Comparisons
Get a real answer on whether ManyChat is free
The Ootto Team · 2 min read · August 19, 2026
Type this. The free Claude content skills land in your skills folder.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Ootto-AI/claude-content-skills.git && bash claude-content-skills/install.sh
Copies all fourteen into ~/.claude/skills. Restart Claude and every one of them is available.
No shell in these, so there's nothing to clone - add this as a custom connector instead, and get the same free Claude content skills running against a real account.
https://mcp.ootto.ai/mcp
Claude asks you to sign in and authorize it. Do that, and every free Claude content skill runs against your Ootto account from there.
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As of 2026-08-19, whether "free" means 25 Active Contacts or 1,000 legacy contacts depends on which ManyChat pricing model your account is on.
Which model applies to your account
On March 2, 2026, ManyChat introduced a new pricing model with a new account cohort based on Active Contacts.
- New accounts (created on or after March 2, 2026): Free is $0 and starts at 25 Active Contacts per month.
- Legacy accounts (created before March 2, 2026): Free remains at 1,000 contacts (legacy model), as described in the Billing FAQ.
The ManyChat docs repeatedly note that switching legacy accounts into the new model is being worked on and no public date is given yet.
What Free includes
From the new-model plan pages (for accounts on or after Mar 2, 2026):
- $0 per month.
- 25 Active Contacts per month.
- 1 user seat + 1 inbox seat.
- Up to 2 channels: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Messenger, or Telegram.
- Up to 4 live automations.
- Powered-by watermark appears on first outbound message.
Legacy free accounts (accounts created before March 2, 2026)
If your account is legacy:
- Free allows up to 1,000 contacts of all types (subscribed, unsubscribed, deleted).
- The free limits are not Active Contacts-based in that legacy plan description.
- If you exceed that legacy free limit, ManyChat says automations, inbox, and broadcasts stop working until you move off Free.
When free is no longer enough
For new-model accounts, at 26+ Active Contacts, your usage enters paid mechanics. Next paid base is Essential at $17/mo, or $14/mo billed annually.
For legacy accounts, "free" constraints and upgrade rules are described in the legacy plan text and may not match the Active Contact model.
What it does not include
- No WhatsApp, SMS, or Email.
- No unlimited automations.
- No advanced roles and controls.
Verified source and date
- ManyChat Pricing page (snapshot 2026-08-19): https://manychat.com/pricing
- ManyChat Billing FAQ (legacy model note, updated 2026-03-12): https://help.manychat.com/hc/en-us/articles/14281409288604-Billing-FAQ
- ManyChat Free plan details (Updated 2026-05-06): https://help.manychat.com/hc/en-us/articles/25800197498652-Free-plan
- ManyChat Active Contacts: overage details and cap (Updated 2026-05-06): https://help.manychat.com/hc/en-us/articles/25800323349020-Active-Contacts
How to compare
If you need WhatsApp, SMS, or Email, compare against paid tiers immediately.
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