# Kanal vs Cobalt: the honest comparison

A Kanal vs Cobalt comparison for Shopify stores choosing a tool to send iMessage.

Source: https://getkanal.com/alternatives/cobalt

Cobalt is an iMessage and SMS marketing platform: campaigns, flows, popups and AI replies for online stores and service businesses, priced as a monthly plan plus each message sent. Kanal is a Shopify app for WhatsApp, with iMessage, SMS and RCS from the Scale plan: cart reminders, order updates, campaigns and an AI agent, from the same Shopify data. Here is how they compare for an online store, from Cobalt's own pages read on November 6, 2026.

## Kanal vs Cobalt: side by side

| Comparison | Kanal | Cobalt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Channels | WhatsApp on every plan, with iMessage, SMS and RCS from the Scale plan | iMessage, SMS and MMS, with RCS and short codes on the Enterprise plan; no WhatsApp |
| Shopify integration | Native app installed from the Shopify App Store | Shopify page marked Coming Soon on November 6, 2026; no Cobalt listing found on the Shopify App Store |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Automated reminders on WhatsApp, iMessage and SMS, from your Shopify carts | Abandoned cart, abandoned checkout and win-back flows that send as iMessage, with SMS for other phones |
| Broadcast campaigns | Campaigns to your Shopify segments, on WhatsApp and on iMessage | Campaigns to a list or a segment, sent as SMS, MMS or RCS; iMessage carries flows and conversations |
| AI agent | AI agent from the Scale plan: answers questions and recommends products, and your team takes over in the shared inbox | Cobalt AI answers routine questions in your brand voice and hands off to your team; AI commerce conversation skills on the Pro plan |
| Pricing model | Monthly plans from €89, iMessage from the Scale plan at €149, no commitment | $199, $499 or $999 a month, plus each message: iMessage $0.010 to $0.015, SMS $0.004 to $0.007 plus carrier fees (read November 6, 2026) |
| Setup time | Installed from the Shopify App Store in 5 minutes | Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, and a dedicated strategist walks your team through setup |
| Best for | Shopify stores that want WhatsApp and iMessage flows from one Shopify app | Brands that grow an SMS list and want iMessage on top of it |

## Cobalt vs Nellie vs Zobi vs Kanal. iMessage tools for Shopify.

Four tools send iMessage for Shopify stores. They differ on price, on the channels next to iMessage and on who writes the messages.

| Criterion | Kanal | Cobalt | Nellie | Zobi |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Price | From €89 a month; iMessage, SMS and RCS from the Scale plan at €149 a month, no commitment | $199, $499 or $999 a month, plus each message: iMessage $0.010 to $0.015, SMS $0.004 to $0.007 plus carrier fees | $1 per conversation it opens, first 200 free, no monthly fee | No public price: you pay for the conversations it has, billed against the orders it brings in |
| Channels | WhatsApp on every plan; iMessage, SMS and RCS from the Scale plan | iMessage, SMS and MMS; RCS on the Enterprise plan; no WhatsApp | iMessage, WhatsApp and SMS; its site also names RCS and email | iMessage first, then RCS, SMS, WhatsApp or email |
| Shopify-native | App installed from the Shopify App Store | Shopify integration marked Coming Soon on its site; no Shopify App Store listing found | Shopify App Store app since August 31, 2026, no reviews yet | Connects your store from its own site; no Shopify App Store listing found |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Automated reminders on WhatsApp, iMessage and SMS, from your Shopify carts | Abandoned cart, checkout and win-back flows on iMessage, with SMS for other phones | Its core job: an AI agent texts shoppers who left checkout and holds the conversation | Its core job: its concierge texts abandoned checkouts under your brand name |
| Campaigns | Campaigns to your Shopify segments, on WhatsApp and on iMessage | Campaigns sent as SMS, MMS or RCS; iMessage carries flows and conversations | No campaigns: Nellie texts one shopper at a time | One-to-one conversations written by Zobi; you approve each campaign before it goes out |
| AI agent | AI agent from the Scale plan; your team takes over in the shared inbox | Cobalt AI answers routine questions in your brand voice and hands off to your team | The product is an AI agent; you can approve each message before it goes out | A model drafts several replies and sends the one most likely to convert |
| Setup | Installed from the Shopify App Store in 5 minutes | 14-day free trial, then a dedicated strategist walks your team through setup | Set up with you on a call; Nellie says it onboards 8 stores a month | Live the same day with no setup call, according to Zobi |

Each competitor is described from its own pages and its Shopify App Store listing, read on November 6, 2026. Prices and features change: check them on each site before you decide.

Sources: [Cobalt pricing](https://usecobalt.io/pricing/), [Cobalt for Shopify](https://usecobalt.io/integrations/shopify/), [Nellie on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/nellie), [Nellie](https://trynellie.com/), [Zobi pricing](https://zobi.com/dtc/pricing), [Zobi](https://zobi.com/dtc/)

Detailed comparisons: [Kanal vs Nellie](https://getkanal.com/alternatives/nellie), [Kanal vs Zobi](https://getkanal.com/alternatives/zobi), [Kanal vs Sendblue](https://getkanal.com/alternatives/sendblue), [iMessage on Kanal](https://getkanal.com/imessage)

## Why brands switch to Kanal

### WhatsApp next to iMessage

Cobalt pairs iMessage with SMS and MMS. Kanal runs WhatsApp on every plan, so your customers without an iPhone get a rich conversation too, from the same Shopify data and the same inbox.

### On the Shopify App Store today

Kanal installs from the Shopify App Store and reads your carts, orders and customers from the first day. On November 6, 2026, Cobalt's Shopify integration page said Coming Soon.

### Campaigns on iMessage too

With Kanal, a campaign to a Shopify segment can go out on iMessage, like your cart reminders. Cobalt's Shopify page says its campaigns send as SMS, MMS or RCS, with iMessage for flows and conversations.

## When Cobalt is the better choice

Cobalt is the better choice when SMS is your main list channel and you want iMessage on top of it: dedicated toll-free or 10DLC numbers, popups and keywords to grow the list, and per-message rates published on its pricing page. It also serves service businesses, connects to tools such as Klaviyo, Gorgias, Recharge and Zendesk, and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kanal an alternative to Cobalt?

Yes, for Shopify stores. Cobalt is an iMessage and SMS platform priced per plan and per message. Kanal is a Shopify app with cart reminders, order updates, campaigns and an AI agent on WhatsApp, with iMessage, SMS and RCS from the Scale plan.

### How much does Cobalt cost?

On November 6, 2026, Cobalt's pricing page listed Growth at $199 a month, Pro at $499 and Enterprise at $999, plus each message: iMessage at $0.015, $0.013 or $0.010 and SMS at $0.007, $0.006 or $0.004, with carrier fees on SMS and MMS. Kanal plans start at €89 a month, and iMessage is included from the Scale plan at €149.

### Does Cobalt work with Shopify?

Cobalt lists Shopify among its integrations, and its Shopify page describes abandoned cart, abandoned checkout and win-back flows on iMessage. On November 6, 2026, that page marked the integration as Coming Soon, and a Shopify App Store search showed no Cobalt app.

## The verdict

Cobalt suits brands that want iMessage on top of an SMS list, billed per message; Kanal suits Shopify stores that want WhatsApp, iMessage and SMS flows from one Shopify app.