Maxbound vs Respond.io.

A broad inbox with calls and workflows for one team, or a workspace per client.

The short answer

Respond.io is a conversation platform for mid-sized, consumer-facing teams, with many channels, calls, workflows and AI Agents from Growth. Maxbound is the AI operating system for agencies, with approved agents answering comments, DMs, WhatsApp and web chat per client. Pick Respond.io for channel breadth and calls, and Maxbound for many clients and comments.

Checked 23 October 2026 from public information. See where they differ

Pictured: a WhatsApp conversation in Maxbound, with example data.

Side by side

Where they differ. Including what we don’t do.

Of these 7, Respond.io is stronger on 2, Maxbound on 3 and 2 depend on the work.

Question Respond.io Maxbound
How behaviour is definedDepends on the work AI Agents plus a workflow builder.Agents use templates or instructions and knowledge, from Growth, and no-code workflows route and automate. Plain-language briefs, approved by a person.Agents answer from the client's website, files, FAQs and past chats.
Messaging channels Stronger hereWider than Maxbound.WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok DMs, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, SMS, email and web chat. No email, SMS, Telegram, LINE or Viber.WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, website chat and chat in a client's own app.
Calls Stronger hereYes, calls in the same inbox.WhatsApp, VoIP and Messenger calls, and Voice AI Agents answer inbound calls on Advanced and up. None.Maxbound does not handle phone or voice calls.
Public comments Private DM only, no public replies.One automatic private reply per Instagram or Facebook comment, and comments aren't handled in the inbox. Stronger herePublic or DM replies, plus moderation.Covers Instagram comments and Facebook post and ad comments, hiding spam and abuse, logged and reversible.
Running many clients Multiple workspaces from Advanced.That plan is $279 a month billed yearly, and resellers give clients separate accounts. Stronger hereA workspace per client.Clone it for the next client, with every feature in each.
What you pay forDepends on the work Active contacts from Growth, plus seats.At 1,000 contacts, Starter is $79, Growth $159 and Advanced $279 a month, billed yearly. Per workspace, 100 AI credits each.$30 each for 1–3, $20 for 4–9, $14 for 10–19, $8 for 20–50, monthly.
Testing before going live A chat simulator for typed tests.It shows sources and actions used, but simulated chats don't run workflows or follow-ups. Stronger hereReplays real past conversations.Nothing is sent before going live.

Respond.io is a trademark of its owner. Compared as of 23 October 2026 from public information; it describes product shape, not quality. Work at Respond.io and see something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.

What it costs

Their plans, next to ours. Drag to the size of your agency.

Respond.io

Priced by monthly active contacts from Growth up. That means people you message or call. Extra seats cost more.

  • Starter$99 / mo ($79 billed yearly)Unlimited contacts, 5 users. No AI Agents, workflows or broadcasts
  • Growth$199 / mo ($159 billed yearly)1,000 contacts, 10 users, AI Agents. At 10,000: $559/mo, or $449 yearly
  • Advanced$349 / mo ($279 billed yearly)1,000 contacts, 10 users. Adds multiple workspaces and Voice AI Agents
  • EnterpriseCustomUnlimited users, more workspaces. Over 10,000 contacts? Talk to sales

Extra users $12–$30 a month. Extra contacts $12–$15 per 100. AI credits included, then $15 per 1,000, capped at 200%. Meta's WhatsApp fees on top.

No free plan. A 7-day free trial, no card needed, with Growth features for 5 users. Broadcasts are excluded.

From Respond.io’s pricing page, checked 23 October 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you compare totals.

Maxbound

1–3 $30/mo 4–9 $20/mo 10–19 $14/mo 20–50 $8/mo 50+ Custom Talk to us

$130a month

$26 per client on average

  • Every feature in every workspace
  • 100 AI credits a client, each month
  • 7-day free trial, no free plan
What users say

Respond.io, in its users’ words. From review sites and independent reviewers.

What they praise

  • Many channels in one inbox

    Reviewers name this most often. WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram and email land in one place, with no app switching.

