WhatsApp Business Platform: a guide to grow your business

WhatsApp Business now comes in multiple forms — Business App, Cloud API and, On-Premise API. This guide explains the differences, latest pricing updates (2025), and how to choose the right option for your business.

What is WhatsApp Business Platform?

The WhatsApp Business Platform is a paid solution that helps medium to large businesses connect with customers at scale. It includes the WhatsApp Cloud API, on-premise WhatsApp Business API, and the WhatsApp Business Management API.

With these APIs, businesses can:

• Send and receive messages in bulk

• Automate marketing, sales, and customer support

• Integrate with CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify)

• Track key metrics like delivery and read rates

The platform is designed for enterprises managing high volumes of customer interactions and complex workflows. Businesses can get the API by working with a Meta Business Partner. 

For a detailed comparison of WhatsApp Cloud API vs. on-premise API, see the table below.

WhatsApp Business Platform vs WhatsApp Business App

The differences between the WhatsApp Business Platform vs. WhatsApp Business App can be summarized as follows:

Note: The App is best suited for small businesses, while the Platform is designed for scaling customer communication at enterprise level.

Read more about the limitations of WhatsApp Broadcast on the free WhatsApp Business App.

Using a WhatsApp Business Manager , businesses can get more detailed insights and analytics about their messaging while exploring more advanced features, automations and integrations.

WhatsApp Business App, on the other hand, is a messaging app that businesses can use to communicate with customers directly on their mobile devices. The app includes limited features such as quick replies,and  labelsIt is intended for small businesses or individual entrepreneurs who want to use WhatsApp as a communication tool.

Businesses suitable for using the WhatsApp Business Platform

The WhatsApp Business Platform is ideal for industries that need automation, integration, and personalization at scale.

• E-commerce: order confirmations, shipping updates, returns

• Customer service: automate FAQs, account info, flight status

• Healthcare: appointments, test results, patient updates

• Retail: promotions, product launches, personalized offers

• Travel & Tourism: booking confirmations, itineraries, alerts

• EdTech: class updates, reminders, student support

• Logistics: shipment tracking, delivery notifications

• Government services: citizen updates, application status, alerts

Note: Across industries, AI-powered chatbots enhance automation, enabling faster, consistent, and scalable customer communication.

Just a simple act of sending a promotional WhatsApp message can result in hundreds of responses. This helps our operations team confidently plan early-bird sales and budget for events, flights, and hotels.

Henry Lee

Head of PR and Marketing, EGL Tours Hong Kong

How to choose between WhatsApp Business Platform vs. WhatsApp Business App

Choosing between WhatsApp Business Platform vs. WhatsApp Business App depends on the specific needs and use cases of your brand. Here are some factors to consider when making the decision:

  You’re ready for conversation fees + BSP subscription    You prefer a free tool with no ongoing fees

Quick rule of thumb:

• App = best for small/local businesses

• Platform = best for scaling and enterprise

WhatsApp Business Platform pricing (2025 Update)

The WhatsApp Business Platform pricing has two components:

1. Template message fees (Meta’s charges)

2. Provider subscription fees (charged by your WhatsApp BSP)

Meta charges based on the type of messages you send, there are three types of messages: marketing, utility and authentication.

Marketing messages are business-initiated conversations, which include promotions, welcoming messages, updates, invitations, recommendations, or requests to complete a new transaction. 

Utility messages are business-initiated conversations which relate to a specific transaction and allow for confirmation, suspension or changes to a purchase. They are free of charge when sent in response to user-initiated messages.

Authentication messages are business-initiated conversations, they include one-time passcodes used for multiple login steps, such as account verification, recovery, integrity challenges.

To send these messages, they all require template approval and customer opt-in.

New in 2025: Pricing is applied per template sent. Multiple templates = multiple charges, even in the same session.

Key Takeaways

• Service conversations → Now completely free.

• Utility templates → Free within 24h window, enabling cost-effective transactional updates (order confirmations, shipping, etc.).
  Authentication templates → Rates reduced and expanded to more countries, lowering costs for secure login/OTP use cases.

• Marketing templates → Still paid, remain the most expensive category.

For more detailed information about WhatsApp Business Platform pricing, read our complete guide.

What This Means for Businesses

• Lower costs for support and utility messaging → Encourages more customer engagement without extra charges.

• More granular billing → Costs now scale with how many templates you send, not just active sessions.

How to set up a WhatsApp Business account on the WhatsApp Business Platform

Before using the WhatsApp Business Platform (WABA), you’ll need a verified business account.

Quick Setup Checklist

1. Prepare your number → Verified business phone number (not already tied to personal WhatsApp).

2. Create a WABA → Apply directly via a BSP or WhatsApp Cloud API.

   1. If migrating from the free WhatsApp Business App:

      1. Back up chats

      2. Delete your old Business App account

      3. Apply for a new WABA

   2. Messages received during setup are queued and delivered once live.

3. Provide documentation → Business registration certificate, tax ID, or official proof.

Comply with policies → WhatsApp Terms of Service & Privacy Policy.

Tips for verifying your business account

• Add your official website link and brand presence online

•  Maintain a high-quality rating on WhatsApp (low blocks & complaints)

• Strengthen visibility through media mentions / social proof

Note: Blue Tick verification does not depend on ad spend — it depends on authenticity, documentation, and quality rating.

For a detailed step-by-step process, see our full guide to applying for WhatsApp Cloud API.

