Grow your business on WhatsApp with 24/7 AI and zero manual work

The WhatsApp Business API (now called the WhatsApp Business Platform) is the official way for medium and large businesses to send and receive WhatsApp messages at scale. Unlike the free WhatsApp Business App, the API has no chat interface of its own, instead it connects to software like Dunefox, which adds an AI chatbot, a shared team inbox, broadcast campaigns, and CRM. It lets you automate customer support, send notifications, and run marketing to thousands of customers while staying fully compliant with Meta's policies.

You cannot access the API directly from Meta. You sign up through an official Business Solution Provider (BSP) like Dunefox. With Dunefox the process takes minutes: create an account, connect your Facebook Business Manager, verify your business, add and verify a phone number (it must not be active on the regular WhatsApp app), and submit your display name for approval. Dunefox guides you through each step and you can start sending test messages the same day.

Meta charges per 24-hour conversation, and rates vary by country and category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and Service). Marketing conversations cost roughly $0.011 in India, $0.025 in the US, and $0.041 in the UK, while the first 1,000 service conversations every month are free everywhere. On top of Meta's per-conversation fee, your provider charges a platform subscription. Dunefox plans start free for 14 days, then from $39/month with no per-message markup. Use our WhatsApp API Pricing Calculator to estimate your exact monthly cost across 50+ countries.

The API itself has no setup fee, and Meta gives every account 1,000 free service (customer-initiated) conversations per month. However, business-initiated conversations are billed by Meta, and you need a provider platform to actually use the API. Dunefox offers a free 14-day trial so you can build your chatbot, connect a number, and send real messages before paying anything.

The WhatsApp Business App is a free mobile app built for very small businesses: one phone, one user, manual replies. The WhatsApp Business API is built for scale: multiple agents on one number, automation and AI chatbots, bulk broadcasts to opted-in customers, chatbot flows, analytics, and integrations with your CRM and website. If you have a team, high message volume, or want to automate replies 24/7, you need the API.

Yes, but only to customers who have opted in, and using pre-approved message templates. This is the compliant alternative to unofficial "bulk sender" tools that get numbers banned. With Dunefox you upload your opted-in contacts, pick or create an approved template, segment your audience, and broadcast. You also get delivery, read, and reply analytics for every campaign.

Yes. The WhatsApp Business Platform runs on Meta's infrastructure, so you need a Facebook Business Manager (Meta Business Suite) account to host your WhatsApp Business Account and verify your business. If you don't have one, Dunefox helps you create and configure it during onboarding, it's free and takes a few minutes.

You can use an existing number only if it is not currently registered on the WhatsApp consumer app or WhatsApp Business App, a number can live on the API or the app, but not both. Many businesses use a fresh dedicated number for the API, or first delete the number from the app and then migrate it. Dunefox supports both options and walks you through the migration so you don't lose access.

Dunefox is more than a message gateway. It combines the official WhatsApp Business API with a no-code AI chatbot that answers in your customers' language 24/7, a shared team inbox, lead qualification, broadcast campaigns, and a built-in CRM, and it works across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and your website from one dashboard. There is no per-message markup, pricing is transparent, and you can start free.

With Dunefox, most businesses are up and running the same day. Phone number and API setup are instant. Display-name approval by Meta typically takes anywhere from a few minutes to 1–2 business days, and official green-tick (verified badge) verification is a separate optional step that can take longer. You can send messages during the review, approval is only required for your display name to appear, not to start using the API.

WhatsApp automation is the use of software to send, receive, and reply to WhatsApp messages automatically, without an agent typing every response. It covers AI chatbots that answer FAQs and qualify leads, auto-replies and away messages, drip and follow-up sequences, order and appointment notifications, and scheduled broadcast campaigns. With Dunefox you build all of this on the official WhatsApp Business API using a no-code visual builder.

Connect your number to the WhatsApp Business API through Dunefox, then use the no-code builder to set up automations: an AI chatbot trained on your website and documents to handle incoming questions, keyword and button-based flows, automatic lead capture into your CRM, and scheduled or triggered notifications like order updates and payment reminders. No developers required. You can launch your first automation in an afternoon.

