The WhatsApp Business API (also called the WhatsApp Business Platform or Cloud API) is how businesses send messages at scale. Here is how to get it in India, in plain steps.
What you need
- A Meta Business account. Free to create at business.facebook.com.
- A phone number that can receive an SMS or call, and is not in use in the ordinary WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app. If it is, you must delete that account from the app first.
- Your business details: legal or trade name, website and address. A website that shows who you are helps approval.
- A software partner such as BulkyGrow, which connects you to the API and gives you the screens to send and reply.
The steps
- Create your BulkyGrow account (free for 3 days).
- Choose Connect WhatsApp. You sign in with Facebook and follow Meta's Embedded Signup: pick or create your business account, add your number and confirm it with a code.
- Set your display name (it must match your business) and wait for Meta to approve it.
- Add a payment method in Meta for WhatsApp message charges.
- Create a template, get it approved, and send your first campaign.
How long does it take?
Connecting your number is usually done in minutes. Display-name and template approvals often take from a few minutes to a day. Business verification (optional at first, needed to raise your sending limits) can take a few days.
Sending limits
New numbers can start conversations with about 250 customers a day. As you send good messages and verify your business, WhatsApp raises the limit in steps. The setup guide shows each screen.
Common problems
- "This number is already registered": remove it from the WhatsApp apps first.
- Display name rejected: use your real business name, not a slogan.
- No payment method: messages will not send until Meta has one.
Ready to try? Start your free trial.