The WhatsApp Business Platform (formerly WhatsApp API) has revolutionized how businesses interact with their customers.
Unlike the free WhatsApp Business app, the platform is designed for medium to large businesses, enabling seamless, scalable, and personalized communication. As a leading WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP), charles empowers brands to unlock the full potential of WhatsApp, providing tools to integrate it with CRM systems, automate customer interactions, and drive measurable results.
However, it's sometimes hard to get factual information about what it is and how it works.
Do you need special software? How much does it cost? Can't you just use the app? Why is everyone talking about it in 2025?
In this article, we go into detail about the WhatsApp Business Platform is, how much it costs, who it's for, why it's different to SMS, email and the WhatsApp Business app, why it's good (and bad) and more, so you can make an informed decision for your business.
The WhatsApp Business Platform is an advanced API solution developed by Meta, tailored for businesses that handle high volumes of customer interactions. It allows companies to manage conversations efficiently, automate workflows, and integrate WhatsApp with existing tools like CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and marketing software.
According to WhatsApp, the platform is designed to: "start conversations with customers in minutes, send customer care notifications or purchase updates, offer customers a level of personalized service and provide support in the channel that customers prefer to be reached on."
It was made available to all businesses in May 2022 through the Cloud API, hosted by Meta. Since then, the platform has grown into an essential tool for medium and large businesses across the world wanting to enjoy one-to-one communications with customers.
The WhatsApp Business Platform is not a final solution, it's the tech engine behind a company's WhatsApp Business channel. Businesses wanting to use the platform need to have software on top of it, which they can either:
The WhatsApp Business Platform is for medium to large businesses handling 1,000s of messages per day, with many customer agents using multiple devices. Small businesses handling low message volumes usually use the free WhatsApp Business app.
Unlike the free WhatsApp Business app, the platform is built for scalability, offering advanced analytics, green tick verification, and complete control over customer interactions.
charles takes this platform further by layering a user-friendly interface, advanced segmentation, and actionable insights on top of the API – providing businesses with a one-stop solution for conversational commerce.
The main difference between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform is that the app is made for small businesses and the platform is made for larger businesses.
Here are the differences between the app and the API in more detail:
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) | |
| Used by | Small businesses | Medium and large businesses |
| Cost | Free |
The new model: Per-Template BillingPreviously: Cost per conversation |
| Functionality | Limited: - Quick replies - Catalogue - Add labels to contacts |
Rich - Buttons - Lists - Multimedia attachments - Chatbot integration - Fine customer segmentation - Deep analytics - Clickable messages |
| User interface | Mobile app or web app | None (needs software like charles to access the API) |
| Green verified tick | Not possible | Possible |
| Buttons | Not possible | Possible |
| Numbers of users | 4 devices plus 1 phone | Unlimited agents to manage conversations |
| Business profile | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | None | Can integrate with any existing business tools, like CRM, messengers and shop systems like Shopify |
| Number of messages | Maximum 256 contacts | Unlimited |
| Automation | Limited to quick replies, greeting/away messages | Many possibilities for fully automated conversational flows with personalization, API integration and more |
| AI Agents | Not possible | Possible with charles and the Agent Squad |
Businesses can access the WhatsApp Business Platform in two ways:
Through the Cloud API, hosted by Meta
With the Cloud API, the WhatsApp Business API is hosted by Meta.
Marketing Messages Lite API ("MM Lite API") is an easy-to-use solution for direct marketers built to enhance the customer experience, and drive equal or better results for businesses compared to marketing via Cloud API.
A business phone number can only be used on one platform at a time so businesses need to choose which one they want to use.
The key to thriving in today’s competitive landscape is personalized engagement. Integrating WhatsApp with your CRM unlocks the ability to:
With charles, businesses can integrate WhatsApp directly into their sales, marketing, and support workflows, creating a 360-degree customer experience.
And there are many advantages of the WhatsApp Business Platform (API) over the free app, including:
Starting with the WhatsApp Business Platform is easy – especially when you have a trusted partner like charles. Here’s how:
Select an official BSP and Meta partner like charles to access the platform and enjoy added features, including advanced analytics, seamless integrations, and ongoing support.
Here are the must-haves for choosing the right provider:
👉 For more details, check out why to choose a platform like charles
Create a professional WhatsApp business profile that includes your company’s details, such as name, address, website, and business hours. A well-optimized profile builds trust and makes it easier for customers to engage with your brand.
Onboarding should be quick and seamless with the help of your BSP. Typically, this includes:
Integrating WhatsApp with tools like Shopify, Klaviyo, or Zendesk enhances automation, streamlines workflows, and provides a unified customer experience. With charles, these integrations are made easy.
Here are the integrations we offer at charles.
Set up automation for FAQs, marketing campaigns, and transactional messages. With charles, you can create fully personalized flows that save time and drive results. See these 8 use cases for automated WhatsApp campaigns.
The WhatsApp Business Platform is ideal for enterprises looking to scale customer engagement. Global brands like Volkswagen and adidas already use WhatsApp for marketing, sales, and customer support with great success.
While enterprises may face longer internal approval processes, the payoff is worth it. With a dedicated Success Manager, enterprises can implement best practices, seasonal campaigns, and team-wide collaboration for maximum ROI.
Challenge: As a leading online retailer for luxury handbags and accessories, fashionette needed a way to provide personalized shopping experiences and recover abandoned carts.
Solution:
Through charles, fashionette integrated WhatsApp with their CRM and Shopify store. They leveraged WhatsApp newsletters to send timely promotions and set up abandoned cart reminders to recapture missed sales opportunities.
Result:
Challenge: Takko Fashion, a global clothing retailer, faced challenges in managing high volumes of customer inquiries during promotions and sales events.
Solution:
charles implemented robust automation tools to streamline responses, enabling Takko’s customer service agents to handle inquiries efficiently. Additionally, the team used WhatsApp campaigns to promote exclusive offers.
Result:
At charles, we’re committed to helping businesses turn WhatsApp into their most powerful customer engagement channel. Here’s what sets us apart:
Book a personalized demo with charles today and see how we can help you:
In today’s digital-first world, businesses that adopt the WhatsApp Business Platform gain a competitive edge. By partnering with charles, you can unlock the full potential of WhatsApp as a marketing platform, CRM tool, and sales driver. Whether you’re looking to automate workflows, recover abandoned carts, or send engaging newsletters, charles has the tools and expertise to help you succeed.
Don’t wait – start your WhatsApp journey today and take your customer engagement to the next level.
The WhatsApp Business Platform is not for everyone. We advise companies to start with it only when they're ready.
We see the most success with businesses who have:
It's a good idea to get going with the WhatsApp Business Platform now. Why? Because it's what we call a "blue ocean" in Europe right now. Many brands are still working hard with email marketing, while smart businesses have quick, direct conversations with customers on WhatsApp – helping them stand out and cut through the marketing noise (the "red ocean").
Under the old pricing model, when a brand sent an outbound message, it opened a 24-hour window during which:
This system allowed businesses to manage customer conversations efficiently without worrying about escalating costs. It was particularly beneficial for brands running high-volume campaigns or requiring multiple touchpoints to close a sale.
The new model: Per-Template Billing
For example:
See our detailed look at WhatsApp Business API costs here.
We're WhatsApp experts who have made it our mission to create the most beautiful, easy-to-use WhatsApp software, combined with the widest integrations and excellent support.
As an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP), we’re here to boost your business and help you provide an engaging experience that turns your customers into long-term fans 🤩
Book your demo with us now and let us show you around our tools.