The WhatsApp Ecosystem

WhatsApp offers three distinct products, each designed for different use cases:

• WhatsApp Consumer App
  Personal messaging for individual users.
• WhatsApp Business App
  Mobile app for small businesses managing conversations manually.
• WhatsApp Business Platform (API)
  A server-based, programmable interface designed for businesses that need to send and receive messages at scale.

Unlike the Consumer App and the Business App, the WhatsApp Business Platform is not an application. It is an API that enables automated, large-scale messaging and system integrations.

ChatWerk provides products and services that operate on top of the WhatsApp Business Platform, allowing businesses to integrate WhatsApp into their own software systems securely and compliantly.

Prerequisites for WhatsApp Business Platform Access

To get started with the WhatsApp Business Platform, the following requirements must be met:
Phone Number Requirements

• A valid phone number is required
• The number must be owned by your business
• The number must be able to receive an international SMS or phone call during registration

Since February 2025, phone numbers currently used in the WhatsApp Business App can be onboarded to the WhatsApp Business Platform using WhatsApp Coexistence.

WhatsApp Business Compliance

All businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform must comply with:

• WhatsApp Business Policy
• WhatsApp Commerce Policy (if offering or selling goods or services)

Violations of these policies can result in warnings, message restrictions, or permanent account suspension.

Meta Business Manager Account

A Meta Business Manager account is required to manage WhatsApp Business assets.

• You may use an existing Business Manager or create one during Embedded Signup
• Business Managers are created at: business.facebook.com
• A Business Manager is linked to a personal Facebook profile

Best Practices

• Verify whether a Business Manager already exists before creating a new one
• Ensure the Business Manager is owned by the actual business (not an agency or third party)
• Associate Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, and ad accounts with the same Business Manager

Each Business Manager has a unique ID.
A company may have multiple Business Managers, and each Business Manager can manage multiple WhatsApp Business Accounts (WABAs).
To remove messaging limits, the Business Manager must be verified.

WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) Basics

A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) is the core entity that contains:

• Phone numbers
• Messaging limits
• Templates
• Quality and policy status