WhatsApp, Made Simple
Accounts, apps, ticks, subscriptions, costs, bans and data rules, explained in plain English. Find your situation, get your answer.
Start with your situation
Tap the one that sounds like you.
Quick answers
Each answer is short. Tap "Read more" for the full chapter.
Yes, if one or a few people reply by hand and you message under 256 people at a time who have saved your number. Beyond that, you outgrow it.
Read more → Chapter 1The free app allows your phone plus a few linked devices (sources say 3 to 4; Meta Verified plans raise it). For a real shared inbox where chats are assigned to people, use the Business Platform through a provider.
Read more → Chapter 1Not on the free app (broadcast lists stop at 256, and only to people who saved your number). On the Platform, yes, using approved templates, but a new account starts at 250 new contacts a day, and you need each person's permission.
Read more → Chapter 5Only through the Business Platform (API). The free Business app has no API or CRM connection.
Read more → Chapter 1Yes, with two different numbers (for example, a dual-SIM phone). One number can be in only one of the two apps at a time.
Read more → Chapter 1Yes. Back up first, install WhatsApp Business, verify the same number, and it offers to move your chats. You can go back by restoring your backup.
Read more → Chapter 1Yes, since a 2025 feature called coexistence. Your provider must support it. Check your account's eligibility first.
Read more → Chapter 9Two routes. Free: an "Official Business Account" through the Platform, by Meta's review. Paid: a Meta Verified subscription in the Business app, where Meta offers it.
Read more → Chapter 2Only through Meta's own Meta Verified subscription. The free route (Official Business Account) is granted by Meta's review. No agency can promise it.
Read more → Chapter 2Business Verification only proves your company exists. It gives no badge. It is a requirement for the free tick and for higher sending limits.
Read more → Chapter 2Without the tick, customers generally see your number until they save you. An approved display name and an Official Business Account make your name appear.
Read more → Chapter 2Same badge. Meta changed the colour to match Facebook and Instagram. People still say "green tick".
Read more → Chapter 2The Business app is free. The Platform charges you per delivered message, plus your provider's fee. Subscriptions like Meta Verified are optional monthly extras.
Read more → Chapter 4Probably not at first. Meta Verified gives you a badge, protection against impersonation and support. Meta One is a bundle across Meta apps. Plus plans are cosmetic.
Read more → Chapter 3A provider that connects you to the Platform. Ask who owns your number, what is Meta's price versus their markup, what support you get, and how you leave.
Read more → Chapter 7Most often: messaging people without permission, bulk or automated sending, many blocks and reports, or using an unofficial app like GB WhatsApp.
Read more → Chapter 6No. It breaks WhatsApp's terms, and Meta can ban the number, often for good. It can also expose your data.
Read more → Chapter 6Don't reply to them, block them, and tell your customers where your real number is. Meta Verified includes impersonation protection.
Read more → Chapter 6No. You need their permission (opt-in), and you should keep a record. A customer messaging you first only lets you reply for 24 hours.
Read more → Chapter 8If you use WhatsApp to message customers in India, sources say you are a "Data Fiduciary" with duties on consent, notice and withdrawal. The main duties are expected from around May 2027.
Read more → Chapter 8It can be. Chats sit on a device with no systematic way to apply retention or deletion rules. Many advisers suggest using a CRM or helpdesk for customer data.
Read more → Chapter 8"API" and "Platform" are the same thing. Several subscription names sound alike but are different products.
Read more → Chapter 10No. WhatsApp Plus is Meta's official subscription. The old "WhatsApp Plus" mod app is unofficial and can get you banned.
Read more → Chapter 10Chapter 1
The 3 WhatsApps
"WhatsApp" is not one product. It is three.
| WhatsApp Business app | Business Platform (API) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| In plain words | For chatting with people | Personal WhatsApp with a shopfront | No app. Software that plugs WhatsApp into your systems |
| Cost | Free | Free | Per message plus provider fee |
| Who it is for | Personal use. WhatsApp's terms bar using it commercially | Small businesses chatting by hand | Medium and large teams, automation, scale |
| How you use it | Phone app | Phone app (plus Web or desktop) | Through a provider's dashboard or your own software |
| Team | One person | Your phone plus a few linked devices | Unlimited agents |
| CRM or bot link | No | No | Yes |
| Mass messages | No | Broadcast list up to 256 contacts who saved your number | Large campaigns with approved templates, within sending limits |
What the Business app gives you
- A business profile, a product catalog (up to about 500 items), labels, quick replies, and automatic greeting and away messages.
