Independent category guide
The best AI assistants for group chats in 2026
The best AI for your group chat depends on the app your group uses. Meta AI is the best pick for WhatsApp groups because it is free and already there. Pally is the best pick for iMessage and Telegram groups: it answers when named, keeps the group's plans, and runs each member's personal asks on that member's own accounts.
ChatGPT is no longer an option for new groups, because OpenAI no longer lets people start new ChatGPT group chats. This ranking weighs which chat apps each assistant supports, what it can do in the group, and how it treats private information.
Meta AI
Best for WhatsApp groups
Meta AI is built into WhatsApp and free. Mention it in a group to answer a question, translate, or make an image, with no setup. It does not connect to anyone's email or calendar, so it cannot check who is free or act outside the chat.
Pros
- Free and already in WhatsApp
- Anyone in the group can mention it
- Good for questions, images, and translation
Tradeoffs
- No email or calendar connection
- Cannot book, buy, or act outside the chat
Pricing: Meta AI inside WhatsApp is free. Check latest pricing
Pally
Best for iMessage and Telegram groups
Pally joins iMessage and Telegram groups and speaks only when someone says its name or replies to it. It keeps the group's decisions and plans, posts scheduled roundups or standups, and runs each personal ask on the asker's own connected accounts, with sensitive details sent to that person privately.
Pros
- Group memory of plans, decisions, and open loops
- Shares free and busy, not meeting titles, by default
- Scheduled posts such as standups and weekly plans
- Asks you privately before it joins a group
Tradeoffs
- Cannot join a WhatsApp group as a member
Pricing: Pally is free, with almost unlimited usage limits. No waitlist or invitation. Cloud Mac is a paid add-on. See what's included
Cole by Pocodot
Best for work groups across many chat apps
Cole is a team assistant that lives in Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, LINE, email, and phone calls, with one memory across every channel. It is the broadest option for a working group that spans several chat apps, WhatsApp groups included.
Pros
- Eight channels, including WhatsApp and LINE
- One memory across every channel
- 150 free credits to try it
Tradeoffs
- Built for teams rather than friends and family
- Paid plans start at $19 a workspace a month
Sidekicks
Best lightweight helper for iMessage groups
Sidekicks is a textable AI you can add to an iMessage group, where it chimes in with shared reminders and to-do lists, quick polls, and tie-breakers. It is a light pick for friends and family who want a helper in the chat without connecting accounts.
Pros
- Shared group reminders and to-do lists
- Polls, random pickers, and tie-breakers
- Free plan to start
Tradeoffs
- No email or calendar connection
- The Free plan limits messages; Pro is $19.99 a month
Perplexity
Best free fact-checker for Telegram groups
Perplexity's verified Telegram bot, @askplexbot, answers when you tag it in a group, which makes it useful for fact-checks and quick research during a conversation. It does not keep the group's plans or run tasks.
Pros
- Verified bot, free to use
- Web-backed answers inside the group
- Also works one-to-one
Tradeoffs
- No group memory, reminders, or scheduled posts
- Does not connect to anyone's accounts
Bottom line
How to choose
Pick Meta AI if your group lives in WhatsApp; it is free and already there. Pick Pally for an iMessage or Telegram group that wants a member who remembers the plan, posts the roundup, and handles each person's asks privately on their own accounts.
For a WhatsApp group, Pally cannot join as a member, though with your WhatsApp connected it can catch you up on the group and send to it as you. Cole covers work groups across WhatsApp, Slack, and more, Sidekicks is a playful iMessage helper, and Perplexity is a free fact-checker for Telegram groups.
Questions
Common questions
Can I add Pally to a WhatsApp group?+
No. Pally joins iMessage and Telegram groups as a member, but not WhatsApp groups. With your WhatsApp connected, it can still catch you up on your groups and send to them as you.
Can I still use ChatGPT group chats?+
Not for new groups. OpenAI no longer lets people start new ChatGPT group chats. Its 1-800-ChatGPT line is for one-to-one conversations.
Is Meta AI free in WhatsApp groups?+
Yes. Meta AI inside WhatsApp is free, and you can mention it in a group chat. It does not connect to email or calendar.
Will everyone in the group see my private information?+
Not with Pally. Answers in the group show only what the requester would want the group to see, such as free and busy instead of meeting titles, and sensitive results go to the requester's private chat. Payment wallets, site sign-ins, and the live browser view never appear in a group.