Crew01 vs WhatsApp Business auto-replies (away and greeting messages)
WhatsApp Business away and greeting messages send one fixed text and are free, which is enough if you only need to say "we are closed, we will reply tomorrow". An AI assistant like Crew01 reads the customer's question and answers it, books the appointment and records the enquiry, which fixed messages cannot do.
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Side by side
| Away and greeting messages | Crew01 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Sends the same text you wrote, at the times you set | Reads the question and answers from your hours, prices, FAQs and calendar |
| Booking | No. It can tell the customer to wait or call | Yes: offers real free times and books, moves and cancels |
| New enquiries | Not recorded | Recorded as a lead with the customer's words, and the people you chose are told |
| Reminders | No | Yes, once you switch them on |
| Languages | The one you wrote | Replies in the customer's language, from 12 |
| Setup effort | A few minutes, in the app | Set up with us, then you add your services, hours and FAQs |
| Cost | Included in the WhatsApp Business app | $29 a month (Team plan) plus a prepaid wallet for conversations |
| Risk of a wrong answer | None: it only says what you wrote | Low but not zero: it answers from your facts and hands over when it cannot, but it is an AI |
Where auto-replies are better
- They are free and take minutes to set up.
- A fixed text can never say something you did not write.
- If you get few messages and answer them yourself, away and greeting messages are enough.
Where Crew01 is better
- The customer gets an answer, not a promise of one. A "we will reply tomorrow" message loses the customer who wanted a time tonight.
- Bookings are made while you sleep, and nobody asks twice for the same price.
- You keep the WhatsApp Business app: Crew01 connects to the same number, and when you reply yourself it leaves the chat to you.
When to move up
Try away and greeting messages first if you are new to WhatsApp for business. Move to an assistant when you notice you are answering the same questions or booking by hand every day, or losing enquiries that arrive after hours.
A customer's chat · a question answered
What Crew01 does not do
- It never claims to be a person. Asked, it says it is the business's assistant and offers someone from the team.
- It does not guess. A price or a time you did not give it is not invented: it saves the request and tells you.
- It does not give medical, legal or safety advice. A message that sounds like an emergency is flagged to your team straight away.
- It answers on WhatsApp only. Instagram and Facebook Messenger are not offered yet.
- It is not available to sign up by yourself yet. We are setting up a small group of businesses personally, one at a time.
You keep your own WhatsApp number
Crew01 connects to the WhatsApp Business number you already use. You do not get a new number and your customers do not change who they write to. The WhatsApp Business app stays on your phone, and when you reply to a chat yourself, Crew01 leaves that chat to you.
A personal WhatsApp number cannot be connected this way: install the WhatsApp Business app on that number first.
What it costs
Crew01 has three plans. Team is $29 a month for up to 10 team members, the owner included. Business is $99 a month for up to 50 team members. Enterprise is agreed with us for larger teams. Every plan has every feature: the plans differ only in how many people are on your team. Your customers are never counted.
Conversations are never included in a plan. The assistant's replies are paid from a prepaid wallet in your dashboard, only for what you use, with every charge listed. A starter credit is added when your plan begins, and automatic top-up is off until you turn it on. WhatsApp's own message charges, where Meta applies them, are billed by Meta to your own account, not taken from the wallet.
How setup works
- Apply for early access. We set up each business personally and contact you.
- Connect your WhatsApp Business number through Meta's own connection dialog. Nothing changes for your customers.
- Add your hours, services and first answers. If you have a website, Crew01 can read it and suggest services, hours and FAQs, and nothing is used until you approve each item.
- Choose your plan and put a first amount in the wallet.
- Send a test message, then publish. Until you publish, the assistant answers nobody.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the difference between WhatsApp Business auto-reply and an AI assistant?
Auto-replies (away and greeting messages) send fixed text. An AI assistant understands the question and can act on it: answer from your facts, check a calendar and book, and record an enquiry.
Are away and greeting messages enough for my business?
If you receive few messages and answer them yourself, yes. If you answer the same questions and book by hand every day, or lose enquiries after hours, an assistant saves time.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app with Crew01?
Yes. Crew01 connects to the same number and the app stays on your phone. When you reply yourself, Crew01 leaves that chat to you.
How much does Crew01 cost?
The Team plan is $29 a month for up to 10 team members, the owner included, and the Business plan is $99 a month for up to 50. Enterprise is agreed with us. Every plan has every feature. Conversations are not included: they are paid from a prepaid wallet, only for what you use.
Does Crew01 pretend to be a human?
No. It never claims to be a person. If a customer asks, it says it is the business's assistant and offers someone from the team.
Early access
See it on your own WhatsApp number.
We set up each business personally. Apply, and we'll contact you to get you started.