- Everything is manual. There is no bot or CRM connection.
- Broadcast lists are capped at 256 contacts, and only people who saved your number receive them.
What the Platform gives you
- No app to download. You get it through a provider (see Chapter 7) or build on it yourself.
- Connects to your CRM, chatbots and a shared team inbox. Many agents can reply.
- You start conversations with pre-approved templates, and you pay for each delivered message (see Chapter 4).
Switching and using both
- Back up your personal WhatsApp first (Settings → Chats → Chat backup).
- Install WhatsApp Business from the app store.
- Verify the same number. The app offers to move your chats across. Choose to move them, or start fresh.
- Set up your business profile.
- Going back: uninstall Business, reinstall personal WhatsApp, restore your backup.
- Two apps on one phone: fine, with two different numbers (for example, dual SIM).
- Same number in both apps at once: not possible. The number lives in one app.
These steps come from provider guides, not from WhatsApp's own help pages (the relevant ones were not reachable when I checked). Always back up first.
A small team answering chats by hand → Business app.
Need CRM, automation, or many agents → Business Platform.
Want both on one number → ask your provider about coexistence (Chapter 9).
Chapter 2
"Verified" and the blue tick
"Verified" means four different things. Only one gives you a tick.
| What it is | What it does | Tick? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · OTP and two-step PIN Phone-number registration and a 6-digit PIN | Proves the number is yours and protects it. Two-step verification is also required for the free tick. | No |
| 2 · Business Verification (free, documents) | Proves your company exists. Needed for higher sending limits and for the free tick. | No |
| 3 · Display name approval | Meta approves the business name customers see. The name should match your real business name. | No |
| 4 · The badge | The actual blue tick. Two routes, below. | Yes |
The two routes to the blue tick
- For numbers on the Business Platform. Meta says OBA is not granted to Business app numbers, employee numbers or test numbers.
- Meta's published requirements: you follow the Business Messaging Policy; the number has been on the Platform for at least 30 days; your business portfolio passed Business Verification; two-step verification is on; the display name is approved.
- You request it in WhatsApp Manager. If denied, you wait 30 days to ask again.
- Some provider guides add that Meta wants the brand to be "notable". Meta's page does not say how it judges that.
- A monthly subscription inside the WhatsApp Business app, only for eligible businesses and locations. Check: Settings or Business Tools → Meta Verified. If you don't see it, it is not available to you.
- You get the badge, impersonation protection and in-app support. Plans are in Chapter 3.
- Meta's own warning: after you verify, your business name, category, address, email and website are locked. Changing them cancels verification and you must resubscribe. Cancelling the plan also removes the extra linked devices and your web page.
Why do customers see a number, not my name?
Without the tick, customers usually see your phone number until they save you as a contact. An approved display name and an Official Business Account make the name show. Meta also says that without OBA, your number does not appear in WhatsApp search results.
Chapter 3
Subscriptions
Nine paid things, and several have look-alike names.
| Name | For | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Plus | Personal users | Looks and organisation: themes, app icon, stickers, ringtones, more pinned chats. Does not remove Status ads. About US$2.99 a month; about ₹79 in India (reported). |
| Meta One Core and Premium | Personal users, AI power users | More Meta AI use, bundled with the Plus features. WhatsApp's help page says these are on WhatsApp Messenger, not the Business app, in limited locations, English only. |
| Meta One Essential, Advanced, Expert, Max | Businesses and creators | Bundle of business tools across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp: verified badge and channel, Meta Business Agent (an AI that replies to customers), team access, more linked devices and broadcast credits at higher tiers. Went global for businesses on 15 Sep 2026. Reported India prices: Premium about ₹1,950 a month; Max from about ₹20,990. |
| Meta Verified for Business (Standard, Plus, Premium, Max) | Businesses on the Business app | Badge, impersonation protection, support, verified channels, a web page, linked devices. Per WhatsApp's help page: Standard: 1 verified channel, up to 4 devices. Plus: 3 channels, up to 6 devices, prioritised support. Premium: 5 channels. Max: 10 channels. Global prices reported at about $14.99 up to $349.99 a month. |
| Channel subscriptions | Channel owners and followers | Followers pay a monthly fee for exclusive updates. The admin sets the fee within a range Meta allows. |
| Promoted Channels | Channel owners | Paid placement in the Channels directory. |
| Ads in Status | Advertisers | Not a subscription, but part of the same paid family. Ads appear only in the Updates tab. |
| Ad-free plan | Users | Found in test code only. I could not confirm that it launched. |
| WhatsApp Business Premium | Businesses (older) | Older paid plan for more linked devices. Being replaced by Meta Verified. |
India subscription prices come from news and tech sites, not Meta, and they conflict slightly between articles. Meta says tiers and promotional rates change. Check the price on the signup screen.
