Is WhatsApp free on Thikaa, and why?
Yes. On Thikaa you connect your own WhatsApp number by scanning a QR code, exactly like WhatsApp Web — so messages travel through your own account, not through the paid WhatsApp Business API. That is why there are no per-message fees and no Meta billing account: sending and receiving is completely free. The WhatsApp Business API, by contrast, is billed by Meta per message, and from 1 October 2026 that billing extends to service replies inside the 24-hour window that used to be free. On Thikaa, bot conversations are included in your monthly plan (5,000 to 40,000 depending on the plan) with no per-reply charge.
What is the difference between Thikaa and the WhatsApp Business API?
Meta's WhatsApp Business API requires a billing account and charges for every message based on the recipient country, and it needs setup through an approved partner. Thikaa connects your existing number with a QR scan in minutes — no new number, no per-message fees — with an AI bot that understands Arabic voice notes and images. Businesses that need official-API guarantees can still use that route through Thikaa.
What is Meta's 1 October 2026 change?
Until 30 September 2026, free-form replies inside the 24-hour window on the WhatsApp Business API are free. From 1 October 2026 Meta begins charging for those service messages, and in-window utility templates lose their free status. Pricing follows the recipient country. WhatsApp numbers connected by QR on Thikaa are not affected by this change.
What is Thikaa?
Thikaa is a multimodal AI chatbot platform based in Bahrain and built for the MENA region. The bots transcribe WhatsApp voice notes in every Arabic dialect, read customer-sent images, and speak fluent Arabic and English — powered by Claude and Gemini.
Which channels does Thikaa support?
Thikaa supports WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram, email, and a web widget — with native integrations for Salla, Shopify, and WooCommerce. Every channel lands in a unified inbox available on the web and as iOS / Android apps.
Does Thikaa understand Arabic dialects and voice notes?
Yes. Thikaa transcribes WhatsApp voice notes on its own servers using the Whisper model, with full support for Gulf, Egyptian, Levantine, Maghrebi, and Iraqi dialects, plus Arabizi (Franco-Arabic). There is no extra per-minute cost.
Which AI models power Thikaa?
You can pick the model per bot: Claude (Anthropic), or Gemini (Google). Swap models with a single click — no retraining.
How much does Thikaa cost?
Plans start at $9.99/month (WhatsApp Only — 1 WhatsApp QR + 2 Cloud API, appointments, 1 AI bot and 5,000 monthly bot conversations), $19.99/month (Starter includes 10,000 monthly bot conversations), $29.99/month (Professional includes 20,000), and $49.99/month (Enterprise includes 40,000). There are no per-conversation or per-bot-reply charges. A free trial is available without a credit card.
Does Thikaa offer a mobile app?
Yes. Thikaa ships native iOS and Android apps that let you reply to WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and email from a single app — a capability unique in the MENA region.
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API to use Thikaa?
No. Thikaa’s default route is to connect your existing number with a QR scan, exactly like WhatsApp Web — no paid Business API, no approved partner, no Meta billing account, and setup takes minutes. If you do need the official API guarantees you can run that through Thikaa as well; both routes are supported.
How does Thikaa compare to Meta’s AI agent on cost?
Meta’s AI agent runs on top of the paid WhatsApp Business API, so you pay message fees first and Meta’s AI pricing on top of them, and you need a Meta billing account. On Thikaa, sending and receiving over QR is free and bot conversations are included in your monthly plan with no per-reply charge. Just as important, the answers are yours — your catalog, your prices, your wording — rather than only what Meta exposes.
Can the bot reply with my own saved quick replies, including images and voice notes?
Yes. You save your quick replies once — text, image, document, video or voice note — and pick which ones the bot is allowed to use. When a customer asks something, the bot searches your saved replies first and, on a match, sends the whole block as-is including the attachments. It also understands the attachment itself — it transcribes the voice note and reads the image — so it knows when that reply is the right one. The feature is opt-in and off by default.
Can the bot learn from my past conversations?
Yes. Thikaa reads your past WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook conversations, extracts the questions your customers really asked together with the answers you gave, and turns them into an editable knowledge base you approve before it goes live. You choose the period, channel and language, and can exclude prices and changing offers so the bot never memorises a stale number. Available from both the web app and the mobile app.
