What you need before you start
- A Facebook account (or a managed Meta account) for the person setting it up.
- A Meta business portfolio (formerly Business Manager) in your business’s legal name.
- Business documents for Meta business verification, such as a GST certificate, certificate of incorporation, or Udyam/shop registration that shows your legal name and address.
- A website on your own domain that shows the same business name, ideally with a privacy policy.
- A phone number that can receive an SMS or voice call for verification. Numbers already active on the regular WhatsApp app must be removed from it first, unless you use Meta’s option for WhatsApp Business app users to connect their existing number.
- A payment method in your WhatsApp account, because Meta charges per message.
Step-by-step setup
- 1Create your business portfolio at business.facebook.com and fill in your legal business name, address and website.
- 2Register as a Meta developer and create an app in the Meta App Dashboard with the “Connect with customers through WhatsApp” use case, linked to your business portfolio.
- 3Create or connect your WhatsApp Business account (Meta calls it a messaging account) from the app’s WhatsApp setup page.
- 4Send a test message using the free test number Meta provides, to check everything works.
- 5Add your real phone number, verify it with the code Meta sends, and choose a display name that matches your business. Meta reviews the display name.
- 6Add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager so charged messages are delivered.
- 7Create a system user in Business Settings and generate a permanent access token with the whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management permissions. The token on the setup page is temporary and expires quickly.
- 8Set up a webhook so incoming messages and delivery updates reach your platform or server.
- 9Create message templates (Marketing, Utility or Authentication) and submit them for Meta’s approval. You need approved templates to start conversations.
- 10Start business verification in Security Center to raise your messaging limit.
Messaging limits: how many customers you can message
Messaging limits control how many different customers you can start conversations with (outside the 24-hour customer service window) in a moving 24-hour period. They apply to your whole business portfolio, shared by all its phone numbers.
| Stage | Unique customers per 24 hours | How you get there |
|---|---|---|
| New business portfolio | 250 | Default |
| Step 1 | 2,000 | Verify your business, or send 2,000 high-quality messages to unique numbers within 30 days |
| Step 2 | 10,000 | Automatic, if quality stays high and you used half your limit in the last 7 days |
| Step 3 | 100,000 | Same automatic rules |
| Step 4 | Unlimited | Same automatic rules |
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Verification rejected: the legal name on your documents, website and business portfolio must match exactly.
- Display name rejected: it must clearly relate to your business name or brand, without generic words only.
- Template rejected or re-categorised: promotional wording in a Utility template gets it marked as Marketing. Keep order updates purely transactional.
- Number already on WhatsApp: delete the account from the WhatsApp app first, or use Meta’s option for WhatsApp Business app users to connect the existing number.
- Messages not delivered after 1 October 2026: service messages beyond the free 1,000 per month are now charged, so a payment method must be on file.
Do it yourself, use a platform, or get it done for you
| Option | Good for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself on the Cloud API | Teams with developers | Free to start; you build the inbox, automations and hosting yourself |
| Subscription platform (Wati, AiSensy, Interakt…) | Self-serve marketers | Quick start, monthly fees that grow with seats and add-ons |
| Done-for-you with Aireplo | Businesses that want it handled and owned | One-time ₹15,000 (extras ₹499 each); your own Meta app and branded dashboard |
Frequently asked questions
How long does WhatsApp Business API setup take?
You can send test messages the same day. Business verification and display-name approval depend on Meta’s review and usually take from a few days to a couple of weeks. Most Aireplo clients are live within 5 working days.
Is the WhatsApp Business API free?
Setting up the Cloud API is free, but Meta charges per message (in India from 1 October 2026: ₹0.8631 per marketing message and ₹0.115 per utility, authentication or service message, plus GST), and you need a platform or developer work to use it.
Do I need business verification?
Not to start, but without it you are limited to 250 unique customers per 24 hours. Verification is one way to move to 2,000.
Can I keep using my number on the WhatsApp Business app?
Meta offers an option for WhatsApp Business app users to connect their existing account and number to the platform. Otherwise the number must be removed from the app before it is registered on the API.