↑ Back to the topChapter 4
Where the money goes
Three buckets.
| Bucket | What | Who gets paid |
|---|---|---|
| FREE | WhatsApp, and the Business app | Nobody |
| MONTHLY | Subscriptions (Chapter 3). Optional. | Meta |
| PER MESSAGE | Business Platform | Meta (per message) plus your provider (monthly fee or markup) |
How the Platform charges
- Since 1 July 2025, Meta bills each delivered template message, by its category and the customer's country. Before that it billed per 24-hour conversation.
- Messages customers send you are free. You pay only when a message is delivered.
- Four categories: Marketing (promotions), Utility (order, payment, delivery updates), Authentication (OTPs) and Service (replies inside a customer-started 24-hour window).
India rates (Meta list rates, before GST and provider fees)
| Category | Per delivered message |
|---|---|
| Marketing | ₹0.8631 |
| Utility | ₹0.115 |
| Authentication | ₹0.115 |
| Service replies | Free until 30 Sep 2026. From 1 Oct 2026: first 1,000 per number each month free, then ₹0.115. |
What your provider adds
- A monthly platform fee (reported from ₹999 to ₹9,999 a month), or a per-message markup, or a mix of both. Reported markup figures vary widely between sources, so treat them as claims to check.
- Possible extras: setup fees, per-agent seats, minimum commitments.
Chapter 5
Sending limits (Platform)
A new account can't message your whole list on day one.
- The limit caps how many different people you can start a conversation with in any rolling 24 hours, using templates.
- Replying to customers who message you first is not limited.
- A new business starts at 250 people a day.
- The ladder: 250 → 2,000 → 10,000 → 100,000 → unlimited. Business Verification is the main route to the first jump (sources list a few). Higher steps come automatically, based on quality and volume. There is no form to skip a step.
- Since October 2025, the limit is shared across all numbers in your business portfolio, not set per number.
Older guides show 1,000 as the first step after verification. Newer sources show 2,000.
Chapter 6
Bans, restrictions and staying safe
Why numbers get banned
- No permission. Messaging people who never opted in. Sources call this the most common cause.
- Bulk or automated sending with unapproved tools, "blaster" software or browser extensions.
- Bought, scraped or directory lists.
- Many blocks and reports. Meta does not publish a number. A sudden spike after a promotion is a common trigger.
- Unofficial apps such as GB WhatsApp, WhatsApp Plus (the old mod) and FM WhatsApp. These break WhatsApp's terms.
- Breaking business policy: impersonation, misleading messages, prohibited goods, ignoring opt-outs, adding strangers to promotional groups.
- A brand-new number that messages hundreds of people or sends many links straight away.
Restriction, temporary ban, permanent ban
| What | What it means |
|---|---|
| Restriction | Temporary. You can usually reply to existing chats but can't start new ones. It ends on its own, but repeating the behaviour can lead to a ban. |
| Temporary ban | Linked to unofficial apps. Switch to the official app, or the account may become permanently banned. |
| Permanent ban | The number can't use WhatsApp. A review can be requested from the ban screen, but it may never be lifted. If there is no review button, treat it as final. |
How to appeal
On the Business app
- Don't uninstall. Open the app on the banned phone and read the notice.
- Tap Request a review, verify with the SMS code, and briefly and honestly explain what your business does and what you changed.
- Submit one appeal. WhatsApp says most reviews finish within 24 hours, but that is not guaranteed.
On the Platform
- Open WhatsApp Manager or Business Support Home and select the account.
- Read the stated violation. Fix the cause: pause campaigns, remove non-compliant templates.
- Click Request review. Ask your provider to support it.
How to stay safe
- Get clear opt-in from each person, and keep a record (Chapter 8).
- Honour opt-outs straight away, inside or outside WhatsApp.
- Send fewer, more relevant messages. Segment your list. Don't repeat the same promotion.
- Never use unofficial apps or scraping tools. Use the Platform for bulk sending.
- Watch your template quality and customer feedback.
Someone is pretending to be my business
- Don't reply to the fake account. Block it.
- Tell your customers your real, verified number, and that you never ask for passwords or payment details on WhatsApp.
- Get the tick (Chapter 2). It is how customers tell the real you from a copy.
- Consider Meta Verified, which includes impersonation protection (Chapter 3).
