WhatsApp Platform Guide
WhatsApp for business works a bit like a members-only club with a doorman: there are house rules about when you can talk to people, how many you can reach, and what you're allowed to say. This guide walks through those rules — Meta's limits, pricing, and best practices — so nothing catches you by surprise. It is written for everyone; you don't need to be a developer to understand it.
This page covers Meta's platform rules. For step-by-step instructions on connecting WhatsApp to your agent (Embedded Signup, Business App, Manual configuration, message templates UI), see WhatsApp Setup.
How WhatsApp Business Messaging Works
When you connect your agent to WhatsApp, your business gets the ability to send and receive messages automatically. But WhatsApp has rules to protect users from spam, so there are a few important concepts to understand.
The 24-Hour Conversation Window
Think of it like a chat timer. When a customer sends you a message, a 24-hour clock starts:
- While the window is open (within 24 hours of the customer's last message): You can reply with any type of message — text, images, videos, documents, interactive buttons — freely and at no extra cost.
- After the window closes (24+ hours with no customer message): You can only reach the customer using a pre-approved Template Message (more on that below).
A customer messages you on Monday at 10am. You can freely reply until Tuesday at 10am. If they reply again on Monday at 3pm, the window resets until Tuesday at 3pm. After that, you need a template.
Session Messages vs. Template Messages
| Session Messages | Template Messages | |
|---|---|---|
| When can you use them? | Only during the 24-hour window | Anytime |
| Do they need approval? | No | Yes — Meta must approve them |
| Format | Completely flexible | Must follow the approved format |
| Cost | Free (included in the conversation) | Paid per message |
Messaging Limits — How Many People Can You Message?
WhatsApp controls how many unique people your business can message first in a 24-hour period. This only counts messages you initiate — customer replies don't count against your limit.
Tier System
| Tier | People You Can Message Per Day |
|---|---|
| Starting (new/unverified accounts) | 250 |
| Tier 1 (after business verification) | 1,000 |
| Tier 2 | 10,000 |
| Tier 3 | 100,000 |
| Tier 4 (Unlimited) | No limit |
How to Move Up Tiers
Upgrades happen automatically when you meet these conditions for 7 consecutive days:
- Your phone number status is "Connected" (not flagged)
- Your Quality Rating is Medium or High
- You've messaged at least 50% of your current tier's limit each day
You cannot manually request a tier upgrade. It happens automatically when WhatsApp's system detects you meet the criteria.
What Happens If You Hit Your Limit?
Messages will fail to send — but you won't be charged for them. Plan your outreach accordingly and avoid sudden large bursts of messages.
Message Types — What Can You Send?
Text Messages
Plain text up to 4,096 characters.
Media Messages
| Type | Supported Formats | Maximum Size |
|---|---|---|
| Images | JPEG, PNG | 5 MB |
| Videos | MP4, 3GP | 16 MB |
| Audio | AAC, MP3, OGG | 16 MB |
| Documents | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint | 100 MB |
| Stickers | WEBP | 100 KB (static), 500 KB (animated) |
Interactive Messages
- Button messages: Up to 3 quick-reply buttons (e.g., "Yes", "No", "Learn More")
- List messages: A menu with up to 10 options for the customer to choose from
- Link buttons: A button that opens a website when tapped
- Call buttons: A button that dials a phone number when tapped
Location & Contacts
You can also send map locations and contact cards.
Template Messages — What Are They?
Template messages are pre-written messages that you submit to Meta (WhatsApp's parent company) for approval before using them. They're required whenever you want to message a customer outside the 24-hour window.
Template Categories
| Category | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, product announcements | "Hi {{name}}, check out our new collection! 20% off this weekend." |
| Utility | Order updates, appointment reminders, account alerts | "Your order #{{order_id}} has shipped! Track it here: {{link}}" |
| Authentication | Login codes, verification | "Your verification code is {{code}}. It expires in 10 minutes." |
How Approval Works
- You write the template in your Meta Business Manager (Meta's web dashboard for managing your business)
- You submit it for review
- Meta reviews it (usually within minutes, sometimes up to 48 hours)
- You get a result: Approved or Rejected
Common Reasons Templates Get Rejected
- The message is too vague or looks like spam
- Placeholders (like customer names) are placed incorrectly
- The category doesn't match the content (e.g., a promotional message labeled as "utility")
- The message mentions prohibited content
Even an approved template can be paused or disabled later if too many customers block or report it. Always make sure your templates provide value to the customer.
Quality Rating — Keeping Your Account Healthy
WhatsApp assigns your account a quality rating — think of it like a trust score. This directly affects your messaging limits.
The Three Levels
| Rating | Color | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| High | Green | You're in good standing. Eligible for tier upgrades. |
| Medium | Yellow | Warning zone. Users are blocking or reporting your messages more than usual. |
| Low | Red | Danger. Your messaging tier will be downgraded immediately. |
What Causes a Low Rating?
