Answering customers on WhatsApp automatically: what it takes

The app or the platform

The WhatsApp Business app is free and runs on one phone. It suits a small team answering by hand. To answer automatically, connect WhatsApp to your systems or let several people share one number, you need the WhatsApp Business Platform, used through Meta directly or through a provider.

What you need to get started

• A Meta business account, verified for your company.
• A phone number for the platform. A number already in use on the regular app has to be moved over.
• A display name that Meta approves.
• Message templates, approved by Meta, for anything you send first.

The 24-hour window

When a customer writes to you, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Inside it you can reply freely. Outside it, you can only start a conversation with an approved template, such as an order confirmation or an appointment reminder.

How pricing works

Since July 2025, Meta charges per template message delivered, at a rate that depends on the category (marketing, utility or authentication) and the customer’s country. At the time of writing, free-form replies inside the 24-hour window are not charged. Prices change, so check Meta’s current rates before you plan a budget.

What automation can do well

Good first jobs for an assistant on WhatsApp:

• Answer common questions from your own documents, and show where the answer came from.
• Collect the details of a request, such as an order number or a preferred time.
• Send confirmations and reminders through approved templates.
• Hand the conversation to a person, with a summary, whenever it is unsure.

Keep a person in control

Start with the questions you already answer every day, test on real conversations, and let a person see every hand-over. Widen what the assistant answers only when it has proved itself.