The Berlin-based company charles is a high-priced WhatsApp marketing tool designed for e-commerce businesses that want to use WhatsApp as a sales channel. Many smaller businesses would like to leverage this channel but lack the budget for an expensive niche solution. For these companies, Superchat is an attractive alternative to charles, as it includes all essential integrations for e-commerce tools like Shopify and Klaviyo.
Superchat already serves over 6,000 customers and is the leading messaging provider in Europe. The platform primarily targets small and medium-sized businesses and also counts hundreds of e-commerce companies like True Nature and Dein Design among its customers.
Unlike charles, Superchat offers a flexible all-in-one solution. This includes a universal inbox for all major channels (WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, email, and live chat) as well as a user-friendly builder for various use cases such as WhatsApp newsletters, automation, and AI-powered chatbots.
Charles, on the other hand, has a much smaller customer base of around 200 clients, consisting mainly of major brands like Adidas, Jack Wolfskin, About You, and Snipes. These corporations have large marketing budgets and can afford a high-priced WhatsApp solution like charles.
In this article, we compare the features, customer satisfaction, and value for money of both platforms to help you determine whether a specialized solution like charles is necessary or if a comprehensive all-in-one solution like Superchat is the better and more cost-effective choice for your business.
Note: The analyzed reviews and user numbers refer to March 2025 and are regularly updated.
Features: charles vs. Superchat
The three main features of charles are Journeys, Campaigns, and Integrations. Superchat offers similar functionality under different names, including Automations, Campaigns, and Integrations. Below is a direct comparison of the key features:
| Feature | Superchat | charles |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | ✅ | ❌ |
| Free onboarding | ✅ | ❌ |
| Transparent pricing | ✅ (from €79) | ❌ (from €499) |
| Integrated channels | ||
| ✅ | ✅ | |
| ✅ | ❌ | |
| Facebook Messenger | ✅ | ❌ |
| Telegram | ✅ | ❌ |
| Webchat | ✅ | ❌ |
| ✅ | ❌ | |
| Additional features | ||
| AI chatbot | ✅ | ❌ |
| Universal inbox | ✅ | ✅ |
| Contact management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Analytics | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automations | ✅ | ✅ |
| WhatsApp newsletter | ✅ | ✅ |
| Review management | ✅ | ❌ |
| Team chat | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mobile app | ✅ | ❌ |
| Shopify integration | ✅ | ✅ |
When analyzing the table, three key differences stand out:
1. Charles is more expensive and does not offer a free trial
Charles does not provide a free trial, is significantly more expensive, and lacks transparent pricing. This makes it difficult to compare costs or test the platform without commitment. According to Capterra, the entry-level plan for charles costs €499. In contrast, Superchat prioritizes transparency and clearly lists all pricing and plans. Additionally, businesses can explore all features for free with a test account.
2. Superchat supports more communication channels
Superchat integrates all major communication channels into a single inbox, whereas charles exclusively supports WhatsApp. Businesses that also want to communicate via Instagram or Facebook must either manage these channels separately or purchase additional messaging software.
3. Charles does not have an AI chatbot
Superchat offers an AI-powered chatbot that can be trained with company websites or documents and provides real-time customer support 24/7 across all channels. charles, on the other hand, only offers basic automations and does not include a fully functional AI chatbot for websites. As a result, businesses would need to use separate software for this functionality.
Customer satisfaction comparison
| Platform | Superchat | charles |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ 4.8 (489 reviews) | ⭐ 3.9 (11 reviews) | |
| Capterra | ⭐ 4.8 (278 reviews) | ⭐ 4.4 (21 reviews) |
| OMR Reviews | ⭐ 4.7 (277 reviews) | ⭐ 4.8 (72 reviews) |
While charles receives similar ratings to Superchat on OMR Reviews, it falls significantly behind on Google and Capterra. Additionally, Superchat has significantly more reviews, making its rating profile more representative.
Value for money comparison
Since charles does not publicly disclose its pricing, a direct comparison is difficult. However, according to Capterra, the entry-level price starts at €499, which is twice the cost of Superchat’s Advanced plan. Additionally, charles does not offer a free plan or trial period, meaning businesses must commit to high costs upfront to use the platform. In contrast, Superchat provides a 14-day free trial as well as a permanently free plan with basic features.
| Plan | charles | Superchat |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ❌ | ✅ (€0) |
| Entry-level plan | From €499 | €79 (Basic Plan) |
| Mid-tier plan | On request | €129 (Professional Plan) |
| Advanced plan | On request | €249 (Advanced Plan) |
| Enterprise plan | On request | On request |
On review platforms, the complex user interface and high costs are two frequently mentioned drawbacks of charles.
Superchat for E-Commerce Businesses
With Superchat, you can boost your online store’s revenue while significantly reducing workload by leveraging these powerful features.
1. Send WhatsApp newsletters to increase sales 📢
Reach your customers where they prefer to communicate. With WhatsApp newsletters, you can share new offers, exclusive discounts, and product highlights directly to their smartphones—more personal and effective than email, with an open rate of up to 90%. This leads to greater visibility, stronger customer engagement, and increased sales.
2. Send order confirmations via WhatsApp 📦
Provide your customers with instant reassurance that their order has been received. With automated WhatsApp confirmations, they stay informed at all times and feel well taken care of. This strengthens trust in your store while simultaneously reducing inquiries to customer support.
3. Reduce cart abandonment with automated WhatsApp messages 🛒
Bring hesitant buyers back to checkout. Send them a friendly WhatsApp reminder about their forgotten items and create the final purchase incentive with personalized offers to boost sales.
4. Manage all channels with your team in a universal inbox 📬
Say goodbye to chaos and scattered communication. With a central inbox for WhatsApp, email, Instagram, and more, you and your team always have a clear overview. This saves time, improves collaboration, and ensures fast, professional customer service.
5. Create an AI chatbot for your customer service 🤖
Provide your customers with instant answers 24/7. An intelligent WhatsApp chatbot handles common inquiries, responds instantly, and reduces your team’s workload. This makes your customer service more efficient while ensuring that customers feel well-supported whenever they need help.
And this is just a small glimpse of how you can use Superchat for your e-commerce business.
The advantages of Superchat
Superchat is the ideal solution for e-commerce businesses that:
- are looking for an affordable charles alternative
- want to create powerful WhatsApp automations and newsletters
- want to use a powerful and easy-to-use messaging platform with excellent ratings
- want to deploy a robust AI chatbot
- want to leverage quick integrations via Make or Zapier
- are looking for a messaging solution with more than 6,000 satisfied customers
- want to utilize comprehensive team chat and review management features
Conclusion: Superchat is perfect for small and medium-sized e-commerce businesses
Charles is a WhatsApp marketing platform designed for large enterprises and comes with high costs. Its features are tailored for corporations like Adidas and are often not necessary for smaller e-commerce businesses. In contrast, Superchat is specifically designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses, offering an easy-to-use messaging platform that is ready to go from day one.
Superchat provides a versatile omnichannel platform that covers all essential communication channels and use cases in e-commerce. As the market leader in messaging, we offer an unbeatable package: a user-friendly platform with numerous features, fair pricing, and comprehensive service.
