WhatsApp has become an extremely prevalent messaging platform for both personal and commercial use. WhatsApp has managed to establish itself as a secure platform on which a variety of businesses and their clients can communicate confidential information relevant to their work with ease.
That said, there is a slight difference in the version of WhatsApp that people use for personal activity and those used for business. Therefore, this article highlights the differences between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, and WhatsApp business API so that you can better know how you can utilize this communication platform for your business and its various operations.
Differences between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, and WhatsApp Business API
If you want to know more about this platform, then read about what makes each version unique below. It will help you decide which option is right for you based on your business’s needs.
Let’s start our discussion with WhatsApp first. This is the platform that is used personally. It is free to use, and you can send text messages, have voice or video calls, and send voice notes, audio files, videos, documents, and more. That said, as you’ll see in the pros and cons list, this version is only useful for those professionals who are the only employee of their business—plumbers, for example.
Pros and Cons of WhatsApp
Here are its pros and cons.
Pros:
- An easy to use platform
- Free for all users
- Easy setup
Cons:
- Only one user can use one account at a time
- Has no message automation
WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business is the next step for small businesses that want an effective means to communicate with their clients. Like the regular version mentioned above, it is also free. It is also available on Android and iOS, and individual users can use it. In addition to that, like the regular platform, it is created on a landline or mobile phone number.
This platform is ideal for small businesses that expect to have individual or group communications with clients or other relevant parties. It also includes some basic message automation to help streamline conversations. It also indicates that it’s a business chat, which may help make a positive impression on customers or clients. This platform has all the other messaging, calling, and file sending capabilities that the regular version of WhatsApp has.
Pros and Cons of WhatsApp Business
Here are its pros and cons.
Pros:
- An easy to use platform that ready to use soon after installation
- Free for all users
- Has some basic message automation features, with the inclusion of a ‘quick reply’ feature to streamline communication
- Up to four users can use the same account at the same time, ensuring that all client/customer communication is one channel
- Users can install WhatsApp Business on their phones in addition to their personal WhatsApp account, with quick and easy switching between accounts
Cons:
- The limit of only four users at one time can be limiting for some businesses that need more personnel to handle client/customer support for the business
- Has basic message automation that may not suffice to make communication significantly efficient
WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp Business API is a different ballgame altogether, as it doesn’t use a phone number to power it. This platform is used by large businesses that need to communicate with several clients at a single time. Therefore, mostly call centres, in-house or outsourced ones, use this platform for customer support services.
The pricing is where this version of WhatsApp varies from the others. Your business can get WhatsApp Business API from external companies that also offer monthly costs with complete template support. You can, thus, create templates, have them approved by WhatsApp, and then send them to relevant parties. As a result, you can streamline a range of different forms of communication data with your clients or customers. You should note that are no calling capabilities on this platform.
Pros and Cons of WhatsApp Business API
Here are its pros and cons.
Pros:
- Can connect to CRM or WhatsApp Business Solution
- Has sophisticated message automation features for streamlined communication on a vast scale
- An unlimited number of users can use the same account at the same time on an unlimited number of devices
Cons:
- It’s only useful when used with APIs
- There’s an approval process for creating an account
- It is a paid service
Last Few Words
If you’re looking for WhatsApp Business API and transactional email providers, then take a look at what MSG91 has to offer. This company is a Cloud communication platform (CPasS) that offers a wide array of robust messaging solutions that will suit a variety of businesses and industries.
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