Guides
The WhatsApp Business API — officially the WhatsApp Business Platform — lets a business send and receive WhatsApp messages from software instead of from a phone. There is no app to log into: you connect the API to a platform like ConneXus, and your team works from that platform's inbox. It is designed for businesses that need several people answering one number, automated messages triggered by events, and the ability to message large numbers of customers who have opted in.
WhatsApp Messenger is the consumer app. The WhatsApp Business app is a free app for very small businesses, with a catalogue, quick replies and away messages, tied to one phone. The WhatsApp Business Platform (the API) has no interface of its own — it is the programmatic layer that software connects to.
Four things, and none of them are exotic.
Since 1 July 2025 Meta charges per delivered template message, priced by category and by the recipient's country. Replies you send inside the 24-hour service window that opens when a customer messages you are not charged. Your software provider charges separately for their platform — and some add a margin on Meta's messaging on top, which is worth asking about before you sign.
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) |
|---|---|
| Free | Meta charges per delivered template message |
| Tied to a phone, limited linked devices | No device limit — your team uses software |
| Broadcast only to people who saved your number | Message any opted-in contact |
| No CRM, no real automation | Automation, CRM, chatbots, integrations |
| Not eligible for the green tick | Eligible to apply for the green tick |
| Good for a one-person business | Built for a team |
The API itself has no licence fee, but Meta charges per delivered template message and you need software to use it, which is charged separately. Replies inside the 24-hour service window are not charged.
You can technically apply directly, but the API has no user interface — you would have to build the inbox, automation and template management yourself. In practice everyone uses a platform.
Migrating a number to the API is one-way, and chat history does not transfer. Many businesses start the API on a new number and run the old one in parallel during changeover.
Connect your number through Meta Embedded Signup, keep ownership of your WhatsApp Business Account, and pay Meta directly for messages — we never add a markup.