OpenAI Assistants
On WhatsApp & SMS
Same GPT-4 power. Deployed to real channels where your customers are. Not just chat widgets.
No credit card required. Deploy to WhatsApp in under 5 minutes.
The Problem with OpenAI Assistants
OpenAI Assistants are powerful, but they only work through the API or Playground.
To reach customers on WhatsApp, you need to build:
- WhatsApp Business API integration (Meta approval, webhooks)
- Webhook handlers for incoming messages
- Thread/session management per conversation
- Message formatting (WhatsApp has different limits than API)
- Rate limiting and retry logic
- Infrastructure hosting and monitoring
That's 500+ lines of glue code and $200+/month in infrastructure before you send a single AI message.
See the Difference
OpenAI Assistants + DIY WhatsApp vs Zavu
// 1. Set up WhatsApp Business API
// 2. Create webhook endpoint
// 3. Handle verification challenge
// 4. Parse incoming messages
// 5. Map to OpenAI thread IDs
// 6. Call Assistants API
// 7. Format response for WhatsApp
// 8. Handle rate limits
// 9. Manage thread lifecycle
// 10. Deploy and monitor
// = 500+ lines of glue code
// = $200+/month infrastructure
// = 2-4 weeks to productionimport Zavu from '@zavudev/sdk';
const zavu = new Zavu('YOUR_API_KEY');
// Create an AI agent on WhatsApp
await zavu.senders.createAgent({
senderId: 'sender_abc123',
provider: 'openai',
model: 'gpt-4o-mini',
systemPrompt: 'You are a helpful assistant.'
});
// Done. Agent responds on WhatsApp automatically.
// Add knowledge base, tools, flows as needed.Feature Comparison
Same AI capabilities, plus real messaging channels.
| Feature | Zavu | OpenAI Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-4, GPT-4o models | ||
| Knowledge Base (RAG) | ||
| Function calling / Tools | ||
| Thread/session management | ||
| WhatsApp native | ||
| SMS native | ||
| Email native | ||
| Multi-provider (Anthropic, Google) | ||
| No extra infrastructure | ||
| Visual flow builder |
Pricing Comparison
Same OpenAI costs, no infrastructure overhead.
| Item | Zavu | OpenAI + DIY |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o-mini input | $0.15/1M tokens (pass-through) | $0.15/1M tokens |
| GPT-4o-mini output | $0.60/1M tokens (pass-through) | $0.60/1M tokens |
| WhatsApp integration | $0.005/contact/month | DIY: $200+/month infra |
| SMS integration | $0.005/contact + carrier | DIY: Twilio + glue code |
| Knowledge base hosting | Included | $0.20/GB/day |
Why Developers Choose Zavu
Real Channels, Not Widgets
Your AI agent lives where customers are - WhatsApp, SMS, Email. Not just a chat widget on your website.
Same AI Power
Use GPT-4, GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini - any model you want. Bring your own API key or use our managed tier.
No Glue Code
Skip the webhook handlers, session managers, and message formatters. Just configure and deploy.
Production Ready
Handle rate limits, retries, and edge cases automatically. Focus on your product, not infrastructure.
Built-in Tools
Connect your APIs as agent tools. We handle the webhook security, you define the logic.
5-Minute Setup
Create an agent, connect WhatsApp, done. No infrastructure to manage, no code to deploy.
Use Cases
Customer Support on WhatsApp
Deploy GPT-4 powered support agents that handle FAQs, troubleshooting, and escalations on WhatsApp.
Order Status via SMS
Let customers check their order status by texting. AI parses the request and calls your order API.
Lead Qualification
AI agents that qualify leads across WhatsApp, SMS, and Email - all from a single configuration.
Appointment Scheduling
Natural language booking on any channel. AI handles the conversation, webhooks update your calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my existing OpenAI API key?
Yes! Bring your own OpenAI API key and we'll use it directly. You pay OpenAI for tokens, we charge only for the messaging infrastructure ($0.005/contact/month).
What about my fine-tuned models?
Fine-tuned OpenAI models are fully supported. Just specify your model ID when creating the agent.
How does pricing compare to building it myself?
Building a WhatsApp + OpenAI integration yourself requires: WhatsApp Business API setup, webhook handlers, session management, rate limiting, and hosting. That's typically $200-500/month in infrastructure + 20-40 hours of engineering. With Zavu, you pay $0.005/contact/month + your OpenAI costs.
Can I switch to Claude or other models later?
Yes. Zavu supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Mistral. You can switch models or even use different models for different agents - no code changes needed.
What happens when the AI can't help?
Use our flow builder to define handoff rules. Route to human agents, escalate to external systems, or trigger webhooks - all configurable without code.
Deploy AI Agents to Real Channels
Stop building infrastructure. Start deploying AI agents where your customers actually are.