ManyChat Free Plan in 2026: 25 Active Contacts and Your Options

ManyChat’s free plan has not disappeared. Under its newer pricing model, it includes 25 Active Contacts per month, up to four live automations, two eligible channels, and one user. That is a small allowance for an active comment-to-DM campaign, but it can be enough to test a workflow. ManyChat says the newer model applies to accounts created from March 2, 2026, while eligibility for older accounts is rolling out by region. Check the plan actually shown in your account. ManyChat’s plan guide and pricing page were checked September 27, 2026.

What changed?

The older free tier used a larger stored-contact allowance. The newer free tier counts people who interact with your business through ManyChat during the current billing month. A person who receives or sends multiple messages that month still counts once; someone stored in your audience who does not interact that month does not count. That distinction matters when comparing old screenshots or reviews with today’s checkout.

At 25 Active Contacts, one busy Reel can use the free allowance. Before publishing a campaign, confirm what ManyChat does when the allowance is reached for your account and subscription type. Do not assume an automatic paid upgrade or a specific delivery behavior based on an older article.

What do paid plans start at?

ManyChat currently lists Essential at $17/month on monthly billing or $14/month equivalent billed annually, with 250 Active Contacts included. Pro lists $39/month or $29/month equivalent billed annually, with 2,500 included. Paid plans can charge for additional active contacts. Pro and higher plans list AI-powered conversations, so the old claim that AI is always a separate $29 add-on is not a safe basis for a purchase decision. Read the full current ManyChat pricing breakdown and confirm region and account eligibility at checkout.

Keep ManyChat or compare a replacement?

Keep it if your existing flows work, the active-contact allowance fits, or you rely on its visual builder and multiple messaging channels. Rebuilding a live workflow has a real cost.

Compare alternatives if most of your work is Instagram comment, incoming-DM, and Story-reply automation and you need a different pricing unit or simpler lead handoff. SocialGrow has a seven-day trial, then a fixed public plan of $14.99/month or $149/year in USD or ₹499/month or ₹4,990/year in India. It is not a free-forever plan. See the 16 ManyChat alternatives for Instagram for other free and paid options, their limits, and reasons to stay with ManyChat.

When comparing free tiers, use the same job for every product: one Instagram account, the trigger you need, expected conversations in a normal and busy month, lead capture, human handoff, and the price when the free limit is exceeded. A cap on Active Contacts is not directly comparable with a cap on DMs or active automations.

If you decide to move, use the ManyChat migration checklist to save your trigger rules and message copy, rebuild one workflow, and test it before cutting over. Ask each provider whether contact or flow import is supported; do not assume a CSV or a workflow transfers automatically.