Respond.io vs Thena: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Respond.io and Thena side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Respond.io leads on higher user rating; Thena leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Respond.io
Business messaging platform for marketing, sales, and support
Best for you if:
- • You want unifies customer touchpoints from various channels (WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, etc.) into a single team inbox
Thena
AI customer support for B2B teams, unifying Slack, email, and chat for faster resolutions.
Best for you if:
- • You want consolidates customer communication from various B2B channels into one platform
| At a Glance | Respond.io | Thena |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $79/mo, billed monthly Starter plan | From $29/user/mo, billed monthly Starter plan |
Category | Customer Support Sales | Customer Support AI & Automation |
Rating | 4.8/5 G2 4.8 554 reviews | 4.6/5 SourceForge 4.3 · G2 4.9 132 reviews |
Free plan | No | No |
Watch out for | Overage fees for exceeding monthly active contacts | User seat limits on Starter tier (up to 5 users) |
Choose Respond.io or Thena?
Choose Respond.io if
- You want unifies customer touchpoints from various channels (WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, etc.) into a single team inbox
- You want utilizes AI Agents to answer inquiries and qualify leads, allowing human teams to focus on high-priority customers
Choose Thena if
- You want consolidates customer communication from various B2B channels into one platform
- You want AI automation significantly reduces manual effort and speeds up resolution times
- Budget matters ($29/user/mo, billed monthly vs $79/mo, billed monthly)
In-Depth Analysis
Respond.io
Business messaging platform for marketing, sales, and support
Respond.io's pricing, starting at $79/month for 'Starter' and escalating to $279/month for 'Advanced', appears to be on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially given the 'Growth' tier's 1,000 monthly active contacts limit.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding monthly active contacts
Strengths
- Pro: Unifies customer touchpoints from various channels (WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, etc.) into a single team inbox.
- Pro: Utilizes AI Agents to answer inquiries and qualify leads, allowing human teams to focus on high-priority customers.
- Pro: Provides built-in analytics to track ROI from ads, agents, and channels.
- Pro: Offers automation features like workflows, smart routing, and collaboration tools to shorten sales journeys.
- Pro: Ensures high reliability with 99.999% uptime for consistent customer communication.
Weaknesses
- Con: WhatsApp Business API pricing can be complex, with charges varying based on message type, country, and volume.
- Con: International authentication messages on WhatsApp are charged at higher rates under specific conditions.
- Con: The 24-hour customer service window on WhatsApp limits free-form messaging and can lead to charges for template messages once it closes.
Key features
Thena
AI customer support for B2B teams, unifying Slack, email, and chat for faster resolutions.
Thena's pricing, starting at $29/user/month for Starter and scaling to $119/user/month for Enterprise, appears on the higher end for AI customer support tools, especially with per-user pricing.
Watch out
User seat limits on Starter tier (up to 5 users)
Strengths
- Pro: Consolidates customer communication from various B2B channels into one platform.
- Pro: AI automation significantly reduces manual effort and speeds up resolution times.
- Pro: Proactive communication features help reduce inbound tickets and improve customer satisfaction.
- Pro: Offers a free plan and a 30-day free trial for the Standard plan.
- Pro: Designed specifically for the context and speed required in B2B support.
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricing is per user, which can become costly for larger teams.
- Con: Advanced AI features like custom deployments are only available in higher-tier plans.
- Con: Requires integration with existing communication channels, which might have an initial setup overhead.
Key features
Plans and prices: Respond.io vs Thena
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Respond.io |
| respond.io/pricing read Oct 31, 2026 |
| Thena |
| thena.ai/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Respond.io pricing and Thena pricing.
Key Takeaways
Respond.io
- Higher user rating: 4.8/5 vs 4.6/5
Thena
- Lower entry price: $29/user/mo, billed monthly vs $79/mo, billed monthly
What the data shows
On the data below, Respond.io leads on higher user rating; Thena leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Respond.io has the higher user rating (4.8/5 from 554 reviews for Respond.io, 4.6/5 from 132 reviews for Thena).
- Thena has the lower entry price: $29/user/mo, billed monthly (Starter) against $79/mo, billed monthly (Starter) for Respond.io.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Respond.io and Thena compare in 2026?
On the data below, Respond.io leads on higher user rating; Thena leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Respond.io has the higher user rating (4.8/5 from 554 reviews for Respond.io, 4.6/5 from 132 reviews for Thena). Thena has the lower entry price: $29/user/mo, billed monthly (Starter) against $79/mo, billed monthly (Starter) for Respond.io.
What are Respond.io and Thena used for?
Respond.io: Business messaging platform for marketing, sales, and support. Thena: AI customer support for B2B teams, unifying Slack, email, and chat for faster resolutions.
What does Respond.io cost vs Thena?
Respond.io's cheapest paid plan is Starter at $79/mo, billed monthly. Thena's cheapest paid plan is Starter at $29/user/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Respond.io and Thena?
Respond.io's main strength: unifies customer touchpoints from various channels (WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, etc.) into a single team inbox. Thena's main strength: consolidates customer communication from various B2B channels into one platform.