It is particularly important for companies to maintain a constant connection with their customers in today's competitive marketplace.
In 2018, Meta launched WhatsApp Business Platformthat helps mid-sized and large organizations access the WhatsApp Business API through Meta's officially designated business solution providers.Made large-scale marketing and automated information management campaigns possible on the most popular instant messaging program in the world.
The WhatsApp Business API has become the communication platform of choice for many organizations, because of its broad user base and powerful features that enable businesses to easily interact with their customers. However, there are a lot ofBSPs in the market offering WhatsApp Business API services . It could be difficult for companies to choose the right one.
In this article, we will give you a detailed overview of the top 10 best WhatsApp Business API providers for 2024. These providers not only lead in technology, but also excel in customer service, feature richness, and competitive pricing. Whether you're an SMB or a large organization, we're sure you'll find a solution for you in this list.
This post will include:
- What is WhatsApp Business API?
- What is the difference between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business API?
- How is the WhatsApp Business API charged?
- What is WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP)?
- Ten Best WhatsApp Business Solution Providers
- How to choose the right WhatsApp Business Solution Provider?
- How to access WhatsApp Business API with YCloud?
What is WhatsApp Business API?
WhatsApp Business API is a WhatsApp-based messaging tool designed by Meta (formerly Facebook) for mid-sized and large businesses, allowing them to automate communication with customers at scale via WhatsApp.
What features does the WhatsApp Business API offer?
As a premium marketing tool, Meta's official messaging interface WhatsApp API supports businesses to run mass mass messaging campaigns on WhatsApp, the world's most popular instant messenger. In addition to this, WhatsApp Business API has many unique and advantageous features.
- Automated Messages:
- Companies can send and receive mass messages through the WhatsApp Business API, enabling autoresponders and customer service automation.
- Rich Media Messages:
- Companies can send rich media messages with images, videos, interactive buttons, and files through the API to meet diverse messaging needs.
- Multi-user Access:
- Supports multiple users to access and process messages from customers at the same time, suitable for customer service teams.
- High Security:
- Messages are encrypted end-to-end to ensure secure communications.
- Customer Interaction:
- Notifications, reminders, promotional messages, etc. can be sent to improve customer interaction rates.
- Custom Management:
- By integrating with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, organizations can better manage customer information and communication records.
What are the usage scenarios for WhatsApp Business API?
- Customer Support: Automate responses to frequently asked questions to reduce customer service workload.
- Order Notification: Send messages such as order confirmations, shipment notifications and delivery status updates.
- Appointments and Reminders: Send appointment confirmations, calendar reminders, event notifications and more.
- Marketing Campaign: Send promotional messages, coupons, notifications of marketing events, etc.
- Member Management: Send notification of enrollment and points
II Difference between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business APP, WhatsApp business API?
- Charging: Free
- Usage: It is mainly used for chatting and calling by personal users and has no commercial features.
WhatsApp Business App
- Charging: Free
- Usage: Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, it offers some basic business features such as corporate profiles, quick replies, tagging, autoresponders and statistics.
- Features: Suitable for small businesses or self-employed people, with direct one-to-one communication with customers.
WhatsApp Business API
- Charging: Fees are charged, depending on a number of factors, including session type, number of messages, region, and BSP (Business Solution Provider) selected.
- Usage: Designed for medium to large organizations, it supports large-scale customer interaction and automation for large organizations that need to communicate with a large number of customers.
- Fee Model:
- Session-Based Charging Model: Session-based charging model, categorized into user-initiated sessions and enterprise-initiated sessions. User-initiated sessions are free within a 24-hour window, while enterprise-initiated sessions are charged on a per-session basis.
- Message template costs: There is an additional cost for sending messages using message templates, which need to be pre-approved by WhatsApp.
- BSP Surcharge: Different BSPs may charge different additional fees, including setup fees, monthly fees, and message volume fees.
- WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business App are free, suitable for individuals and small businesses.
- WhatsApp Business API It is fee-based and is primarily for medium to large organizations. The exact cost depends on the type of session, number of messages, region and BSP's pricing strategy.
