scored 53 / 80 here and 10 / 10 on Meta. Buy it when Instagram and Facebook campaigns are the job and you want $9.99 flat. WhatsApp is on the InstantDM roadmap. It is not live today.
| Respond.io | Kommo | InstantDM (Meta now) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 59 / 80 (inbox card) | 55 / 80 inbox / 8 as CRM | 53 / 80 / 10 on Meta |
| Buy it for | Team inbox + WhatsApp calling + AI Agents | Sales pipeline with WhatsApp and Instagram | Instagram, Facebook, Meta ads |
| Skip it if | You only needed a Reel keyword | You needed TikTok ads, WeChat, or WA Calling | You need WhatsApp live today |
| Paid from | Starter $99/mo ($79 yearly) | $15 / user / month (Base) | Legend Pro $9.99/mo flat |
How did we compare Respond.io vs Kommo?
Same rubric as Respond.io vs ManyChat, 26 August 2026.
- Read respond.io/pricing, Kommo plans, and Kommo's June 2026 plan-limit update.
- Checked Instagram and WhatsApp rows on vendor pages, not directories.
- Mapped meters: Respond.io Monthly Active Contacts and seats versus Kommo per-user plans and channel caps.
- Read Respond.io's own Kommo alternatives post (updated 21 August 2026) and independent CRM roundups.
- Scored eight criteria, 1–10. Modeled team bills.
Who scored higher, Respond.io or Kommo?
| Criterion | What we tested | Respond.io | Kommo | InstantDM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup to first reply | Signup to a working inbox or CRM chat | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Team inbox / routing | Seats, assignment, supervisor view | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Instagram + Facebook campaigns | Comment keywords, stories, ads, collabs | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| WhatsApp operations | BSP, broadcasts, calling | 10 | 8 | 3 (roadmap) |
| Pricing predictability | Forecast next month | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| Marketing / sales automation | Workflows vs Salesbot | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| AI | Agents vs credits | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Extra channels | TikTok, WeChat, SMS, voice | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| Total | 59 | 55 | 53 |
Respond.io takes the omnichannel inbox. Kommo takes CRM setup speed and per-user price at small teams. InstantDM takes Instagram and Facebook campaign depth and the only flat bill.
What is the difference between Respond.io and Kommo?
Respond.io is a conversation layer that sits next to HubSpot or Salesforce. Kommo is the CRM. Leads, stages, and chats live in one record.
Respond.io's own Kommo alternatives post says it plainly: Kommo is a budget CRM with messaging add-ons for small B2B sales teams. Respond.io is for high-volume B2C chats, voice, and AI Agents. Independent roundups (Inflowave, Techloy, Prospeo, 2026) draw the same line.
What does Kommo actually do?
Kommo (rebranded from amoCRM) is a messenger-first sales CRM. WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Telegram land in a unified inbox attached to a visual pipeline. Salesbot is the no-code bot. The homepage (26 August 2026) also lists TikTok. Kommo is a Meta Business Partner.
Pricing from kommo.com, August 2026, billed per user. A 14-day trial. No free plan. Many markets bill a six-month minimum.
| Plan | Price / user / month | WhatsApp / Instagram | What you actually get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | $15 (new customers $25 from 1 Sep 2026) | 1 WhatsApp + 1 Instagram, plus one per extra user | Inbox, pipelines, fields. No Salesbot. No mass broadcast. New Base accounts lose the AI agent after 1 June 2026. |
| Advanced | $25 (new customers $35 from 1 Sep 2026) | 3 + 1 per extra user | Salesbot, pipeline automation, broadcasts. Up to 3 AI agents. |
| Pro | $45 | Unlimited | Booking, ads integrations, higher AI credits. Up to 50 AI agents. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Custom limits and SLA. |
Kommo announced the Base/Advanced increase on 30 July 2026. Existing customers keep current rates if they stay on the same plan. WhatsApp template fees from Meta are extra.
Pick Kommo if a small sales team lives in WhatsApp and needs a pipeline, not a second CRM. Skip it if last month's leads came from a Reel keyword and you are one person with no pipeline to manage.
What does Respond.io actually do?
Respond.io is the shared inbox, not the CRM of record. Starter ($99 / $79 yearly, 5 users) is the inbox. Growth ($199 / $159 yearly, 10 users) adds workflows, broadcasts, and AI Agents. Advanced ($349 / $279 yearly) adds webhooks, SSO, and custom channels. Extra users are $12–$24. Growth overage is $12 per 100 Monthly Active Contacts.
WhatsApp: official BSP, no claimed per-message markup, 5.5% Stripe fee on WABA top-ups. WhatsApp Calling API on Growth+. Instagram is an inbox channel with Auto Private Replies, not a keyword funnel.
Does Kommo do Instagram comment-to-DM like InstantDM?
No. Kommo pulls Instagram DMs and comments into the lead card and can check whether someone follows you. That is CRM context. It is not "comment PRICE, get the list, follow-gate, collect email, drip."
Respond.io Auto Private Replies send one private message per comment. InstantDM is the campaign engine: keywords, Stories, collab posts, schedule-with-AutoDM, Facebook copy, Viral Mode, ads on Trendsetter.
Does Respond.io or Kommo markup WhatsApp fees?