    Sources: G2, Capterra, Product Hunt
  • Powerful workflow automation

    Capterra and G2 reviewers call the workflow builder powerful once learned. They use it for lead qualification, routing, follow-ups and escalation at scale.

    Sources: Capterra, G2, Chatimize
  • AI agents that hold leads

    G2 reviewers say AI Agents are easy to set up. They answer leads sensibly until a salesperson steps in.

    Sources: G2, Capterra
  • Easy to use, responsive support

    G2 reviewers most often praise ease of use and setup. Product Hunt reviewers call the support team responsive, despite limited hours for the Americas.

    Sources: G2, Product Hunt

What they complain about

  • Costs climb with engagement, seats

    Broadcast replies count as active contacts, extra seats add up, and AI Agents need Growth, $159 a month yearly. Meta's WhatsApp fees add more.

    Sources: Chatarmin, Eesel, Chatimize
  • No public replies to comments

    Users have asked for public comment replies since 2021, and the request is still under review. Comments get one automatic private DM, nothing more.

    Source: Respond.io
  • Thin CRM, some bugs

    G2 reviewers flag missing pipelines, template issues, buggy features and call problems. Product Hunt reviewers mention basic CRM and exports capped at 100 records.

    Sources: G2, Product Hunt
  • Billing and support disputes

    A small set of Trustpilot reviews describe unexpected charges, trouble cancelling and slow support. Americas users note live support hours fall early morning.

    Sources: Trustpilot, Product Hunt
Which one

Pick by the work you sell.

Choose Respond.io if you…

  • You need channels Maxbound does not cover: Telegram, LINE, Viber, WeChat, SMS or email.
  • You take WhatsApp or phone calls and want an Advanced-plan voice agent answering them.
  • You want a deep no-code workflow builder with HTTP requests, webhooks and HubSpot or Salesforce.
  • You are one business with a large sales or support team, not a multi-client agency.

Choose Maxbound if you…

  • You run many clients and want a clonable workspace each, priced per workspace.
  • You get real volume in Instagram and Facebook comments and need public replies and moderation.
  • You want to replay real past conversations before the agent answers anyone live.
  • You also want to schedule posts to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube from the same place.
Questions

What people ask. About Respond.io and Maxbound.

Also compared

Which has more channels?

Respond.io, clearly. Beyond WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and web chat, it covers TikTok DMs, Telegram, Viber, LINE, WeChat, SMS and email. It also takes WhatsApp, VoIP and Messenger calls. Maxbound covers WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, website and in-app chat, and does more with Instagram and Facebook comments.

Does Respond.io have AI agents?

Yes, from the Growth plan up. Growth is $159 a month billed yearly, or $199 monthly. You pick a Receptionist, Sales or Support template or write instructions, add knowledge sources and test in a simulator. Voice AI Agents need Advanced, and Starter has AI writing help but no agents.

Can Respond.io reply to Instagram and Facebook comments?

Only privately, with one automatic DM. It can DM someone who comments on an Instagram post, reel, ad or live, or a Facebook Page post, within 7 days. It cannot reply publicly, and comments aren't handled in the inbox. Maxbound answers comments publicly or by DM and moderates them.

How does Respond.io pricing work?

By plan and monthly active contacts. Anyone you message or call that month counts, but broadcasts are excluded. Growth starts at $159 a month billed yearly for 1,000 contacts and 10 users, and $449 at 10,000. Extra users, contact overage, AI credit overage and Meta's WhatsApp fees come on top.

Can an agency manage several clients in Respond.io?

Yes, with limits. Multiple workspaces start on Advanced, at $279 a month billed yearly. Partner resellers run each client as a separate account, with its own plan and billing. Maxbound gives each client its own workspace, from $30 down to $8 a month per workspace.

Do I need to build workflows in Maxbound?

No. You brief an agent in plain language, and it answers from the client's website, files, FAQs and past chats. It hands conversations to a person with the history. Nothing goes live until a person approves, and you can replay real past conversations first, sending nothing.

Sources for this comparison (24) · checked 23 October 2026

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