WhatsApp Business API: what it is and which provider to connect with

The WhatsApp Business API is Meta's official way for a business to use WhatsApp at scale: multiple agents handling the same number, approved templates, campaigns, and statistics. It doesn't activate with the push of a button: you need a provider to connect you, give you the interface, and the tools to work with it.

There are many providers and each one targets a different type of business. This guide is so you understand what each one offers, how much it really costs, and which one works for your case. I'll tell you the good and the weak points of each one, and at the end I'll tell you what Wando does, which is the tool we developed ourselves.

Let's get started.

What is the WhatsApp Business API and why do you need a provider?

The WhatsApp Business API is Meta's official way for a business to use WhatsApp at scale: multiple agents, scheduled messages, approved templates, statistics. But it's not a button you push: you have to go through a solution provider (BSP) that gives you the connection, the interface, and the tools.

This is where the alternatives come in. Each provider solves the same thing (connecting you to the API) but with very different approaches. Some are for large teams, others for marketing, others for SMBs that just want to reply faster.

Prices, verified one by one

• Wati Growth: US$45/month paying annually — 3 users and 500 active contacts, with no possibility of adding more.
• Wati Pro: US$95/month — US$24 for each extra user.

• Whaticket Single plan: US$49/month with monthly billing — minimum 3 users and 1 WhatsApp connection; 20% less paying annually.
• Whaticket free trial: 14 days.

• Cliengo Starter: US$45/month — 2 users and 500 conversations.
• Cliengo Premium: US$119/month — more volume and marketing features.
• Cliengo Business: US$259/month — the highest tier, aimed at teams.
• Cliengo free trial: 14 days.

• ManyChat Essential: US$14/month — 250 contacts.
• ManyChat Pro: US$29/month — 2,500 contacts.
• ManyChat free: A real Free plan: 25 active contacts and 1 user.

• Botmaker Standard: US$149/month — 3,000 conversations.
• Botmaker Scale: US$249/month — 5,000 conversations.
• Botmaker Pro: US$499/month — 10,000 conversations.
• Botmaker Enterprise: on request — custom.
• Botmaker free: The account is created for free and includes up to 300 initial conversations at no charge.

• Wando Starter: US$12.99/month.
• Wando Pro: US$26.99/month.
• Wando Enterprise: US$66.99/month.
• Wando free trial: 14 days without a card.
• The details of each plan are at wando.online/pricing.

Wati: the global no-code

Wati is a global platform with a very polished no-code flow builder. If you need complex automations (a conversation that leads to a form, which triggers an email, etc.) and your business is large, Wati is a serious option.

The weak spot: the entry plan doesn't support additional users or contacts, so if you grow, you jump up a tier. Support and the audience are designed for English, and you pay in dollars or euros. It has no free plan or trial, and the entry plan's price is considerable for a small SMB.

When should you choose Wati? If you handle a high volume, you need advanced no-code automations, and your team works in English.

• Strong: mature no-code flow builder, many integrations, product proven at international scale.
• Weak: entry plan without flexibility, English support, no free trial.

Whaticket: the shared inbox for teams

Whaticket is a multi-agent shared inbox, widely used in Latin America. If you have a team of several people handling the same WhatsApp number, Whaticket solves that simply: no one steps on anyone else, everything is logged.

The weak spot: the minimum plan is 3 users, so a one-person business pays for three. Automation is flow-based, not AI that understands free language. It has a 14-day trial, but no free plan.

When should you choose Whaticket? If your priority is having a team handle things in an organized way, and you don't need AI to suggest replies.

• Strong: well-executed shared inbox, designed for teams, support in LatAm.
• Weak: minimum of 3 users, flow-based automation.

Cliengo: the multichannel chatbot for capturing leads

Cliengo is an Argentine platform that started with chatbots on websites and today covers WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. If your main goal is capturing leads from your website and social media, Cliengo has a very good web chatbot for that, with basic CRM included.

