WhatsApp Business app vs WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API) compared, covering features, limits, costs and when to use each, or both on the same number.
WhatsApp offers businesses two products: the free WhatsApp Business app for mobile phones, and the WhatsApp Business API (Meta’s Cloud API), which software such as Hello connects to. They serve different needs. With coexistence, a business can also use both on the same number.
Comparison
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API with Hello | |
|---|---|---|
| Intended for | An owner or small team on one phone | Teams, and businesses sending at volume |
| Where you work | Phone app and linked devices | Web dashboard for the team, plus the phone app with coexistence |
| Starting conversations | Manually, one customer at a time | Approved templates, to one customer or many |
| Bulk messages | Broadcast lists, only to contacts who saved your number | Template campaigns to any opted-in customer |
| Integration with your systems | Not available | Any message type through the REST API |
| Message types | Text, media, documents, location, contacts | The same, plus templates with headers, footers and buttons |
| Delivery tracking | Ticks in the chat | Sent, delivered, read and failed status for every message, with failure reasons |
| Team access | Limited linked devices | Team members with roles and permissions |
| Cost | Free | Your Hello plan, plus per-message charges billed directly by Meta |
| Existing number | Not applicable | Supported through coexistence |
When the WhatsApp Business app is sufficient
- One person handles every conversation.
- Customers usually contact you first.
- WhatsApp does not need to connect to a store, booking system or CRM.
When you need the API
- Several people need to respond to customers.
- You want to send notifications automatically from your own systems, such as order updates and appointment reminders.
- You need to contact customers who have not messaged you recently, which requires approved templates.
- You need reporting on which messages were delivered, read or failed, and why.
- You run campaigns beyond the reach of broadcast lists. See WhatsApp marketing campaigns.
Two API rules to understand
Templates start conversations. To contact a customer who has not messaged you in the last 24 hours, the API requires a pre-approved message template. WhatsApp usually reviews templates within 24 hours at most; review times are subject to WhatsApp’s policies.
The 24-hour customer service window. When a customer messages you, you can reply freely with text, images or documents for 24 hours. After that, a template is required again. Hello shows whether the window is open for each conversation.
Using both: coexistence
With WhatsApp coexistence, the same number works in the WhatsApp Business app and the API at the same time. You continue to use the app on your phone, and Hello adds templates, campaigns, a team inbox and API access. Replies sent from the phone appear in Hello, so the team works from one conversation history. How coexistence works →
Frequently asked questions
Is the WhatsApp Business API free?
Meta does not charge a licence fee for the API, but it charges per message for most business-initiated messages, based on the message category and the recipient’s country. Meta bills these charges directly to your WhatsApp Business Account. Hello charges a separate plan fee for its software and does not set or collect Meta’s charges.
Can I use the WhatsApp Business app and the API at the same time?
Yes, on the same number, through WhatsApp coexistence. Hello supports coexistence, so you can keep the app on your phone and add the API, templates and a team inbox.
Do I need a developer to use the WhatsApp Business API?
Not with Hello. Templates, bulk sending and the team inbox are available in the dashboard. The API is available when you want to send messages from your own systems.
How many messages can I send per day with the API?
WhatsApp limits how many unique customers a business can start conversations with each day. The limit increases automatically as you send messages that customers engage with. Replies to customers who message you first do not count towards it.