Summary
Using the Wati CRM, you get access to a powerful set of APIs that help you connect with your customers on WhatsApp. Whether you're looking to send messages, manage contacts, or integrate Wati with your own systems, this guide will walk you through what APIs are available, usage limits by plan, when limits reset, and what to do if you need more.
Instructions
What are Wati APIs?
Wati APIs are tools that let you interact with WhatsApp through your Wati account. They’re designed to help you:
Retrieve and send messages
Manage customer contact lists
Connect with your own apps and systems
You can use these APIs for automating workflows, integrating with CRMs or support tools, and improving customer communication.
Tip: To test and explore these APIs, we recommend checking out the Wati API documentation.
What are the API usage limits in each plan?
Each Wati plan comes with a different monthly quota of API calls:
Growth Plan: 10,000 API calls
Pro Plan: 200,000 API calls
Business Plan: 20 million API calls
These limits help ensure fair usage and consistent performance for all users.
When do API limits reset?
API usage limits reset on the 1st of every month.
Unused limits do not roll over to the next month.
Note: If you don’t use your full quota, the remaining calls will expire at the end of the month.
What is included in the API access?
The usage limits mentioned above apply only to developer APIs - such as those for sending messages, managing contacts, and retrieving conversations.
Note: There are no usage limits on payment APIs at this time.
This means you can freely use payment-related APIs without worrying about monthly caps, while still managing your developer API usage based on your plan.
What if I need more API calls?
If you’re on the Business Plan, you can request higher limits by adding an API quota add-on.
Note: Only customers on the Business plan are eligible to request higher API limits. If you're on the Growth or Pro plan, you'll need to upgrade to the Business plan to increase your API limits.
To request an add-on or discuss your needs, contact our support team via the widget available in our help center.
Difference between API usage limits and API rate limits
API rate limits and API usage limits control different aspects of how APIs can be used.
API rate limits restrict how frequently you can call an API endpoint within a specific time window.
If you send too many requests in a short period, the system will temporarily block additional requests and return an HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) error.
Below are some rate limits that you may face, depending on your use case:
Endpoint | Growth Plan | Pro Plan | Business Plan |
| 10 / 10 sec | 10 / 10 sec | 10 / 10 sec |
| 10 / 10 sec | 10 / 10 sec | 10 / 10 sec |
| 30 / 10 sec | 60 / 10 sec | 100 / 10 sec |
| 30 / 10 sec | 60 / 10 sec | 100 / 10 sec |
Notes:
You don't have to add contacts before sending your first message. If the contact does not exist, the new contact is automatically added to Wati when the message is sent.
We recommend using webhooks instead of the
/getMessagesendpoint to receive incoming messages more efficiently.
If you are sending the same template message to multiple contacts, it is recommended to use the
/sendTemplateMessagesendpoint instead of/sendTemplateMessage.
The
/sendTemplateMessagesendpoint allows you to include up to 1000 contacts in a single API call.
API usage limits, on the other hand, refer to the total number of API calls based on your subscription plan. Usage limits determine how much you can use the API overall, while rate limits determine how fast you can send requests.
In simple terms:
Rate limits control the speed of API requests (requests per second or per time window).
Usage limits control the total volume of API usage allowed under your plan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Wati APIs Overview
1. What are Wati APIs used for?
Wati APIs allow you to interact with WhatsApp through your Wati account. These APIs can be used to retrieve and send messages, manage customer contact lists, and connect Wati with your own applications or systems.
2. What tasks can be automated using Wati APIs?
Wati APIs can be used to automate workflows, integrate Wati with CRM or support tools, send and retrieve messages, and manage customer contacts.
API Usage Limits
3. What are the monthly API usage limits for each Wati plan?
The monthly API usage limits depend on the Wati plan:
Growth Plan: 10,000 API calls per month
Pro Plan: 200,000 API calls per month
Business Plan: 20 million API calls per month
4. When do Wati API usage limits reset?
API usage limits reset on the 1st of every month. Any unused API calls expire at the end of the month and do not roll over to the next month.
5. What APIs are included in the Wati API usage limits?
The usage limits apply only to developer APIs, such as APIs used for sending messages, managing contacts, and retrieving conversations.
6. Are there usage limits for payment APIs in Wati?
No. There are currently no usage limits for payment-related APIs, so payment APIs can be used without a monthly usage cap.
Increasing API Limits
7. How can I request more API calls in Wati?
Customers on the Business Plan can request higher API limits by adding an API quota add-on. Customers on the Growth or Pro plans must upgrade to the Business Plan before requesting higher API limits.
API Rate Limits
8. What is the difference between API rate limits and API usage limits?
API rate limits control how frequently you can call an API endpoint within a specific time window, while API usage limits control the total number of API calls allowed under your subscription plan. Rate limits manage the speed of requests, while usage limits manage the overall volume of API usage.
9. What happens if an API rate limit is exceeded?
If too many API requests are sent in a short period, the system temporarily blocks additional requests and returns an HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) error.
10. What are some example API rate limits in Wati?
Examples of API rate limits include:
/addContactand/getContacts: 10 requests every 10 seconds across all plans/getMessages: 10 requests every 10 seconds across all plans/sendTemplateMessage: 30 requests every 10 seconds for Growth Plan, 60 requests every 10 seconds for Pro Plan, and 100 requests every 10 seconds for Business Plan/sendTemplateMessages: 30 requests every 10 seconds for Growth Plan, 60 requests every 10 seconds for Pro Plan, and 100 requests every 10 seconds for Business Plan