III How is WhatsApp Business API charged?
The charging model for WhatsApp API is primarily priced based on message type, region and number of messages. The exact charging may vary, depending on your country and the WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) you choose. Here are some of the main aspects of WhatsApp API charges:
1. Session fee model
WhatsApp API charges are mainly based on the form of session (Session). There are two types of sessions: user-initiated sessions and enterprise-initiated sessions.
- User-initiated sessions: When a user sends a message to a business and triggers a session, the session is free of charge for reply messages for 24 hours (any number of messages can be sent within this 24 hour window).
- Enterprise-initiated sessions: If a business proactively sends a message to a subscriber without the subscriber sending the message first, there is a charge for this session.
WhatsApp API charges may vary depending on the country or region. Pricing policies vary per country and charges may be higher in certain regions.Click to see Meta's official session pricing.
2. BSP Surcharges
Apart from WhatsApp's own fees, the official BSPs (Business Solution Providers) may also charge additional fees. These fees may include setup fees, monthly fees, message volume fees, etc.
BSPs (Business Solution Provider) play a key role in the ecosystem of the WhatsApp Business API, helping organizations access and integrate the API, providing technical support and documentation, assisting with account applications and management, managing phone numbers and authentication, and other matters.
BSPs also provide additional features and tools such as automated workflows, chatbots, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integrations, enhancing businesses' customer communication capabilities, and offering analysis and reporting tools.
BSP provides technical support and maintenance services to help organizations solve problems in the process of using the service, as well as handling related costs, including session charges and message template fees.
Different BSPs may have varying fee structures and additional charges. Enterprises can choose a suitable BSP based on their needs to maximize the use of WhatsApp Business API features, enhancing customer service quality and business efficiency.
How to know the detailed pricing
For a detailed look at WhatsApp API charges, you can visit theofficial document provided by Meta, or consult your BSP for specific pricing information.
IV Top 10 Best WhatsApp BSPs
YCloud: As a BSP for WhatsApp Business API, YCloud offers rich functionalities and robust customer support, making it an ideal choice for enterprises to optimize customer communication and management. YCloud helps businesses integrate and utilize WhatsApp Business API through its platform, enabling better customer interaction and improving service quality. YCloud provides various features including automated workflows, chatbots, data analytics, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), helping businesses streamline communication and management processes.
Fee Model: YCloud does not charge software subscription fees or any service fees. They only charge according to Meta's official pricing. In some countries like Malaysia, the prices for verification-type sessions are even lower than the official pricing!
Pros:
- Automated workflows: YCloud provides powerful automation tools to set up autoresponders, timed messages, and workflows to reduce manual operations and increase efficiency.
- Chatbots: Supports advanced chatbot functionalities capable of handling common questions and customer queries, enhancing customer satisfaction.
- CRM Integration: Seamlessly integrates with CRM systems to help organizations better manage and analyze customer data.
- Fast Response: YCloud provides rapid response technical support services to help businesses resolve various issues encountered during usage.
- Training and consulting: Provide comprehensive training and consulting services to ensure that organizations are able to take full advantage of the capabilities of the WhatsApp Business API.
Cons:
YCloud focuses on WhatsApp integration, providing users with the most professional technical services.
Twilio: Twilio is a company specializing in cloud communication services. It offers various APIs and tools that enable businesses to interact with customers through SMS, voice, video, WhatsApp, and email.
Fee Model: Twilio's WhatsApp charging model is based on usage and is charged on a per-session basis, to which a $0.005 per message messaging fee is added. Message fees vary by country and message type (session message or template message).
Pros:
- Powerful Integration Options: Seamlessly integrates with a variety of CRM, ERP and marketing automation tools, making it easy for organizations to add WhatsApp support to their existing systems;
- Multichannel Integration: Twilio supports not only WhatsApp, but also SMS, voice, video and other messaging channels, enabling organizations to manage all their communication needs through one platform.
- Scalability: Able to handle the highly concurrent communication needs of small to large enterprises and ensure service stability.