The free WhatsApp Business App offers only basic automation, a greeting message, an away message, and quick replies. For real automation (AI chatbots, drip campaigns, CRM sync, multi-agent inbox) you need the WhatsApp Business API through a platform like Dunefox. Dunefox has a free 14-day trial so you can build and test full automations before you pay, and Meta includes 1,000 free service conversations every month.

Yes, when done through the official WhatsApp Business API. Meta actively supports automation via approved providers and message templates. What is not allowed is using unofficial "bulk sender" or modded apps that scrape contacts and blast unsolicited messages. Those get numbers banned. Dunefox is an official provider, so every automation you build is fully compliant and your number stays safe.

Common automations include: 24/7 AI chatbot replies to customer questions; lead qualification and routing to the right agent; abandoned-cart and follow-up reminders; order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery notifications; appointment and payment reminders; feedback and review requests after purchase; and opt-in marketing broadcasts for offers and launches. Each can run on triggers, schedules, or customer messages.

No. Dunefox is fully no-code. You build chatbot flows visually, train the AI by pasting your website URL or uploading documents, and set up campaigns with a few clicks. Developers who want deeper control can use the API and webhooks, but the vast majority of businesses run everything from the dashboard without writing a line of code.

Dunefox plans start free for 14 days, then from $39/month, with no markup on Meta's per-conversation fees. Your total cost is the Dunefox subscription plus Meta's conversation charges, which depend on volume and country. A small business in India automating support and a few campaigns typically spends a modest amount per month, use the WhatsApp API Pricing Calculator to model your numbers.

Yes. Dunefox includes a built-in CRM and connects to your website chat widget, plus Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram, so conversations and leads from every channel land in one place. Automations can create and update contacts, tag and score leads, and hand off to a human agent when needed, keeping your data in sync automatically.

A WhatsApp chatbot is software that automatically replies to messages on WhatsApp, answering customer questions, qualifying leads, and completing simple tasks without a human agent typing every response. Modern chatbots are AI-powered: instead of rigid keyword scripts, they understand natural language and answer from your own content. With Dunefox you build one on the official WhatsApp Business API using a no-code visual builder, and it works 24/7 in your customer's language.

With Dunefox you can build a WhatsApp chatbot in three steps and without code: (1) connect your number to the official WhatsApp Business API through Dunefox, (2) train the AI by pasting your website URL or uploading your help docs so it answers accurately, and (3) design any button or keyword flows visually and publish. Most businesses launch their first working chatbot in an afternoon. No developers required.

The free WhatsApp Business App only offers basic auto-replies, a greeting, an away message, and quick replies, not a true AI chatbot. To build a real WhatsApp bot (AI answers, lead capture, CRM sync, multi-agent handoff) you need the WhatsApp Business API through a platform like Dunefox. Dunefox includes a free 14-day trial so you can build and test a full chatbot before paying, and Meta gives you 1,000 free service conversations every month.

WhatsApp itself does not give businesses a built-in AI chatbot. Meta provides the WhatsApp Business API, and you add the AI chatbot layer through an official provider like Dunefox. Dunefox's chatbot is trained on your own website and documents, so it answers specific questions about your products, pricing, and policies accurately, rather than giving generic replies.

A WhatsApp chatbot greets each new contact, asks qualifying questions (budget, need, timeline, location), and scores or tags the lead automatically in your CRM. Hot leads can be routed to a human agent instantly, while the bot keeps nurturing the rest with follow-ups. Because the whole conversation happens on WhatsApp, where open rates are far higher than email, more leads actually respond and convert.

Yes, when it runs on the official WhatsApp Business API. Meta actively supports chatbots and automation through approved providers and message templates. What gets numbers banned is using unofficial "bulk sender" or modded apps that scrape contacts. Dunefox is an official provider, so every chatbot you build is fully compliant and your number stays safe.

Dunefox plans start free for 14 days, then from $39/month, with no markup on Meta's per-conversation fees. Your total cost is the Dunefox subscription plus Meta's conversation charges, which vary by volume and country. Use the WhatsApp API Pricing Calculator to model your exact numbers before you commit.

The terms are used interchangeably, both describe software that sends and replies to WhatsApp messages automatically. "WhatsApp bot" is often used for simple keyword or button flows, while "WhatsApp chatbot" implies conversational, AI-driven replies. Dunefox gives you both in one builder: rule-based flows for structured tasks and an AI agent for open-ended questions.