What the WhatsApp API is
WhatsApp has two business products. The WhatsApp Business app is a phone app for one or two people. The WhatsApp API (WhatsApp Business Platform, Cloud API) is the version a company connects to software. Messages still arrive in the customer's normal WhatsApp chat. The difference is who can send them, and at what volume.
With the API, a business can:
- Send an approved template when the customer has not written in the last 24 hours
- Reply in free text, media, and buttons inside that 24-hour window
- Let several agents work the same number from WhatsApp messaging in BSB OneBox
- Fire order updates, OTPs, and campaigns from a CRM, ERP, or website
The free app cannot do that at team scale. A side-by-side is in WhatsApp API vs the Business app.
What you can send
| Situation | What the API allows |
|---|---|
| Customer messaged you in the last 24 hours | Session replies: text, images, documents, lists, and buttons. No template required. |
| You start the chat | An approved template only. Categories are marketing, utility, and authentication. |
| A promotion or launch | A marketing template, and only to people who opted in. See WhatsApp marketing. |
| An order, booking, or account alert | A utility template. Do not put a discount in it. |
| A login code | An authentication template. Compare channels in OTP on WhatsApp vs SMS. |
Template rules, rejections, and the 24-hour window are covered in WhatsApp message templates and the 24-hour window guide.
How a business gets API access
- Create a Meta Business account and verify the business.
- Connect a phone number to a WhatsApp Business Account. Coexistence can keep the same number on the Business app and the API.
- Submit templates. Meta approves the wording before a business-initiated message can send.
- Use the Best SMS Bulk inbox, or call the REST API from your backend and subscribe to delivery webhooks.
Best SMS Bulk is a Meta Business Partner. The product walkthrough, inbox, and onboarding sit on the WhatsApp messaging page. A trial is at start free trial.
Pricing
Meta bills delivered messages by category and by the recipient's country. Marketing, utility, authentication, and service are not the same rate. Best SMS Bulk adds a platform fee for the inbox, templates, and support. Current Meta rates and how to estimate a month are in WhatsApp Business API pricing.
WhatsApp API by country
The API is the same product worldwide. Local pages cover onboarding, language, and the routes teams in that market actually use:
FAQ
What is the WhatsApp API?
The WhatsApp API is Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform Cloud API. It lets a business send and receive WhatsApp messages from software: approved templates, session replies, media, and webhooks. The free WhatsApp Business app is a phone app. The API is the programmable version used by teams and backends.
Do I need a Meta partner to use the WhatsApp API?
You can apply through Meta directly, or through a Meta Business Partner. Best SMS Bulk is a Meta Business Partner and provides the Cloud API, template submission, a shared inbox, and support.
Is the WhatsApp API free?
No. Meta charges per delivered message by category (marketing, utility, authentication, service) and by the recipient's country. A provider may also charge a platform fee. See the WhatsApp Business API pricing guide for the current rate card.
Can developers call the WhatsApp API from their own backend?
Yes. Best SMS Bulk exposes a REST API for template sends, session messages, and delivery status, documented in the API documentation. Your backend can also receive webhooks when customers reply.
Connect the WhatsApp API. Start a free trial or talk to sales.