You bring the WhatsApp number. We never touch your billing.
ConvoHut connects to your own WhatsApp Business Account through the WhatsApp Business Platform. Meta bills you directly, at Meta's rates. This page explains what that account is, what you need to open one, and what Meta approves before a message can leave.
What is the WhatsApp Business Platform?
The WhatsApp Business Platform, often still called the WhatsApp Business API, is Meta's programmatic interface for sending and receiving WhatsApp messages at scale. It has no app of its own — you access it through a platform like ConvoHut, while the account, the number and the billing stay with you.
Key takeaways
- The Business Platform and the WhatsApp Business app are different products, and one number cannot use both.
- Business-initiated messages need a template that Meta has approved.
- When a customer replies, a 24-hour window opens in which your replies are not charged as templates.
- Business verification sits with Meta and is the usual cause of delay.
App or Platform — which one you have
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | A sole trader answering messages by hand | A business automating at volume across a team |
| Automation | Quick replies and away messages only | Full journeys, branching, AI and integrations |
| Team access | Limited device linking | Multiple users, roles and assignment |
| Message cost | Free | Per message, billed by Meta, by category and country |
| Works with ConvoHut | Not supported | Required |
A number can be registered to one or the other, not both. Migrating an existing app number to the Platform is possible, but treat it as a one-way step.
Message categories, and which ones cost you
Meta prices by category and by the country the customer is in. Choosing the right category is the single biggest lever on your message bill.
| Category | What it covers | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, cart recovery, win-back | Highest rate. Use where you expect a conversion. |
| Utility | Order updates, delivery notices, appointment reminders | Lower rate than marketing. Most post-purchase messaging belongs here. |
| Authentication | One-time passcodes | Not what ConvoHut is for, but you will see the category in Meta's rate card. |
| Service | Your replies inside the 24-hour customer service window | Not charged as a template. This is why starting conversations well matters. |
Rates change, and they vary by country. We deliberately do not reproduce Meta's rate card here, because a stale copy of it would cost you money. Check Meta's current pricing for the countries you message before you model your budget.
Connecting your account
- 1
1. Create or confirm your Meta Business account
If you already run Meta ads you almost certainly have one. It must be in your business's name, not an agency's.
- 2
2. Choose the number
A mobile or landline number that can receive a verification code and is not currently registered to the WhatsApp Business app.
- 3
3. Complete business verification
Meta verifies your business against public records. This is the step most likely to take days rather than minutes, and it sits with Meta.
- 4
4. Connect the account to ConvoHut
A guided flow grants ConvoHut permission to send and receive on your behalf. You can revoke it at any time.
- 5
5. Submit your message templates
Business-initiated messages use templates that Meta approves. They are submitted from your account and approved to you.
- 6
6. Send a live test
Message an internal number before any customer sees anything.
Questions this raises
Do I need to talk to Meta myself?
You need a Meta Business account in your own name and you need to pass business verification. We guide you through it during early access, but the account and the verification belong to you.
How long does business verification take?
It varies from minutes to several days depending on how easily Meta can match your business details to public records. It is the usual cause of delay and it is outside our control.
Can I keep using WhatsApp on my phone?
Not on the same number. A number on the Business Platform is no longer usable in the WhatsApp Business app. Many businesses use a second number for the Platform for exactly this reason.
What is the 24-hour customer service window?
When a customer messages you, a 24-hour window opens during which you can reply freely without sending an approved template. It is why journeys designed to earn a reply cost less to run than journeys designed to broadcast.
Who approves my message templates?
Meta does, against your account. ConvoHut helps you draft and submit them, but the approval and the template are yours.
What happens if a template is rejected?
You edit and resubmit. Rejections usually come from promotional language in a utility category, or placeholders with no example content.
The whole series
Five pages. Read them in order and you will know exactly what ConvoHut does, what it does not do, and what it will cost you.
We will do this part with you.
Connecting WhatsApp is the step most businesses stall on. During early access we sit on the call and get it done.