WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business or WhatsApp Business API: What to Choose for a Company?

WhatsApp is the most used messenger globally. More than two billion people use it, which is almost a quarter of the world's population. The application is available in three versions:

• WhatsApp,
• WhatsApp Business,
• WhatsApp Business API.

Many companies wonder about the differences between the listed versions and which one is better to choose for business. Decision Telecom experts talk about it in detail.

WhatsApp Standard Version

This is the standard version of the app available to all individuals and offers messaging functions without any business features.

It lacks features like statistics, message templates, chatbots, and CRM integration. Additionally, only one user can manage the account at a time.

The app is available for free for Android and iOS and is used to send text messages, make voice calls and video calls from a smartphone.

WhatsApp Business App: Basic Business Features

This version of the app is similar to the standard one, but provides companies with additional features: adding information and links to the company's website, placing a product catalog, viewing statistics and sending automatic messages. Business accounts can segment customers based on the nature of the conversation (sale, complaint, etc.). The app is free for Android and iOS.

However, for a large company, WhatsApp Business App is inconvenient. You can only manage the app from one computer/phone. Multi-user management is not provided in this version. 

The program cannot be integrated with a CRM system, there is no possibility to configure chatbots and verify the company. Outbound marketing messages can only be sent to customers who have already saved the company's number in their contacts.

WhatsApp Business API: Advanced Functionality for Businesses

This is an official application that is suitable for large companies. It provides businesses with a wide range of options: sending messages to the customer base, connecting chatbots, sending personalized advertising messages, and integration with CRM. You should note that a small fee is charged for sending content in this version of WhatsApp.

A detailed comparison of the three versions of the app is presented in the table below.

Using WhatsApp for business is an opportunity to simplify work with your customer base, expand your advertising tools and increase conversion rates. Contact Decision Telecom sales department and our managers will calculate the cost of connecting WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business API for your project.