The weak points: the entry price is high if you only need WhatsApp, and the automation combines preprogrammed flows with an AI layer, it is not generative AI out of the box. It has a 14-day trial, but no free plan.

When should you choose Cliengo? If your business depends on capturing leads across several channels and your budget allows it.

• Strong: web chatbot for lead conversion, basic CRM, true multichannel.
• Weak: high entry price, automation through flows with AI on top.

ManyChat: the king of Instagram and Messenger

ManyChat is a chat marketing tool, focused on Instagram and Messenger, with funnels and campaign automations. It has a real free plan (25 active contacts, 1 user), which is a big differentiator.

The weak points: its center of gravity is Meta's social networks, not WhatsApp as a support channel. It is designed for marketing funnels, not for a team to handle inquiries. The material and the community are mostly in English.

When should you choose ManyChat? If your engine is Instagram and Messenger campaigns, and you want to start for free.

• Strong: real free plan, a reference in Instagram/Messenger, low entry price.
• Weak: WhatsApp is not the focus, it's not for customer service, materials in English.

Botmaker: corporate power

Botmaker is an omnichannel conversational automation platform for medium and large companies. If you have high volume and multiple channels, Botmaker has the power and enterprise-level support.

The weak point: the smallest plan is among the most expensive on this list, and the platform's complexity is the flip side of its power. For a small SMB, it's like using a tractor to mow the lawn.

When should you choose Botmaker? If you're a large company with high volume and you need a robust solution with dedicated support.

• Strong: omnichannel power, guided onboarding, corporate presence in LatAm.
• Weak: high price, complexity for SMBs.

Wando: the AI that learns from your team (and it's from here)

Well, here's our part. Wando is an Argentine SaaS that uses AI to help you reply on WhatsApp Business, but with a twist: the AI suggests replies and your team approves them with one click. It doesn't reply on its own without supervision by default (although you can set up auto-replies by time of day if you want).

The real differentiator is that it learns from the replies your team gives and improves on its own. You don't have to program flows like in Wati or Whaticket: the AI understands free-form language and adapts to how you reply.

It starts with a 14-day free trial with no card, and plans range from an affordable entry price to an enterprise one. It also has webhooks to Make, Zapier, n8n and Slack, integration with Google Sheets for contacts and with Mercado Pago for payments, and it covers WhatsApp (Meta's official API), Instagram and Messenger.

When should you choose Wando? If you're a LatAm SMB that wants to serve customers better on WhatsApp without going crazy programming flows, and you want the tool to learn from your team.

• Strong: AI that learns from your replies, human approval with one click, local support, useful integrations, free trial with no card.
• Weak: it's a young tool, it doesn't have Wati's global scale or ManyChat's free plan.

Which one is best for you based on your case?

There's no single answer: it all depends on your size, your budget and whether your priority is serving customers, automating or capturing leads. If you want advanced no-code automations and your team works in English, Wati. If your priority is a shared inbox for a team, Whaticket. If you live off capturing leads across several channels, Cliengo. If Instagram and Messenger are your engine, ManyChat. If you're a large company with high volume, Botmaker. And if you're a LatAm SMB that wants to serve customers better on WhatsApp with an AI that learns from your team, Wando.

My advice: try the one that has a free trial (Wando, Whaticket and Cliengo have 14 days, ManyChat has a free plan) and see which one is most convenient for your day to day. If you want to see what Wando is like, go to wando.online and try it without entering your card.

How templates get approved and what to look at before deciding

All the platforms on this list work with Meta's official API, so they share some rules. The templates (HSM) you want to use to start conversations are reviewed by Meta, and the only timeframe we can state is that approval can take up to 48 hours. Meta does not guarantee a more precise timeframe, so plan your campaigns with some margin.

Before deciding, look at three things: how many users and contacts the entry plan includes (and how much it costs to add more), whether automation is through flows you have to program or through AI that learns from your replies, and whether support is in your language and during your hours. Those three variables matter more than the list price when it comes to sticking with a tool.