Comparison
WhaBuzz vs MSG91
MSG91 is an Indian multichannel platform covering SMS, email, voice, RCS and WhatsApp, with a unified inbox and chatbots. WhaBuzz does WhatsApp only, as an API, for ₹500 a month. If you need several channels on one account, MSG91 is the broader choice. If you want Meta's bodies and signed webhooks, WhaBuzz is the narrower fit.
How do WhaBuzz and MSG91 compare?
| WhaBuzz | MSG91 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who bills Meta's charges | Meta bills you directly | Not published. Its pricing page shows WhatsApp as "billed per rate card" without the rates |
| Markup on Meta's rate | None | Not published |
| Provider's own fee | ₹500 a month first number, ₹250 each after, plus 18% GST | "Titan" plan: 0 INR for the first 2 months, then 500 INR a month, "exclusive of 18% GST". Other plans not shown |
| API shape | Meta's /messages body plus from | "Developer Friendly API"; whether it takes Meta's bodies is not published |
| Webhook signing and retries | HMAC-SHA256 signature; retries over 24 hours; replay | Retries on 5XX, 429 and temporary failures, up to 5 attempts. Auto-pause on other 4XX. Signing not published; retry intervals not published |
| Scope | API only | Unified inbox, chatbots, campaigns, SMS, email, voice, RCS |
| Region and data residency | Cloudflare Asia-Pacific region | Not published |
| Pricing transparency | Public flat fee, 14-day trial | One plan price public; rate card behind "View rates" |
What does MSG91 do when your webhook fails?
According to its webhook help page, 5XX errors, 429 responses and other temporary failures are retried, up to a maximum of 5 attempts. A different 4XX response pauses the webhook automatically.
If the configured webhook URL returns a 4XX response (except 429), the webhook will be automatically paused.
That is a sensible guard, but it means one bad deploy returning a 4XX can silence your webhook until someone resumes it. The page does not publish retry intervals. WhaBuzz retries over 24 hours on a fixed ladder, opens a circuit after 5 straight failures but keeps retrying on schedule, and lets you replay events afterwards.
When should you pick MSG91?
Pick MSG91 when WhatsApp is one channel among several. Per its WhatsApp page, you get one inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, email and webchat, chatbots with handoff to human agents, and integrations with Zoho, Freshworks and WebEngage. It also sends SMS, OTP, email, voice and RCS, which WhaBuzz does not.
It is an established Indian vendor with a long track record. WhaBuzz went live on 16 Oct 2026.
When should you pick WhaBuzz?
Pick WhaBuzz when your engineers want WhatsApp only, and want it close to Meta's own API. Request bodies are Meta's, errors are Meta's verbatim, and each response has a request_id you can look up. The fee is flat, so volume does not change your bill from us, and Meta's charges go to your own Meta account.
You also get signed webhooks with dedupe_key and seq, and a WebSocket stream. There is no inbox, no chatbot builder and no opt-out list handling, so those stay in your own system.
How do you move from MSG91 to WhaBuzz?
Check who owns the WhatsApp Business Account. If it is yours, connect it through Meta's Embedded Signup and sync your templates. Rewrite your send calls into Meta's body, point a new webhook endpoint at WhaBuzz and verify the signature, then cut over at a quiet hour while the old account stays open. Inbox history and chatbot flows stay behind.
The steps are in the migration guide. Another worked example is moving from Plivo.
Frequently asked questions
How much does MSG91's WhatsApp Titan plan cost?
Per its WhatsApp pricing page, Titan is 0 INR for the first 2 months and then 500 INR a month, with prices exclusive of 18% GST.
Does MSG91 retry failed webhooks?
Yes, for 5XX errors, 429 responses and other temporary failures, up to 5 attempts, per its help page. A 4XX other than 429 pauses the webhook.
Does MSG91 publish its Meta rates?
Its pricing page says WhatsApp is "billed per rate card" and links to rates; it does not state whether it marks up Meta's charges.
Does WhaBuzz send SMS?
No. WhaBuzz is WhatsApp only.
Sources
- MSG91 WhatsApp pricing, checked 16 Oct 2026
- MSG91 WhatsApp Business API, checked 16 Oct 2026
- MSG91 webhook delivery reports help, checked 16 Oct 2026
- WhaBuzz webhooks guide, checked 16 Oct 2026
- WhaBuzz pricing, checked 16 Oct 2026
- WhaBuzz migration guide, checked 16 Oct 2026
Corrections: if a figure here is out of date or wrong, email support@whabuzz.com with the source and we will fix the page.