Pulse vs Gupshup: prices, markups and features, side by side.
Compared on 5 October 2026 from Gupshup’s own published prices, linked below. We make Pulse, so check the sources.
The short answer
Gupshup’s self-serve WhatsApp API lists no plan fee: it bills Meta’s fee at actuals and adds US$0.001 per message, sent or received. That suits developers who build their own tools. Pulse costs ₹9,999 a year including GST and adds nothing per message, with the shared inbox, campaigns, auto-replies and Meta setup ready for you.
| Compared on | Pulse | Gupshup |
|---|---|---|
| Plan compared | One plan, billed yearly | Self-serve WhatsApp API |
| Platform fee for a year | ₹9,999 GST included₹8,474 before GST | Not published (Not stated; prices in US dollars)No plan fee is listed on the self-serve pricing page. Gupshup charges US$0.001 a message, sent or received. |
| Marketing message (India) | ₹0.8631, Meta’s own rate | Meta’s fee + US$0.001 |
| Utility message (India) | ₹0.115, Meta’s own rate | Meta’s fee + US$0.001 |
| Authentication message (India) | ₹0.115, Meta’s own rate | Meta’s fee + US$0.001Meta’s fee is “billed at actuals”, plus Gupshup’s US$0.001 a message. India rupee rates are not published on the page. |
| Added to every message | ₹0 | US$0.001 a message on top of Meta’s fee, including messages your customers send you |
| Who bills your messages | Meta, directly, on your card | Gupshup: Meta’s fee at actuals plus its own fee |
| Team members included | Your whole team, no per-agent fee | Not published on the self-serve pricing page |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan; nothing to pay until your number is live | Pay as you go; no plan fee listed |
| Setup | Meta verification and setup done for you | Self-serve; enterprise plans through sales |
| Visual chatbot builder | No. Keyword auto-replies and ready-made industry packs instead | Not on the self-serve price list; enterprise features through sales |
| AI agent | No | Not on the self-serve price list; Gupshup describes itself as a conversational AI platform |
Sources
- Gupshup: gupshup.ai WhatsApp API pricing, checked 5 October 2026
- Meta: WhatsApp Business Platform pricing, India rates before GST, effective 1 July 2026
- Pulse: pricing and refunds and cancellation, checked 5 October 2026
Markups are each published rate divided by Meta’s rate, rounded to a whole percent. Prices change, so check each provider before deciding.
Where Gupshup is strong
- The lowest fixed cost here: no plan fee on the self-serve price list, and US$0.001 a message on top of Meta’s fee
- Meta’s fee billed at actuals, with media above 64 KB free
- Scale: Gupshup says it handles over 120 billion messages a year for more than 50,000 customers
- Enterprise features and conversational AI through its sales team
Choose Gupshup if
- You have developers who will build your own tools on the API
- You want the lowest fixed cost and will manage the setup yourself
- You send at very large volume and need an enterprise contract
Choose Pulse if
- You want a ready shared inbox, campaigns and auto-replies without building anything
- You want the Meta verification and setup done for you
- You want one yearly price in rupees with GST included
- You want reminders, review requests and industry packs in Kannada, Hindi and English
LAUNCH OFFER · 40% OFF
₹5,999₹9,999
for your whole first year, everything included
Then ₹9,999 a year, GST included. Messages billed by Meta.
You save ₹4,000
Offer ends in
Ends 24 Oct, 11:59 pm, India time
Your coupon code
Applied automatically when you sign up.
Pulse vs Gupshup: questions
How much does Gupshup charge for WhatsApp?
Gupshup’s self-serve pricing page says it charges a standard US$0.001 per message, for template messages and for session messages sent or received, while WhatsApp’s own fee is billed at actuals. Media above 64 KB is free. No monthly plan fee is listed. Checked 5 October 2026.
Is Gupshup cheaper than Pulse?
It can be. At 10,000 messages a month, sent and received, Gupshup’s fee is US$10 a month, or US$120 a year, against Pulse’s ₹9,999 a year. The difference is what you get: Pulse includes the setup, a shared inbox, campaigns and ready-made replies; Gupshup’s self-serve plan is priced as an API.
Does Gupshup charge for incoming messages?
Yes, on the self-serve plan its fee applies to session messages in both directions: US$0.001 for each message sent or received. Meta does not charge for messages customers send you. Pulse charges nothing per message in either direction.
Can I move from Gupshup to Pulse?
Yes. The WhatsApp Business Account belongs to your business, so the number and approved templates can usually move. If you built your own app on Gupshup’s API, plan the move to Pulse’s API with your developer; we help with the switch.
Start talking to your customers where they already are.
We set everything up. You send your first message in about a week.
₹9,999 a year · setup included · no card to start