Quick answer: For most small businesses, the free WhatsApp Business app is enough to start: set up a business profile and catalogue, use labels to track each order from enquiry to delivery, save quick replies for common questions, and take payment by UPI before dispatch. Message only people who have agreed to hear from you. Move to the paid WhatsApp Business Platform only when one phone can no longer handle your volume or you need automation and team inboxes, and know that it charges per message.
The WhatsApp Business app vs the WhatsApp Business Platform
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Solo founders and small teams | Businesses with high message volume or a team |
| Cost | Free to download and use for normal chats | Charged per delivered message by category (see below), plus any software provider’s fees |
| How you use it | Phone app, plus linked devices | Through a software provider or your own integration |
| Automation | Greeting, away messages, quick replies | Chatbots, order and payment messages, integration with your store or CRM |
| Best for | Your first few hundred customers | Thousands of conversations, order updates sent automatically |
Use a separate phone number for the business if you can. It keeps personal chats apart and makes a later move to the Platform easier.
Setting up the app properly
Meta lists these core features of the Business app. Set them all up on day one.
- Business profile. Add your logo, a one-line description, address or service area, business hours and website or Instagram link. This is your shop front.
- Catalogue. Add each product with a photo, price, short description and a product code. Group similar items into collections (for example “Cotton kurtis” or “Festive hampers”). You can share the whole catalogue or a single item as a link on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
- Cart. Customers can choose items from your catalogue and send them to you as one message, which saves back-and-forth on what they want.
- Greeting message. An automatic welcome for new customers, for example: “Thank you for messaging [name]. Tap the shop icon to see our catalogue. We reply between 10 am and 7 pm.”
- Away message. An automatic reply outside your hours, so nobody feels ignored.
- QR code and short link. Print the QR code on packaging and cards; put the link in your Instagram bio.
Writing a catalogue that sells
- One clear photo on a plain background, then extra photos of detail and scale.
- Price including GST if you are registered, and state delivery charges separately.
- Size, material, weight and care instructions. Most questions are about these.
- Mark made-to-order items and the lead time, for example “Ships in 5 to 7 days”.
- Remove or mark items that are out of stock the same day.
Labels and quick replies: your order system
Labels let you organise and filter chats. Use them as a simple order tracker so nothing gets lost.
| Label | Use it when |
|---|---|
| New enquiry | Someone asks about a product |
| Awaiting payment | You have sent the total and UPI details |
| Paid | Payment is confirmed in your bank or UPI app |
| Packed | The order is ready for pickup |
| Dispatched | The courier has picked it up and you have sent the tracking number |
| Delivered | The customer confirms receipt |
| Repeat customer | Someone has bought more than once |
Each morning, filter by “Paid” and “Packed” to see what must go out today. Keep a simple spreadsheet alongside, with order number, name, items, amount, payment reference and tracking number. You will need it for accounts, GST and disputes.
Quick replies are saved messages you can send in a few taps. Save one each for:
- price list and delivery charges
- how to pay (your UPI ID and a reminder to send a screenshot)
- delivery timelines by region
- return and exchange policy
- “Your order has been dispatched. Tracking number: …”
Taking UPI payments safely
The simplest method is to share your business UPI ID or QR code, or a payment link from your payment gateway, once the customer confirms the order.
- Take payment before dispatch for new customers. Offer cash on delivery only if you can absorb refused parcels.
- Confirm in your bank or UPI app, not from a screenshot alone. Fake payment screenshots are a common fraud.
- Use a business or current account for payments where possible, so your sales records stay clean.
- Send a bill or invoice with every order. If you are GST-registered, issue a proper tax invoice.
In September 2023 Meta announced that people in India could pay businesses inside a WhatsApp chat using UPI apps, debit and credit cards and net banking, with Razorpay and PayU among the payment partners. Developer documentation shows this in-chat checkout runs on the WhatsApp Business Platform and needs a verified business set up with a payment gateway. For a small seller on the free app, a UPI ID, QR code or payment link is the practical route.
Getting consent and staying out of trouble
Meta’s opt-in policy for the Business Platform says that before you message someone, they must have shared their number and agreed to receive messages from your business. Your opt-in must:
- clearly say the person is opting in to receive messages from you
- clearly name your business
- follow applicable law, including any required notices or permissions
Meta recommends asking separately for each type of message (order updates, offers, new arrivals) and giving clear instructions on how to opt out. People can stop marketing messages from a business, or block and report it, so unwanted messages cost you customers.
Treat this as good practice on the free app too:
- Ask “Can I send you new arrivals on WhatsApp?” and note who said yes.
- Do not add people to broadcast lists or groups without their agreement.
- Do not buy contact lists.
- Remove anyone who asks to stop, at once.
- Keep customer details private and share them only with your courier for delivery. India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 also sets rules on handling personal data, so use customer data only for the purpose they gave it for.
When to move to the WhatsApp Business Platform
Consider the move when:
- you regularly cannot reply within a few hours because of volume
- more than one person needs to answer chats with shared history
- you want automatic order confirmations, dispatch updates and payment messages linked to your store
- you want to send approved offer messages to a large opted-in list
How Platform pricing works, as of October 2026 (from Meta’s developer documentation):
- Since 1 July 2025, businesses pay per delivered message, by category and the customer’s country. Messages customers send you are free.
- Categories are marketing (offers), utility (order and account updates), authentication (one-time passwords) and service (replies within 24 hours of the customer’s last message).
- From 1 October 2026, the first 1,000 service messages per business number each month are free; after that they are charged. Utility messages inside the 24-hour window are also charged from that date.
- When a customer messages you from a Click to WhatsApp ad, messages you send are free for a window of up to 7 days.
- India rates are published in Meta’s INR rate card and changed in January and April 2026. Rates change only at the start of a quarter.
Most small businesses reach the Platform through a software provider, which adds its own monthly fee. Compare total monthly cost, not just the per-message rate.
FAQ
Q: Is the WhatsApp Business app free?
A: Yes, the app is free to download and use for normal chats. Paid extras such as Meta Verified and ads are optional.
Q: Can I use the same number on the app and the Platform?
A: The options depend on Meta’s current rules and your software provider. Before you switch, ask the provider in writing whether you can keep your number, your chat history and your app, and what happens to your catalogue.
Q: Can customers pay me inside WhatsApp?
A: In-chat checkout with UPI apps, cards and net banking is offered through the WhatsApp Business Platform with a payment gateway. On the free app, share a UPI ID, QR code or payment link.
Q: Do I need consent to send offers?
A: Yes. Meta’s policy requires opt-in that names your business and states what you will send. Keep a record of who agreed.
Q: What does the Platform cost in India?
A: It charges per delivered message by category, and Meta publishes INR rates on its pricing page. Check the current rate card, as rates were revised in 2026.
Official links
- WhatsApp Business app features: https://www.whatsappbusiness.com/products/business-app-features/
- WhatsApp Business Platform pricing: https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing
- Opt-in policy guidance: https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/getting-opt-in
- WhatsApp payments in India (developer documentation): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/payments/payments-in/upi-intent
- WhatsApp Help Centre: https://faq.whatsapp.com
Last checked: October 2026. Rules, limits and fees change; confirm with the official source before you apply. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Sources: WhatsApp Business app features page (October 2026); Meta for Developers, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing (October 2026); Meta for Developers, Get opt-in for WhatsApp (October 2026); Meta for Developers, payments in India documentation (October 2026); DT Next report of Meta announcement (September 2023).