A step-by-step guide to applying for an account on the WhatsApp Business Platform

Essentially, there are two ways to create an account on the WhatsApp Business Platform and use the WhatsApp Business API:

1. Apply directly through Meta using your own developer resources

2. Apply through a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) such as SleekFlow

The first option is definitely more time and effort-consuming as it requires you to build an app on your own. If your company is looking to use the WhatsApp platform for business to kickstart on your conversational commerce strategy, go for the second option and apply via a WhatsApp BSP.

• Step 1: Create Facebook and WhatsApp Business accounts

• Step 2: Create a WhatsApp Business Profile

• Step 3: Verify a WhatsApp Business number

• Step 4: Connect the phone numbers/ WhatsApp Business Accounts to SleekFlow

• Step 5: Set a channel name for your WhatsApp Business Accounts

• Step 6: Select a monthly subscription plan that suits your need

Connect to WhatsApp Business API now!

Connect to WhatsApp Business API and get the first 1,000 service conversations free each month.

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Using WhatsApp Business Platform for sales, marketing, and customer support

Many businesses assume that the WhatsApp Business Platform (WABA) is only meant for customer support. In reality, it provides a full set of tools for sales, marketing, and service—making it a powerful end-to-end customer engagement channel.

WhatsApp Business Platform for sales

1. Broadcast promotions and updates

Send bulk promotional messages, discount codes, and event reminders through WhatsApp Broadcast. With personalization features, brands can tailor campaigns at scale while maintaining a one-to-one feel.

2. CRM and e-commerce integrations

Connect WhatsApp with Shopify, Salesforce, HubSpot, or Stripe to streamline the sales process. Your team can draft orders directly in chat, send in-chat payment links, and instantly track leads and campaign sources—all without leaving WhatsApp.

3. Instant payments

Speed up the buying journey with seamless payment link sharing inside conversations, reducing drop-offs and shortening sales cycles.

Read the article about the complete walkthrough of WhatsApp Broadcast.

WhatsApp Business Platform for marketing

• Lead generation through click-to-WhatsApp ads

Run ads on Facebook and Instagram that open a WhatsApp chat when clicked. If the customer initiates the conversation, businesses can reply for free, making this one of the most cost-effective lead-generation strategies.

• Personalized recommendations

Use customer history and campaign analytics to recommend products or services in one-to-one chats. Dynamic variables and segmentation ensure every message feels tailored.

• Drip campaigns and re-engagement

Automate scheduled messages—welcome flows, abandoned cart nudges, or reactivation campaigns. With open rates above 99%, WhatsApp drip campaigns achieve high engagement and conversion.

• Brand awareness

Maintain visibility through regular updates, polls, quizzes, and interactive content to strengthen customer relationships.

WhatsApp Business Platform for customer support

• Smart chatbots and quick replies

Set up AI-powered chatbots to answer FAQs, route queries, or send welcome and away messages. Chat buttons can guide customers through product discovery when agents are offline. They can also use chat buttons to guide customers through the product discovery journey when customer service representatives are unavailable. 

What are WhatsApp chat buttons? Watch our video to find out.

• Surveys and feedback collection

Run surveys or collect customer feedback directly in WhatsApp chats, making it easy to gather insights for product and service improvement.

• Order tracking and updates

Provide real-time delivery status and order updates via automated WhatsApp messages, improving transparency and customer satisfaction.

• Order tracking and updates

Businesses can use WhatsApp to provide customers with updates on their orders, including delivery status and tracking information.

• Multi-language and 24/7 support

Support global customers with auto-translation powered by AI, plus chatbot-assisted service outside working hours.

Examples of WhatsApp Business Platform and its use cases

LUBUDS Group: an interactive dining experience with personalized marketing

LUBUDS Group, a dynamic F&B group with almost 40 outlets in Hong Kong, has implemented WhatsApp CRM to offer its customers with a first-class customer experience. Using WhatsApp QR code and automated replies, LUBUDS Group managed to expand their customer database and send targeted broadcast messages using proper data labeling and segmentation.

Alfred24: 4X increase in campaign message open rates with WhatsApp Business API

Alfred24, a fast-growing delivery solution provider, has achieved great improvements with their work operations since they started using features from the WhatsApp Business platform on SleekFlow. As WhatsApp is a popular messaging channels for its customers, they have utilized automation to improve work efficiency and broadcast messages to expand customer reach. As a result, they managed to:

• Increase open rates by 300%

• Reduce response time by 60%

• Decrease manpower by 80%

Interested in discovering more success stories for the WhatsApp Business Platform? Explore our customer success stories.

Using WhatsApp Business Platform to grow your business with SleekFlow

Before you begin your journey with the WhatsApp Business Platform, you must choose a WhatsApp BSP if you don’t have your own team of developers. Here’s why SleekFlow is the best WhatsApp Business Solution Provider:

• User-friendly web and mobile versions

• 3-min speedy onboarding process for WhatsApp Cloud API

• Stable connection for your WABA accounts, unlike REST API that pulls HTTP requests and frequently results in failure

• Comprehensive omnichannel social commerce platform which includes many native integrations such as Shopify, Salesforce and HubSpot CRM, Stripe, and more

• Offers free features such as auto replies for chats and comments on Facebook and Instagram, Facebook Lead Ads integration, and more

• AgentFlow, SleekFlow’s AI agent platfom, allows you to create a team  of AI agent to provide intelligent reply suggestions, automates responses, and help human agents handle more conversations efficientl

• AI features like sentiment analysis, smart message routing, and conversation summarization for improved customer engagement and faster resolutions

Want to outcompete your peers with SleekFlow's help?

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