Cons:
- Higher Costs: For SMBs or startups, Twilio's services can be expensive, especially when messages are sent in high volumes, and the costs can add up significantly.
- Complex Initial Setup: While Twilio's API is easy to use, initial setup and configuration can be complicated, especially for small businesses without development resources.
- High Management Requirements: A dedicated technical team is required to manage and maintain Twilio's services, ensuring stable system operation and timely resolution of issues.
- Limited Features: Compared to other BSPs on the market, the WhatsApp API that twilio can offer is very limited.
WATI: Wati specializes in helping businesses with customer communication and support through WhatsApp. With Wati, users can easily integrate WhatsApp into their existing communication infrastructure and use it as a customer support, marketing and sales channel.
Fee Structure: Wati offers three plans: Growth ($49/month), Pro ($99/month), and Business ($299/month). Each plan includes a specific number of free chatbot sessions per month. Wati charges per session after the first 1,000 service dialogs, which are free. Accounts with Wati operate on a prepaid basis.
Pros: apply to the e-commerce industry; with Make.comSeamless integration with tools such as , WooCommerce, Klaviyo, etc. to improve the efficiency of business processes.Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises: Pricing schemes are usually more competitive than some of the larger platforms and are suitable for SMEs with limited budgets.
Cons:
- Software package pricing programs are not flexible enough or suitable for all types of business sizes, especially for single users or individuals.
- Advanced features are lacking: Compared to some of the larger platforms, WATI may lack in some advanced features (e.g., sophisticated marketing automation, deep data analytics, etc.).
- Large-scale application limitations: WATI's scalability and depth of functionality may not be sufficient for larger organizations that need to handle large numbers of customer interactions and more complex requirements; Chatbot functionality is available at an additional cost
SleekFlow: SleekFlow is an omnichannel social commerce platform that helps brands sell, promote and support better in chat. Offering marketing growth solutions based on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and more.
Fee Model: SleekFlow offers a variety of packages, including a free plan, a pro plan ($79/month), an advanced plan ($299/month), and a customized enterprise plan. Each package includes a different number of message credits and features.
Pros:
- SleekFlow supports multiple communication channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, WeChat, and more, enabling organizations to manage all customer interactions through one platform;
- Universal Inbox (UI): Messages from all channels are centralized in one inbox, making it easy for enterprises to manage and respond in a unified manner.
- Sales funnel:Helps organizations manage sales funnels and track sales opportunities and progress.
Cons:
- Higher costs: For SMEs with limited budgets, the cost of SleekFlow can be relatively high, especially if more advanced features are required.
- Support Response Speed: While technical support is provided, the response time and problem resolution may not be as efficient as some of the larger platforms.
360dialog:360dialog is a company that specializes in providing WhatsApp API solutions to help businesses achieve efficient communication with their customers.
Fee Model: 360dialog offers a session-based pricing model, charging per session (two-way communication within 24 hours). The price depends on the number of sessions and the region.
Pros:
- Transparent pricing: The pricing structure is clear and transparent, allowing companies to choose the right program for their actual needs.
- Quick start:With support for Quick Start, organizations can start using the WhatsApp Business API in no time.
- deep integration:By focusing on one platform, 360dialog is able to provide deep integrations and advanced features to meet the specific needs of an organization.
Cons:
- Lack of CRM functionality: Compared to some platforms with integrated CRM functionality, 360dialog focuses primarily on messaging and lacks built-in CRM functionality.
- self-service: Relies heavily on self-service and documentation, and may require additional development resources for organizations that need more customized support.
- Support Response Speed: Although technical support is provided, response times and problem solving may not be as efficient as some of the larger platforms.
DoubleTick: DoubleTick is a mobile-focused WhatsApp marketing and sales tool with features such as a cloud-based team inbox, unlimited mass messaging, real-time campaign analytics, chatbot, order booking business bot, and more.
Fee Model: DoubleTick offers a monthly subscription model with different subscription levels: Starter ($25/month), Pro ($100/month), and Enterprise (customized), which include different amounts of messages and features respectively.