Respond.io: no per-message markup on Meta template rates, plus the 5.5% top-up fee. Kommo: Meta WhatsApp fees are billed separately from the CRM seat. Budget both. InstantDM has no WhatsApp bill today because WhatsApp is not live.
Which channels does Respond.io support vs Kommo?
| Channel | Respond.io | Kommo | InstantDM |
|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp API | Yes, BSP, no claimed markup | Yes, Meta partner, Meta fees extra | Roadmap |
| WhatsApp Calling | Yes, Growth+ | No | No |
| Instagram DMs / comments | Inbox + private replies | Inbox in the lead card | Keyword comment-to-DM, stories, collabs |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | Yes | Yes, copy from Instagram |
| TikTok | Business Messaging + ads | Listed on homepage | No |
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | No |
| SMS | Yes | Not a headline channel | No |
| WeChat / LINE / Viber | Yes | No | No |
| Website chat | Yes | Chat button / forms | No |
| Visual sales pipeline | Lifecycle fields; CRM is HubSpot/Salesforce | Yes, this is the product | Tags and lead fields in DMs |
Which is cheaper, Respond.io or Kommo?
Per seat, Kommo is cheaper until the team and the channels grow. Five users on Kommo Advanced is $125/month ($175 after 1 September 2026 for new accounts). Respond.io Growth is $199 for 10 users. InstantDM is $9.99 with unlimited contacts on one Instagram account.
| Team | Kommo Advanced | Respond.io | InstantDM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 user, Instagram only | $25 ($35 from 1 Sep, new) | Starter $99 (overkill) | $9.99 |
| 5 sales reps, WhatsApp + IG | $125 | Starter $99 if no workflows; Growth $199 if you need bots | $9.99 × accounts |
| 10 reps, WhatsApp + TikTok + calls | $250+ and still no WA Calling | Growth $199 | Wrong aisle |
Kommo's six-month minimum in some regions is the invoice surprise. Respond.io's MAC overage is the other one. InstantDM does not move when a Reel works.
Which has better customer support, Respond.io or Kommo?
Respond.io advertises 24/5 live support in English, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish, plus 24/7 AI, on all plans, and 99.999% uptime. Kommo support is strong in LATAM and via regional partners; Capterra puts customer service around 4.2. InstantDM is email on Legend Pro and email + WhatsApp on Trendsetter.
Is Respond.io better than Kommo for Instagram?
For a team reading Instagram next to WhatsApp, Respond.io. For a sales rep who needs the comment inside a deal stage, Kommo. For comment-to-DM campaigns, InstantDM.
Is Kommo better than Respond.io for a sales pipeline?
Yes. Kommo is the CRM. Respond.io syncs to HubSpot and Salesforce. If you do not already have a CRM, Kommo is the cheaper way to get stages plus chat. If you already have HubSpot, Respond.io is the inbox, not a second pipeline.
Does InstantDM have WhatsApp yet?
Not yet. WhatsApp is on the roadmap. Today InstantDM is Instagram, Facebook Page comments, Messenger, and Meta ads. Legend Pro $9.99 unlimited contacts. Trendsetter $24.99 adds Viral Mode, follow-ups, ads, and API. Free: 500 automations a month (instantdm.com/pricing, August 2026).
If WhatsApp is how you close this month, buy Respond.io (team) or Kommo (CRM). If Instagram and Facebook are how you close this month, buy InstantDM. When WhatsApp ships, the Meta automations stay.
Which tool wins which brief?
A: five sales reps, WhatsApp deals, pipeline stages. Kommo Advanced. Respond.io if you already run HubSpot. InstantDM is idle.
B: comment PRICE on a Reel, follow-gate, collect email. InstantDM. Kommo and Respond.io inbox the chat; they do not run that campaign.
C: WhatsApp + TikTok ads + voice. Respond.io Growth. Kommo lists TikTok; it does not list WhatsApp Calling.
D: Facebook Page + Instagram ads, same creative. InstantDM (copy automation to Facebook, ads on Trendsetter).
What will you regret if you pick the wrong one?
Regret Kommo Base if you thought $15 bought Salesbot. Bots start on Advanced. Regret Kommo if WeChat, LINE, or WhatsApp Calling is required.
Regret Respond.io Starter if you needed workflows. Those start on Growth. Regret Growth if you are one person and the only channel that makes money is Instagram.
Regret InstantDM if you needed WhatsApp this month or a visual CRM.
Is Respond.io better than Kommo for a support team?
Yes, if the job is routing, SLAs, and many channels. Budget Growth.
Is Kommo better than Respond.io for a small sales team?
Yes, if the job is a pipeline plus WhatsApp and you will stay under a handful of seats. Budget Advanced, not Base.
Is InstantDM better than Respond.io or Kommo for Instagram and Facebook?
Yes, if the job is comment-to-DM, Stories, collabs, Facebook copy, and ads at a flat $9.99.
Who should buy Respond.io, Kommo, or InstantDM?
- Sales CRM with WhatsApp inside the lead card → Kommo Advanced.
- Multi-agent inbox, TikTok, WhatsApp Calling, HubSpot → Respond.io Growth.
- Instagram + Facebook + Meta ads, flat bill → InstantDM.
- Instagram + WhatsApp marketing funnels → ManyChat, see Respond.io vs ManyChat.
If the inbox is Instagram and Facebook, start InstantDM free. Related: Respond.io vs ManyChat, Respond.io vs Zoko.
