Summary

The WhatsApp Business API is designed for businesses that need to communicate with customers at scale. It enables automation, shared team access, integrations with business systems, and advanced messaging capabilities that are not available in the WhatsApp Business App. This guide explains what the WhatsApp Business API is, how it differs from the WhatsApp Business App, what Wati provides, and the key requirements and limitations to understand before getting started.

Instructions

If you're planning to use Wati with the WhatsApp Business API, it's important to understand how the API works, how it differs from the WhatsApp Business App, and the messaging rules that apply.

What is WhatsApp Business API?

The WhatsApp Business API is built for growing businesses that need to manage customer conversations at scale. Unlike the WhatsApp Business App, it allows businesses to automate communication, connect WhatsApp with other business systems, and manage conversations across multiple team members.

With the WhatsApp Business API, businesses can:

Automate customer conversations.
Build WhatsApp chatbots.
Send interactive messages.
Integrate WhatsApp with external systems and applications.
Manage customer conversations across multiple agents.
Scale customer communication as the business grows.

WhatsApp Business App vs. WhatsApp Business API

The WhatsApp Business App is a free application designed primarily for small businesses that manage customer conversations manually. While it provides the basic tools needed to communicate with customers, it has limitations as your business grows.

Compared to the WhatsApp Business App, the WhatsApp Business API provides:

Feature	WhatsApp Business App	WhatsApp Business API
Agents	1	Unlimited
Broadcast messaging	Limited	Unlimited (tier-based)
Automation	✗	✓
Analytics	✗	✓
Integrations	✗	✓
Artificial Intelligence (AI)	✗	✓

The WhatsApp Business API is the better choice for businesses that need to support multiple team members, automate customer interactions, and communicate with customers at scale.

What is Wati?

Wati is a customer engagement platform built on the WhatsApp Business API.

With Wati, businesses can:

Send and receive WhatsApp messages.
Manage customer conversations from a shared inbox.
Automate responses and workflows.
Build WhatsApp chatbots.
Connect WhatsApp with other business tools and systems.
Manage customer support, sales, and marketing conversations from a single platform.

Things to know before getting started

Before connecting your phone number to the WhatsApp Business API, keep the following in mind:

Previous WhatsApp chat history is not available after onboarding through a WhatsApp Business API solution provider such as Wati.
If you onboard using the Embedded Signup process, your phone number cannot be used with the WhatsApp Messenger app or the WhatsApp Business App while it remains connected to the WhatsApp Business API.
A phone number can only be connected to one WhatsApp platform at a time.

Understanding WhatsApp Business API Messaging Rules

WhatsApp applies messaging rules to help protect the customer experience.

1. Customer-initiated conversations

When a customer sends a message to your business, a 24-hour customer service window begins.

During this period, your business can freely respond using regular (non-template) messages.

2. Business-initiated conversations

Once the 24-hour customer service window ends, businesses must use an approved WhatsApp template message to start a new conversation.

Template messages:

Must be approved by WhatsApp before they can be used.
Can be managed from the Wati dashboard.
Must comply with WhatsApp Commerce Policies.

Supported and Unsupported Features

Supported

The WhatsApp Business API supports:

Voice notes.
WhatsApp voice calling.

Not supported

The WhatsApp Business API does not currently support:

WhatsApp groups.
WhatsApp video calls.
WhatsApp message forwarding.
Deleting sent messages.

Important Limitations

Keep the following limitations in mind when using the WhatsApp Business API:

A phone number connected to the WhatsApp Business API cannot be used simultaneously with the WhatsApp Messenger app or the WhatsApp Business App.
Sent messages cannot be deleted because message deletion is not currently supported by the WhatsApp Business API.
Businesses must use approved template messages to initiate conversations outside the 24-hour customer service window.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Understanding WhatsApp Business API

1. What is the WhatsApp Business API?

The WhatsApp Business API is designed for growing businesses that need to manage customer conversations at scale. It enables businesses to automate communication, integrate WhatsApp with business systems, manage conversations across multiple team members, and support advanced messaging capabilities.

2. What can businesses do with the WhatsApp Business API?

With the WhatsApp Business API, businesses can:

Automate customer conversations.
Build WhatsApp chatbots.
Send interactive messages.
Integrate WhatsApp with external systems and applications.
Manage customer conversations across multiple agents.
Scale customer communication as the business grows.

3. How does the WhatsApp Business API differ from the WhatsApp Business App?

Compared to the WhatsApp Business App, the WhatsApp Business API provides:

Unlimited agents instead of 1.
Tier-based unlimited broadcast messaging instead of limited broadcasts.
Automation capabilities.
Analytics.
Integrations with external systems.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.

The WhatsApp Business API is better suited for businesses that need to support multiple team members, automate customer interactions, and communicate with customers at scale.

Using Wati with WhatsApp Business API

4. What is Wati?

Wati is a customer engagement platform built on the WhatsApp Business API. It enables businesses to send and receive WhatsApp messages, manage customer conversations from a shared inbox, automate responses and workflows, build WhatsApp chatbots, connect WhatsApp with other business tools and systems, and manage customer support, sales, and marketing conversations from a single platform.

5. What should I know before connecting my phone number to the WhatsApp Business API?

Before connecting your phone number to the WhatsApp Business API:

Previous WhatsApp chat history is not available after onboarding through a WhatsApp Business API solution provider such as Wati.
If you onboard using the Embedded Signup process, your phone number cannot be used with the WhatsApp Messenger app or the WhatsApp Business App while it remains connected to the WhatsApp Business API.
A phone number can only be connected to one WhatsApp platform at a time.

Messaging Rules

6. How does the 24-hour customer service window work?

When a customer sends a message to your business, a 24-hour customer service window begins. During this period, your business can freely respond using regular (non-template) messages.

7. When are WhatsApp template messages required?

Once the 24-hour customer service window ends, businesses must use an approved WhatsApp template message to start a new conversation. Template messages must be approved by WhatsApp before they can be used, can be managed from the Wati dashboard, and must comply with WhatsApp Commerce Policies.

Features and Limitations

8. Which features are supported by the WhatsApp Business API?