Periskope vs TimelinesAI: groups, CRM sync and pricing compared (2026)
Periskope is built around groups and tickets, priced per user and phone; TimelinesAI around CRM sync, priced per seat. How they differ, with listed prices.
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- By WavesFlo team
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Periskope and TimelinesAI both link an existing WhatsApp number by QR code, so teams keep using the number they have. They are built for different work. Periskope centres on WhatsApp groups, tickets and automation rules, priced per user and per phone in dollars. TimelinesAI centres on syncing chats into a CRM, priced per seat, with unlimited numbers that each take a seat.
How do Periskope and TimelinesAI compare?
| Compared on | Periskope | TimelinesAI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starter $25 per user a month, Pro $35 per user a month; phones billed separately, first free | Starter $35 per seat a month, Pro $49 per seat a month; $28 a month billed yearly and $39 a month billed yearly |
| Numbers | upwards of 1,000 numbers stated; extra phones $25 a month on Starter | Unlimited, each number needing one seat |
| Connection | QR code scan from WhatsApp's link-device screen | QR scan, with coexistence and Meta-API modes also described |
| Groups | Unlimited groups and chats on every plan; group analytics, scheduling | No dedicated groups feature; a Groups API is not included and coming on Enterprise |
| Tickets | On all plans | Not a headline feature in the pages we read |
| CRM | HubSpot, Zoho, Freshdesk, Zapier and others; tickets pushed to helpdesks | Native sync to HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Zoho, monday.com and Close |
| Free trial | Not stated in the text we read | 10 days, up to 10 seats, no card |
What is the real difference between Periskope and TimelinesAI?
- Groups are the dividing line. Periskope treats them as the product; TimelinesAI's home page mentions group chats only as something the QR setup can log.
- Pricing grows differently. Periskope's total is users plus phones; TimelinesAI's is seats, and the page's seat rule for numbers can nearly double a seat count.
- TimelinesAI's strength is the CRM: a long list of native syncs, lead scoring and pipeline updates from conversations. Periskope's is the support desk: tickets, rules, SLA notices and an AI agent.
Which should you pick, Periskope or TimelinesAI?
Pick Periskope if:
- Your customers or dealers sit in groups and you support them there.
- You want tickets and automation rules in the same tool.
- You have many phones and few users.
Pick TimelinesAI if:
- Your reps live in a CRM and the job is keeping every WhatsApp conversation logged there.
- Per-seat pricing with a clear yearly discount suits you.
- You want a trial that needs no card.
How do they fit three kinds of team?
| Team shape | Periskope | TimelinesAI |
|---|---|---|
| 5 agents, 1 number | Starter $125 a month | Starter $175 a month, or $210 if the number takes a seat |
| 15 agents, 10 numbers | Starter $600 a month | Starter $525 to $875 a month |
| 40 agents, 30 numbers | Starter $1,725 a month; near the Enterprise minimum | Starter $1,400 to $2,450 a month |
What should you test in a trial or demo?
- Link one phone with groups in each and compare what the inbox shows for a group.
- Create a ticket from a message in Periskope, and log the same chat to your CRM in TimelinesAI.
- Check each tool's behaviour when a phone goes offline.
- Ask TimelinesAI about the Groups API date, and Periskope about the billing basis of its dollar prices.
What are Periskope and TimelinesAI not built for?
Both are linked-number tools and so inherit WhatsApp's own limits: four linked-device places per account, and logout if the phone goes unused for 14 days.
WavesFlo links numbers the same way and lives with the same two rules, but it is shaped for many stores or branches, each with its own number, gathered into one inbox across every number. Its quote covers numbers and team members for a year, and sending more messages does not change it.
Questions
Which is cheaper, Periskope or TimelinesAI?
Periskope for few users on many phones, because the first phone is free and extra phones cost the same as a user. TimelinesAI for few numbers and a CRM, because seats are the only line.
Do both link a number by QR code?
Yes. Periskope's docs describe a QR scan from WhatsApp's Link device screen, and TimelinesAI's home page leads with a QR connection.
Which handles WhatsApp groups?
Periskope, which lists unlimited groups on every plan. TimelinesAI lists a Groups API as not included on Starter and Pro.
Which syncs with a CRM?
TimelinesAI lists six native CRM integrations. Periskope lists HubSpot, Zoho, Freshdesk, Slack and Zapier.