Frequently asked questions

Getting started

What is the difference between the WhatsApp Business app and MeAPI?

The app runs on one phone for one person. MeAPI uses Meta’s official WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API): many agents on one number, campaigns, chatbots, AI, integrations and an API, with no phone needed.

Do I need a new number?

No. Use a new number, or keep your WhatsApp Business app number with coexistence. A personal WhatsApp number must be deleted from WhatsApp first.

Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app after connecting?

Yes — with coexistence. Connect the number from Connection → I already use the WhatsApp Business app on this number and scan a QR code from the app. You keep chatting on the phone; new chats show in both places, and your contacts and up to 6 months of chat history can be imported. Open the app at least once every 14 days, or Meta removes the link. Groups stay in the app only, and the number sends at most 20 messages per second.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. The trial (usually 3 days) has every feature. When you buy, everything you set up stays. See Sign up.

Can I see MeAPI working before I buy?

Yes. Start the free trial from meapi.in and follow the Quick start — our step-by-step guide gets you live in minutes, on your own number. Need help? Message us on WhatsApp.

Do I need Meta Business verification?

Not to start. You can connect and chat right away. Verification raises your messaging limit beyond 250 business-started conversations a day and is required to publish WhatsApp Flows. See Verification.

Costs

What do I pay?

Two things: your MeAPI plan (price + 18% GST), and Meta’s message charges. Meta charges per delivered message, by category (marketing, utility, authentication, service) and by the recipient’s country, and bills the payment method on your WhatsApp Business Account. Since 1 October 2026 each number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, and utility templates are charged even inside the 24-hour window. Estimate your bill with the calculator.

Are replies to customers free?

Partly. A reply inside the 24-hour customer service window is a service message. Since 1 October 2026 each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages per month; from the 1,001st, Meta charges them. Unused free messages do not roll over. Two numbers means two free allowances.

Are utility templates free inside the 24-hour window?

No. Since 1 October 2026 utility templates (order updates, reminders, receipts) are charged even when sent inside an open 24-hour window.

Is anything still completely free?

Messages customers send to the business are never charged. Chats from Click-to-WhatsApp ads get Meta’s free entry-point window. Messages you send from the WhatsApp Business app on a coexistence number stay free.

Do I need a payment method in Meta?

Yes. Add one in WhatsApp Manager → Payment settings. Without a payment method, templates fail and service messages stop after the free 1,000.

Does MeAPI add a mark-up on Meta charges?

No. Meta bills its charges directly; the MeAPI plan price is separate.

Can I pay by UPI?

Yes: through Razorpay (any UPI app, instant) or Pay by UPI QR with UTR proof. Prices are shown as plan price + 18% GST = total. See Paying.

Which other payment methods are there?

Cards, net banking and wallets through Razorpay, PayPal (outside India), and USDT (Binance or any wallet, with the transaction hash) when it is turned on. Card, UPI-app and PayPal payments activate at once; UPI QR and USDT payments are checked by MeAPI staff first. See Paying.

My payment says “under review”. What now?

Nothing to do: MeAPI staff are checking your UTR or transaction, and you get an email either way. Meanwhile your trial or current plan keeps working (an expired licence stays in billing-only mode until the payment is approved). If it is not approved, the reason shows on Subscription with Pay again.

Do you have coupons?

If you have a code, click Have a coupon code? on the signup page or on Subscription and Apply it. It comes off the plan price before GST.

What happens when my plan reaches a limit?

Some plans cap agents, contacts, campaign messages a month, published flows or active reminder rules. At a limit the panel says so and stops that one action; nothing is deleted. Upgrade, or ask support for an add-on. See Subscription.

What happens when my licence expires?

The owner can log in, but only Subscription and Support work until you renew (billing-only mode). Agents cannot log in and API keys stop working. Campaigns, auto reminders and chatbot replies pause, while incoming messages are still saved. Nothing is deleted; renewing brings everything back, and anything that was due meanwhile is skipped (and listed for you), not sent late.

Do AI features cost extra?

You use your own AI key and pay the provider directly. MeAPI adds nothing. Gemini and Groq have free tiers. See AI providers.

Messaging

Can I send bulk messages / broadcasts?

Yes, with Campaigns, using approved templates, to contacts who opted in. Your daily limit depends on your Meta tier. See Campaigns.

Why do I need templates?

WhatsApp requires a pre-approved template to start a conversation, or to message someone whose last message was more than 24 hours ago. See Templates explained.

How long does template approval take?

Usually minutes, sometimes up to 24–48 hours.

Will my number get banned?

Not if you follow WhatsApp’s rules: message only people who opted in, make opting out easy, and keep content relevant. Watch your quality rating.

Can I use several numbers?

Yes, as many as your plan allows. Each has its own inbox, contacts and automations. In the Inbox, This number shows one number’s chats and All numbers lists every number’s chats together, each with a badge naming its number. You choose which numbers each agent works in Agents & roles.

Automation and AI

Do I need to code to build a chatbot?

No. Start from a ready-made chatbot template (136 bots for 41 industries) or build your own in the drag-and-drop flow builder.

Can the bot answer from my documents?

Yes. Add PDFs, web pages or FAQs to a knowledge base and use an AI bot.

Will the bot talk over my agents?

No. When an agent replies, the bot pauses on that chat for 2 hours.

Data and support

Is my data safe?

Tokens and keys are encrypted, every licence is isolated, and support access is read-only and logged. See Account and security.

Can agents see billing?

No. Subscription is only for the account owner. Everything else an agent sees depends on their role. See Roles and permissions.

Can I limit what each teammate does?

Yes. Every agent has a role (Admin, Manager, Agent (chat only), Marketing, or your own) and a set of numbers. See Roles and permissions.

Is there a mobile app?

Yes, for Android: download it from meapi.in/app. See Install the MeAPI Android app. On iPhone and iPad, add MeAPI to the Home Screen from Safari (Share → Add to Home Screen) — see Use MeAPI on iPhone and iPad. On computers, install the inbox from the browser (Chrome / Edge: menu → Install). Then turn on push notifications in your account menu → Notifications. See Notifications and the mobile app.

What does the cookie banner on meapi.in do?

Our public pages (meapi.in, /learn, /docs and the signup and log-in pages) ask before setting any advertising cookie. Only if you click Accept do they load the Meta Pixel, which measures which of our ads lead to signups. The API Panel never loads it. Change your choice any time with Cookie settings in the site footer. Details: Privacy policy, section 9.

Do you have an API?

Yes. See the Developer API and the full API docs.

How do I contact support?

Open a ticket in the panel (left menu → Account → Support; see Support tickets), use account menu → Contact support (WhatsApp +91 91676 96213), or email support@meapi.in.

What’s next

Troubleshooting →Fix specific problems.Glossary →All the terms explained.