How customers can spot a fake business (Meta's tips): look for the badge; check the name for small spelling changes; be wary of unsolicited offers that seem too good; watch for spelling mistakes; don't tap unfamiliar links; never share sensitive details. If it looks fake, don't reply and block.
I did not find a public step-by-step to report a fake business account. Report it from inside WhatsApp (open the chat → report) and tell Meta's support if you hold a verified plan.
↑ Back to the topChapter 7
Choosing a provider (BSP)
You can't buy the Platform directly. A provider connects you.
Two kinds of provider
| Tech Provider | Solution Partner (BSP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who bills Meta fees | Meta bills you directly. You add a payment method. | The provider pays Meta, then bills you, usually with a markup, on one invoice. |
| Software fee | Separate flat fee | Often bundled |
| Credit terms | None | Can give post-paid credit and local-currency invoices |
| Suits | Businesses that want Meta's rates visible and the account kept portable | Businesses that want one vendor and one bill |
This comparison comes from one provider's page that favours Tech Providers, so weigh it with care. "BSP" is still the everyday word for both.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Who owns my WhatsApp Business Account and number? You should. Ask how it is returned if you leave.
- Show Meta's price and your markup separately, in rupees, with GST.
- What are the extras? Setup, per-agent seats, number charges, minimum monthly commitments.
- Are you an official Meta partner? Ask for proof. Check Meta's public partner directory.
- What support do I get? A written response time, India business hours, a named contact.
- Where is my data stored, and how do you handle consent records and opt-outs?
- Can I export my contacts, chats, templates and settings if I leave?
- Does it connect to my CRM out of the box?
The India checklist above draws on a provider's marketing page. Its markup percentages (15 to 35 percent) are claims, not verified figures. No provider can make a non-compliant campaign compliant. You stay responsible for how you use WhatsApp.
↑ Back to the topChapter 8
Permission, data and India's DPDP Act
Meta's rule: you need opt-in
- You may message a person only if they gave you their number and agreed to receive messages from you. The opt-in should name your business.
- A customer messaging you first opens a 24-hour reply window. It is not permission for marketing.
- Keep a record: who (number), when, where they agreed, the exact wording, and what they agreed to.
- When someone taps Stop, further marketing messages fail to deliver. Typed "STOP" replies are not caught automatically, so handle those yourself.
India's DPDP Act: what sources say
- You are a "Data Fiduciary" (the one who decides why and how personal data is used) if you message customers on WhatsApp. WhatsApp's own duties don't remove yours.
- Timeline: the DPDP Rules were notified in November 2025 and apply in stages. The main consent-and-notice duties are expected around May 2027, as one source calculates it. Check for changes.
- Consent must be free, specific, informed, unconditional and a clear action. Pre-ticked boxes don't count.
- Notice first: tell people what data you use, why, how to withdraw consent and how to complain, in clear language. People may ask for English or any Eighth Schedule language.
- Withdrawing must be as easy as agreeing. Processing must then stop within a reasonable time.
- Proof: if consent is questioned, you must show you gave notice and got consent. "They messaged us first" is not a defensible record, and a purchase is not consent to marketing.
- Order updates and receipts may rest on a "legitimate use" if you stated the purpose when collecting the data. That is one source's view. Marketing, promotions and catalogue shares need separate opt-in.
- Penalties reported at up to ₹250 crore for security failures and up to ₹50 crore for other breaches, set by the Data Protection Board. Further penalties apply for children's data.
Customer data on the Business app
On the free app, chats live on the phone. There's no systematic way to apply retention limits or delete data on a schedule. Advisers suggest using a CRM or helpdesk with retention settings for real customer data. Data passing through Meta's global systems is flagged as a possible issue under the Act's cross-border section, but the list of restricted countries had not been published as of early 2026.
Chapter 9
What changed recently
Old articles mislead because these things changed. Newest first.
| When | What changed |
|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2026 | Meta One went global for businesses (individual plans launched earlier in 2026). |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Service replies on the Platform are no longer fully free: first 1,000 per number a month free, then charged. |
| 27 May 2026 | WhatsApp Plus launched globally as a consumer subscription. |
| 15 Jan 2026 | Meta banned general-purpose AI chatbots (ChatGPT-style) from the Platform. Businesses using AI to serve their own customers are not affected. |
| Jan 2026 | India billed in rupees. |
| Oct 2025 | Sending limits moved to the business-portfolio level, shared by all numbers. |
| 1 Jul 2025 | Billing moved from per-conversation to per-message. |
| May 2025 | Coexistence introduced: one number on the Business app and the Platform together. |
Coexistence in plain words
Before, moving a number to the Platform switched off the app on it. Now one number can use both: your team chats by hand in the app while software sends automated messages. Provider notes say the phone's Business app stays the "primary" device, the app and Platform don't share billing or reply-window state, and uninstalling the app can break the link. Ask your provider whether your account is eligible.
