Wati alternative for Shopify
Wati runs on the WhatsApp Business API and is built for a team inbox, chatbots, cart recovery and AI features for larger support teams. WhatsApp Pilot links your existing WhatsApp number instead and focuses on a storefront button, order confirmations and consent-based cart recovery at a flat price. Which one fits depends on your volume, your team and whether you need campaigns.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 5 min read · How we write and test these guides
At a glance
Figures for Wati are as displayed on its Shopify App Store listing or website on 3 October 2026. Plans change often, so check the listing before you decide.
| Wati | WhatsApp Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | WhatsApp Business API | Linked device: your own number, linked with a QR code |
| Free plan | No (trial) | Yes: storefront widget and automation drafts |
| Published pricing | Listing from USD 69/month | Pro USD 15 every 30 days, no per-message fee from the app |
| Per-message fees | Meta's Business API rates apply to template messages | None from the app |
| Template approval | Required for business-initiated messages | Not required: you edit free text |
| Delivered and read receipts | Available through the API | Not available |
| Broadcast campaigns | Yes | No |
| Message languages | Depends on your approved templates | Defaults in English, Arabic, French, Portuguese and Spanish, fully editable |
When Wati is the better choice
- You send marketing broadcasts to opted-in lists and need approved templates.
- Several agents answer customers from one number and need a shared inbox.
- You need delivered and read status for reporting or compliance.
- Your volume is high enough that API tooling pays for its per-message cost.
When WhatsApp Pilot is the better choice
- One store, one WhatsApp number you already use with customers.
- You want order confirmations and cart reminders, not campaigns.
- You prefer a flat monthly price with no per-message charges from the app.
- You want to start in minutes: scan a QR code, edit the message, activate.
- Your customers read English, Arabic, French, Portuguese or Spanish and you want to write the message yourself.
What you give up with a linked device
A linked-device app cannot report delivered or read status, cannot show interactive buttons and does not send broadcasts. Your number stays subject to WhatsApp's terms, which is why WhatsApp Pilot sends confirmations only for real orders and reminders only to customers who allowed WhatsApp marketing.
Switching checklist
- Install WhatsApp Pilot from the Shopify App Store and enable the app embed in Theme Editor.
- Open the WhatsApp page and scan the QR code with the phone that holds your store number.
- Edit the order confirmation template, preview it with sample data and activate it.
- Review the three recovery steps and activate Abandoned Cart Recovery.
- Pause the matching automations in Wati first, so customers never receive two messages for one order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run Wati and WhatsApp Pilot together?
Yes, as long as the same automation is active in only one of them. Many stores keep an API app for campaigns and use WhatsApp Pilot for transactional messages from their own number.
Does WhatsApp Pilot use the WhatsApp Business API?
No. It links your existing number as a linked device, the same way WhatsApp Web does.
Ready to put WhatsApp to work on your store?
Start with the free widget. Upgrade to Pro for order messages, cart recovery, the smart product button, back-in-stock alerts and Product Demand.