WhatsApp Business Platform

About the Platform

WhatsApp helps billions of people to connect and share with the people they care about. Currently, WhatsApp offers the following products:

Unlike the consumer app and small business app, the business platform is not an app, but a programming language interface that allows you to connect at scale. The WhatsApp Business Platform is the product being covered on the documentation you are currently browsing.

Overview

The WhatsApp Business Platform allows medium and large businesses to communicate with their customers at scale. Using our APIs, businesses can connect thousands of agents and bots to interact with customers programmatically and manually. Additionally, the APIs can be integrated with numerous backend systems, such as CRM and marketing platforms.

The WhatsApp Business Platform consists of the following APIs:

WhatsApp Business Platform Cloud API

The Cloud API allows you to send and receive messages to and from customers using cloud-based servers owned by Meta. Since we host the API, you avoid the cost of hosting your own servers and can easily scale your business messaging.

WhatsApp Business Platform On-Premises API

The On-Premises API allows you to send and receive messages to and from customers using your own servers.

WhatsApp Business Management API

The WhatsApp Business Management API allows you to manage your WhatsApp Business Account settings and assets, and get quality status updates.

Business assets

WhatsApp business assets are any WhatsApp assets owned by a business on the WhatsApp Business Platform, such as WhatsApp Business Accounts (WABAs), business phone numbers, message templates, product catalogs, etc.

To send and receive messages using the API, you will need a business portfolio, a WABA, and a business phone number.

Meta business portfolio

A business portfolio allows you to create message templates, organize and manage your business assets, and more. Business portfolios must be verified before any of their business phone numbers can be approved for Official Business Account status.

WhatsApp Business Account

WhatsApp Business Accounts are associated with both your business portfolio and your business phone number, and are also used for creating and managing templates, and analytics tracking.

For more information, see:

Business phone number

Business phone numbers are used for sending and receiving messages via our APIs. Business phone numbers can have a display name that can appear in place of the number itself in the WhatsApp client, and can gain Official Business Account status.

See the following help center articles for more information about display names:

Messages

All message types can be sent to a WhatsApp user within a 24-hour window called a customer service window, but only template messages can be sent to users outside of this window. Templates must be approved by our review process before they can be sent.

See our Send messages document to learn about message types and the customer service window.

User Opt-In

In order to send a WhatsApp user a template message, you must first receive opt-in permission confirming that they wish to receive future messages from you on WhatsApp. The opt-in must (a) clearly state that the person is opting in to receive messages from you over WhatsApp and (b) clearly state your business's name. You are solely responsible for determining the method of opt-in, that you have obtained opt-in in a manner that complies with laws applicable to your communications, and that you have otherwise provided notices and obtained permissions that are required under applicable law.

See our WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy to learn more.

Pricing and payment methods

Businesses are charged per-message. The number of messages you can send to unique WhatsApp user phone numbers is initially limited, but can be increased through usage.

In order to send template messages, businesses must have a payment method on file, or have an established line of credit (Solution Partners only).

Terms & Policies

Businesses must comply with our Terms and Policies to remain active on our platform, so please take the time to carefully read them.

To get started with the platform, businesses must complete a series of requirements, including, but not limited to:

If you use anything other than the official WhatsApp Business Platform or other official WhatsApp tools, we reserve the right to limit or remove your access to WhatsApp as this violates our policies. Please do not use any non-WhatsApp authorized third-party tools to communicate on WhatsApp. See Unauthorized use of automated or bulk messaging on WhatsApp for more information.

Webhooks

You can use Webhooks to get notifications whenever you have received a message from a customer, a customer's phone number has changed, your WhatsApp Business Account quality and account status updates, and more. Learn more.

WhatsApp Manager

WhatsApp Manager provides partners and end clients with more transparency and actionable feedback to better manage WhatsApp business accounts all in one place. The dashboard includes notifications and alerts to resolve account-related issues faster and more effectively, provides high level metrics to monitor account status, and is an educational hub for both partners and clients.

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Next Steps

  • Get Started - Determine which API is right for your business.
  • Display Name – Set up the business name displayed in WhatsApp messages.
  • Phone Numbers - Associate a phone number with your WhatsApp Business Account.
  • Pricing - Learn about pricing and how to set up payments.
  • Webhooks - Set up webhooks to receive notifications when a customer sends your business a message, updates their phone number, or performs other actions.