↑ Back to the topChapter 10
Names that sound alike, and a glossary
Look-alike names
| Name | It could mean… | …or |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Plus | Meta's official subscription (themes, pinned chats) | The old unofficial mod app, which can get you banned |
| Premium | Meta Verified Business Premium | Meta One Premium, or the older WhatsApp Business Premium |
| Plus | Meta Verified Business Plus | WhatsApp Plus |
| Verified | Meta Verified (paid badge) | OBA (free badge) or Business Verification (documents, no badge) |
| API / Platform | The same thing | — |
| Green tick / blue tick | The same badge | — |
Glossary
- API / Business Platform
- The technical connection that lets software send and receive WhatsApp messages. It has no app of its own.
- BSP / Solution Partner / Tech Provider
- A company that connects you to the Platform. See Chapter 7.
- Business app
- The free WhatsApp Business phone app.
- Business portfolio / Business Manager
- Your company's account on Meta where your WhatsApp assets, verification and billing live.
- Business Verification
- Proving your company exists, with documents. No badge.
- Coexistence
- One number used on the Business app and the Platform at the same time.
- Data Fiduciary
- Under India's DPDP Act, whoever decides why and how personal data is used.
- Display name
- The business name customers see. Meta approves it.
- Linked device
- A computer, tablet or extra phone connected to your main phone's WhatsApp.
- Meta One
- Meta's subscription bundle across Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Meta AI.
- Meta Verified
- Meta's paid subscription for a badge, impersonation protection and support.
- Messaging limit
- How many different people you can start conversations with in 24 hours on the Platform.
- OBA (Official Business Account)
- The free route to the blue tick, on the Platform.
- Opt-in
- A person's clear permission to receive messages from you.
- Quality rating
- Meta's score of how customers react to your messages.
- Service window
- The 24 hours after a customer messages you, when you can reply freely.
- Template
- A pre-approved message you use to start a conversation on the Platform.
- Two-step verification
- A 6-digit PIN that protects your number from takeover.
What we're not sure about yet
- Meta Verified and Meta One prices in India. Articles disagree (₹639, ₹1,240 to ₹9,940, global dollar tiers). Check the signup screen.
- Linked devices on the free app. Sources say 3 to 4 extra devices. Meta's help page mentions four for Meta Verified Standard.
- First sending tier after verification. 1,000 in older guides, 2,000 in newer ones.
- "Notable brand" for the free tick. Provider guides say it matters. Meta's page doesn't describe it.
- Converting a personal number. Steps come from provider guides, not WhatsApp's own help pages (not reachable when I checked).
- DPDP dates. "May 2027" is one source's calculation. Check for amendments.
- Provider markup figures (5 to 35 percent) are provider claims.
- Not covered yet: WhatsApp Channels in depth, Communities, groups, Meta AI assistant, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, payments in India.
Sources
Checked 21 Oct 2026. Official pages first. Provider and news sites are secondary and may favour their own products.
Official
- WhatsApp Help: About Meta Verified for Business on WhatsApp
- WhatsApp Help: About Meta One AI benefits
- Meta for Developers: Official Business Accounts
- Meta for Developers: Messaging limits changes
- Meta: Introducing Meta One
Accounts, apps and verification
- Infobip: Business app vs Platform
- Sinch: WhatsApp vs Business app vs Platform
- Redclawey: Verification routes
- Baat.ai: Green tick requirements
- Rasayel: Switching to the Business app
Subscriptions and pricing
- Sleekflow: Meta One for business
- Forbes: Meta One
- Metricool: Meta One plans
- Gizbot: Meta One India pricing
- TelecomTalk: Meta One India
- 9to5Mac: WhatsApp Plus
- TechCrunch: Meta Verified in India
- SMSTake: Platform pricing 2026
- MyOperator: India pricing
- Campaign Asia: Updates-tab ads and channel subscriptions
Limits, bans and safety
- Baat.ai: Messaging limits
- Omnichat: Banned accounts and appeals
- Fyno: Why numbers get banned
- Pedicel Marketing: Bans and recovery
- SaySimple: Mod apps
- Gulf News: Meta's tips on fake business profiles