Comparison updated October 2026
Social Lab or respond.io?
respond.io is strong globally, but it prices in USD by active contacts, and core features are locked in higher plans. Social Lab is built for Gulf merchants from day one.
incl. VAT · 75.71 SAR/month billed annually · plus a free forever plan
($79) billed annually, and AI agents and campaigns start at 596 SAR ($159)
Free forever, not a limited trial. The free plan includes every channel and the AI agent. Stay on it as long as you like, and upgrade when your business grows.
4 things in Social Lab… you won't find in respond.io
A Saudi platform that brings marketing, sales, customer service and call center into one dashboard.
Much lower entry price
Starts at 90.85 SAR incl. VAT. respond.io's starter plan is 296 SAR ($79) with no campaigns or agents, and most teams need 596 SAR ($159).
Voice for less
Call center and voice agent are included in the Business plan at 688.85 SAR incl. VAT. On respond.io, voice agents start at the 1,046 SAR ($279) plan.
Salla & Zid, no middleman
Native Salla & Zid integration instead of connecting through Zapier or Make.
Higher limits
The Starter plan includes 10,000 contacts and 5,000 messages a month. respond.io's plan covers only 1,000 active contacts, and the more customers you have, the bigger your bill.
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Social Lab × respond.io
A quick comparison to save you time.
| Feature | Social Lab | respond.io |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | ✓90.85 SAR incl. VAT | ◐296 SAR ($79) |
| Free plan | ✓Free forever, not a trial | ✗No |
| Trial length | ✓No time limit: the free plan is for life | ◐7 days only |
| Channels | ✓WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Telegram, email, website chat, Google Maps, calls | ✓WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS, Telegram, email, website chat |
| Monthly limits | ✓Starter plan: 5,000 messages and 10,000 contacts | ✗Billed per active contact (1,000 included) |
| WhatsApp connection type | ✓Official only. We never offer unofficial | ✓Official |
| Growth & marketing support | ✓Consulting + on-demand marketing team + 5,000+ Saudi creators, free or at a token cost | ?Not disclosed |
| Google Maps reviews | ✓AI-powered management and replies | ✗No |
| Call center / calls | ✓Built in + voice agent (Business plan) | ◐Calls; voice agent from 1,046 SAR ($279) |
| AI agent | ✓From the free plan: chat, bookings and orders | ◐From the 596 SAR ($159) plan |
| Salla & Zid integration | ✓Salla and Zid | ✗Via Zapier and Make |
| In-chat ordering & payment | ✓For Salla stores | ?Not disclosed |
| Pricing & currency | ✓In SAR | ◐In USD, based on active contacts |
| Local Arabic team & support | ✓Saudi | ◐Mainly English |
✓ Available · ◐ Partial or with conditions · ✗ Not available · ? Not disclosed
Competitor information is taken from each platform's public pricing and features pages as of October 2026 and may change. USD prices are converted at 3.75 SAR and exclude VAT; Social Lab prices include VAT. Platform names are trademarks of their respective owners.
4 reasons merchants choose Social Lab
One dashboard instead of five tools
WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Telegram, email, your website or app chat, Google Maps reviews, and the call center. Every conversation in one history.
Replies in text, calls by voice
Agents for chat, bookings, orders and customer service, a voice agent that calls your customers with reminders and follow-ups, and lead scoring based on interest.
Orders close inside the chat
Your Salla store customers place orders and pay from any messaging platform. Plus native Salla and Zid integrations and local payment gateways.
A team that knows the market and builds what you need
Arabic support, features tailored to your business, and incubated in the MVP Lab program by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP).
Your number is safe with us: official WhatsApp only
Some platforms offer both official and unofficial WhatsApp connections (via QR, or a regular or Business app number) so they can sell you cheaper messages. Unofficial connections break WhatsApp's terms and put your number at risk of being banned at any moment, taking your customer conversations and their trust in your brand with it.
At Social Lab, we never offer unofficial connections, and we don't recommend them to anyone. Every customer number we connect is official, through Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform.
Unofficial connection
- Number banned without warning, often after the first big campaign.
- Lose the conversations and contacts tied to the number.
- No verified badge, no approved templates, and no one to turn to if your number is banned.
Official connection with Social Lab
- Number connected to Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform and eligible for verification.
- Approved templates and campaigns you can send with confidence.
- One number your whole team and AI agents work from, in one dashboard.
We don't just sell you a tool. We grow with you
Most platforms sell you a subscription and leave you alone with the tool. With Social Lab, your subscription includes consulting backed by 10+ years of marketing experience, plus an on-demand marketing team from our partners to support your growth, free or at a token cost.
Proven consulting
10+ years of marketing experience and lessons from 350+ businesses across industries, distilled for you: what works in your industry, when to send your campaign, and how to turn a chat into a sale.
On-demand marketing team
Partner specialists in content, campaigns, design and content creation. Call on them whenever you need instead of hiring a full team.
5,000+ Saudi content creators
Access through our partners to creators who make authentic content (UGC) about your products and services, boosting campaign results and growing your business.
Free or at a token cost
Supporting your growth is part of our partnership, not a separate service at agency prices. Your success is what keeps you with us.
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Marketing
- Paid campaigns
- Copywriting
- Design
- SEO
Photography & production
- Product photography
- Ad direction
- Video production
- Drone filming, and more
Content creators & influencers
- 5,000+ Saudi creators for UGC
- Influencer network
- Celebrities
- Content that boosts your campaign results
Development
- Automation and system integrations
- AI agents
- Large language models (LLMs)
- Custom development for your needs
Partner services are available to Social Lab customers free or at a token cost, depending on the service.
About switching from respond.io
How does Social Lab pricing compare to respond.io?
Can I move my number and templates from respond.io to Social Lab?
Does Social Lab use the official WhatsApp API?
What's the main difference between Social Lab and respond.io?
Ready to switch from respond.io?
Our team helps you move your number, templates and contacts step by step, and you start on the free-forever plan.
Free forever · Ready in 10 minutes