if WhatsApp is your primary or only channel and you want to proactively engage customers (broadcasts, cart recovery). Go with Trengo if you need to manage email, social, and WhatsApp together and prioritize team efficiency over outbound marketing. Note: Pricing and features change frequently. Always check official websites for current plans and WhatsApp API availability in your region.
– built specifically for using WhatsApp as a marketing & support channel , not just support. 3. Automation & Workflow | | ControlHippo | Trengo | |--|--------------|--------| | Visual flow builder | ✅ (simple rule-based) | ✅ (advanced "Pots" – like if/then/else) | | Pre-built automation templates | ✅ (abandoned cart, order confirm, shipping) | ❌ Few | | Time-based triggers | ✅ Send later/schedule | ✅ Yes | | Assign rules (round-robin, load) | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced (skills-based, availability) | | Internal notes / mentions | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | CSAT surveys | ✅ Via WhatsApp | ✅ Yes | controlhippo vs trengo
| Aspect | ControlHippo | Trengo | |------------|------------------|-------------| | Primary Focus | Customer support + outbound WhatsApp marketing & automation | Unified customer service inbox (omnichannel) + team collaboration | | Best For | E-commerce, SMEs, and support teams that need bulk WhatsApp notifications & campaigns | Customer service teams needing a single dashboard for email, chat, social, and WhatsApp | | Key Strength | WhatsApp Business API (official partner) – broadcasts, templates, automation | Omnichannel routing, automation (Pots), and team workload management | | Weakness | Limited to WhatsApp-first; weaker on email/social channels | More expensive; WhatsApp features less broadcast-focused | | Pricing Start | ~$49–$99/month (conversation-based) | ~€29–€49/user/month (plus channel costs) | 1. Channel Support | Channel | ControlHippo | Trengo | |---------|--------------|--------| | WhatsApp (API) | ✅ Full integration (official Meta partner) – two-way, templates, broadcasts | ✅ Yes (via official API) | | Email | ❌ Not native (only via workarounds) | ✅ Native (shared inbox, auto-responders) | | Live Chat (Web) | ✅ Yes (widget + chatbots) | ✅ Yes | | Facebook Messenger | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | | Instagram DMs | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | | Telegram / Viber | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (limited) | | SMS | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Twilio integration) | | Voice | ❌ No | ❌ No (except via third-party) | | Reviews (Google/FB) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (monitor and reply) | if WhatsApp is your primary or only channel
– Trengo for complex service workflows; ControlHippo for commerce-specific WhatsApp automation. 4. Reporting & Analytics | Metric | ControlHippo | Trengo | |--------|--------------|--------| | Conversation volume | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Response time (first reply, avg) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Agent performance | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Broadcast delivery/read/open | ✅ Yes (granular) | ❌ No | | Click-through rates | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | | Customer satisfaction per agent | ✅ Via WhatsApp | ✅ Yes | | Export to CSV/API | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Always check official websites for current plans and