WhatsApp Business automation in India

What is the difference between the WhatsApp Business app and the API?

The Business app is the free app on a phone. You get a business profile, a catalogue, labels and quick replies, and an away message. A person reads and answers every chat. It works well when one or two people handle all conversations.

The WhatsApp Business Platform is for software. Your system, or a provider's dashboard, sends and receives messages through an API. Many people can answer from one number, flows can be automated, and a message can be triggered by an event such as an order or an unpaid invoice. You usually reach it through a provider that sells access and a shared inbox.

What can be automated on WhatsApp?

• Appointment, delivery and payment reminders.
• Order and dispatch updates from your tracker.
• A lead reply within seconds, with a question or two, and a hand-off to a person.
• Fee, rent or invoice follow-ups on a schedule.
• Collection of documents, like photos of a bill or ID, into the right record.
• A menu that answers common questions, such as timings, price lists or status.

Some of this should never be fully automatic. Anything involving a refund, a complaint or a judgement call needs a person. Good flows hand over early. See business automation software for how to choose the steps worth automating.

What are the rules, and what does Meta charge?

Meta publishes how it charges. At the time of writing, its pricing documentation says it charges per delivered message rather than per conversation, that rates depend on the message category and the recipient's country, and that it does not charge for messages from users to businesses.

Messages that start a conversation must be pre-approved templates, grouped as marketing, utility or authentication. Free-form replies are allowed only inside the 24-hour service window that opens when a customer writes to you. Meta's page says rates and categories are updated on a published calendar.

We do not quote rate-card numbers here because they change. Check current provider pricing before you budget. Provider fees on top of Meta's, such as a monthly plan or a markup, differ widely, so compare two or three in writing.

What does a custom WhatsApp build include, and cost?

Most clients do not need a new product. They need their existing sheet or tool to send the right message at the right time. The work is the integration, the template wording, the opt-in capture and the rules for when a person takes over.

The cost estimator counts a WhatsApp link as an integration. Message charges and provider fees are paid to those providers, not to us.

What should you set up first?

1. Pick one message that saves the most calls, such as a payment reminder or a dispatch update.
2. Make sure you have consent to message each customer, and a way to stop.
3. Choose a provider and get the number verified on the Platform.
4. Write the template and have it approved.
5. Connect it to your data, test with your own team, then roll out in batches.

Platform rules, opt-in expectations and Indian telecom regulations can change, so confirm them with your provider. How we build covers our process, and workflow automation software goes through the surrounding workflow.

Frequently asked questions