Pros: free Green Hook certification support; 24/7 customer support; intuitive, mobile-friendly; free trial program.
Cons: Focused on mobile development; suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, difficult to take on the needs of large corporations.
Interakt: Interakt is a WhatsApp business solutions provider that helps fast-growing businesses and brands boost their online sales performance with automated customer support.
Fee Model: Interakt uses a monthly subscription model, divided into Growth level ($29/month), advanced level ($42/month), and enterprise level (customized), with each subscription level offering a different number of message quotas and features. Messages exceeding the quota are charged per message.
Pros:
- Fast integration with WhatsApp Business API;
- Free Green Hook Certification Assistance;
- Free integration services.
Cons:
- There is no Chatbot feature and the smart features are lacking;
- Session pricing is based on paid monthly packages and is generally higher than the official pricing given by Meta;
- Customer support is available via email only and may take up to 2-3 days to be resolved depending on the customer's plan. In the event of an emergency, the lack of a direct dialing option may be an inconvenience.
Rasayel: Focused on providing WhatsApp business messaging services, Rasayel is a customer communication platform that helps businesses grow through an integrated social media inbox. The company's platform is built with collaborative team inboxes, broadcasts, automation, integrations, and developer-friendly APIs that enable clients to sell, support, and connect with customers across all social media and chat channels.
Fee Model: Rasayel offers a monthly subscription model that provides different amounts of message credits and features based on different subscription plans: growth level ($150/month), Scale level ($400/month), Pro level ($2000/month).
Pros:
- User-friendly Interface: Rasayel offers a simple and intuitive user interface that makes it easy for business users to get started and utilize its features.
- Customer Segmentation: Segmentation based on customer behavior and attributes to provide personalized communication and marketing to increase customer satisfaction.
- Teamwork: Support for multiple agents using a single WhatsApp account at the same time facilitates team collaboration on customer queries and improves responsiveness and efficiency. Collaboration tools for internal annotations and tags
Cons:
- Customization capabilities: Some specific needs may require more customized configurations that may not be fully met by Rasayel's standard features.
Gallabox: Gallabox is a no-code conversational commerce platform that helps SMBs modernize and automate their customer conversations on WhatsApp, converting leads into deals by deploying out-of-the-box workflows that facilitate the conversion of business conversations into realizations.
Fee Model: Gallabox offers a monthly subscription model, where each subscription level includes a different number of messages and features: Growth level ($99/month), Scale level ($149/month), Pro level ($249/month).
Pros:
- Gallabox offers a clean and intuitive user interface with no code required, making it easy for business users to get started and use its features. Integrates well with Shopify and WooCommerce.
Cons:
- Doesn't have a product catalog feature, so you can't showcase your products directly in chat, instead you'll need to use a link to redirect leads to a website.
AiSensy: AiSensy is a smart WhatsApp interaction platform based on the official WhatsApp Business API. It provides broadcast offers, automated notifications, and support issue resolution services.
Fee Model: AiSensy offers a monthly subscription model where each subscription level includes a different number of messages and features: Basic level ($20/month), Pro level ($45/month), Enterprise level (customized).
Pros:
- The customer support team is available 24/7 to help you with any questions you may have.
- Provides filters to segregate and filter audiences, eliminating the need to upload a new excel file each time you send a targeted message.
- Easily connect to Shopify, Hubspot, Salesforce, WooCommerce, Zapier, payment portals, CRMs, and more.
Cons:
- Approving templates through the dashboard takes a long time.
- The user interface needs to be improved to make it easier for beginners to use.
Session Price Comparison
Let's take the session fee in Malaysia as an example
As you can see, YCloud's unit price is the lowest among all BSPs. Also as Meta's official BSP, YCloud's channel stability has absolute guarantee.
V Why choose YCloud as your BSP?
1. Competitive conversation prices
2. 24/7 online support
3.Free All-in-one WhatsApp Marketing Tools
4. Free WhatsApp API integrate guide
5. Free Green-Tick Certification Assistance