- Customers blocking your number after receiving your messages
- Customers tapping "Report" on your messages
- Messaging people who never agreed to receive messages from you
- Sending too many promotional messages in a short time
- Using unclear or misleading message content
Best Practices to Stay Healthy
- Only message people who opted in — Get explicit permission before adding someone to your messaging list
- Always include an opt-out option — Something like "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" dramatically reduces spam reports
- Be relevant and timely — Send messages people actually want and expect
- Don't send sudden large volumes — If you normally send 100 messages a day, don't suddenly send 5,000. Ramp up gradually
- Personalize your messages — Use the customer's name and order details. Identical bulk messages look like spam
- If your rating drops, pause and recover — Stop sending for 4-5 days. If quality improves to Medium or High for 7 days, your status returns to normal
Pricing — How Much Does It Cost?
Free Messages
- All customer-initiated conversations — When a customer messages you and you respond within 24 hours, it's free
- Utility templates within an active window — If a customer already messaged you, utility templates are free
- Messages from Meta Ads — If a customer clicks your WhatsApp button on a Facebook/Instagram ad, you get a 72-hour free window
Paid Messages (Business-Initiated)
Prices vary by the recipient's country, not your business location:
| Category | Approximate US Rate |
|---|---|
| Marketing | ~$0.025 per message |
| Utility | ~$0.004 per message |
| Authentication | ~$0.014 per message |
Rates in Europe (especially Germany, UK) are significantly higher. Rates in India and Southeast Asia are lower. Check Meta's pricing page for exact rates.
Cost-Saving Tips
- Encourage customers to message you first — Those conversations are free
- Bundle follow-ups within the 24-hour window — Reply while the window is open
- Use Meta Ads strategically — The 72-hour free window is valuable for marketing
- Focus on utility messages — They cost far less than marketing messages
Phone Number Requirements
What Numbers Can Be Used
- Mobile or landline numbers with a country code
- Numbers that can receive an SMS or voice call for verification
- Virtual numbers (VoIP) in most cases
What Numbers Cannot Be Used
- Short codes (e.g., 5-digit numbers)
- Numbers already registered on the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App (you must deregister them first)
- Numbers previously banned from WhatsApp
Display Name
Your display name is what customers see. It must:
- Clearly reflect your actual business name
- Not be generic (e.g., just "Support" is not acceptable)
- Not impersonate another brand
Display name approval can take up to 48 hours. You cannot send messages until it's approved.
Business Verification
While you can start with basic messaging without verification, unverified businesses are limited to 250 messages/day and cannot move to higher tiers. Complete Meta Business Verification as soon as possible.
Content Restrictions
What You Cannot Send
- Illegal goods or services
- Sexual or adult content
- Prescription medications or drugs
- Counterfeit or pirated goods
- Gambling content (most regions)
- Misleading or deceptive claims
- Hate speech or harassment
- Graphic violence
What You Can Send
- Order confirmations and shipping updates
- Customer support responses
- Appointment reminders
- Account security alerts
- Product usage tips
- Feedback and survey requests
- Marketing promotions (via approved templates — but must not be deceptive)
Meta has paused all WhatsApp marketing template messages to US users as of April 1, 2025. If your audience includes US users, you cannot send marketing templates to them.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Messages Not Being Delivered
| Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Invalid phone number | Verify the number is active and has WhatsApp installed |
| Recipient blocked you | Nothing you can do — they must unblock you |
| 24-hour window expired | Use a template message instead |
| Template was paused/disabled | Create a new, higher-quality template |
| Daily limit reached | Wait until the 24-hour reset |
Messages Aren't Reaching Your Agent
This usually points to a problem with the webhook — the automatic alert WhatsApp sends Nirvai the moment a customer messages you. If you connected with Embedded Signup, Meta sets this up for you and you rarely need to touch it. If you used Manual setup:
- Make sure the alert address (webhook URL) starts with
https://— WhatsApp won't send to non-secure addresses - Verify the alert is subscribed to your WhatsApp Business Account in your Meta developer settings
- Re-subscribe it in Meta's developer portal if needed
Quality Rating Dropped
- Stop all bulk broadcasting immediately for 4-5 days
- Remove opted-out users from your contact list
- Improve your template content to be more relevant
- Wait — if quality stays at Medium or High for 7 days, your status recovers automatically
Phone Number Issues
- If your number shows "Not Registered": Complete the registration process in Meta Business Manager
- If migrating from regular WhatsApp: Deregister from the personal app first, then register the number again during setup
- If business verification is pending: Wait for Meta's review (can take a few days)
Quick Reference
| Topic | Key Number |
|---|---|
| Starting daily limit | 250 unique users/day |
| Tier 1 (verified) | 1,000/day |
| Tier 2 | 10,000/day |
| Tier 3 | 100,000/day |
| Message sending speed | 80 messages/second |
| 24-hour window | Resets with every customer message |
| Meta Ads window | 72 hours (free) |
| Template approval time | Minutes to 48 hours |
| Text message limit | 4,096 characters |
| Image size limit | 5 MB |
| Video size limit | 16 MB |
| Document size limit | 100 MB |
What's next
- WhatsApp Setup — Step-by-step connection guide using Embedded Signup or Manual configuration
- Meta Platform Credential — Reuse one connection across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger
- Official WhatsApp Business documentation — Meta's full reference, for developers who want the technical detail