When comes to WhatsApp Business Solution we have 2 options and flexible billing plans to select. This guide helps to choose the best solution for your business.
WhatsApp Business Solutions Offered by Picky Assist
There are 2 options available with us to choose, based on the nature of the business and use case you can select the most suitable one.
- Official WhatsApp Account (fully managed) by Picky Assist / WhatsApp Cloud API (managed by WhatsApp)
- WhatsApp Web Automation (Adon)
Both the Solutions work similarly however there are certain advantages and disadvantages when you work with both solutions, you can compare both solutions quickly
Quick Comparison
| Feature | WhatsApp Official / Cloud API | Web Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Send Text, PDF, Images, Video & Audio Messages | ✅ | ✅ |
| Send Contacts & Stickers | ✅ | ✅ |
| Send Location | ✅ | ✅ |
| Send or Receive Interactive Buttons & List Menu | ✅ | 🚫 |
| Receive Text | ✅ | ✅ |
| Receive PDF, Images, Video, Audio, Documents, Contacts, Location | ✅ | ✅ |
| Start A Conversation | Yes, Template Based | ✅ |
| Sending Speed (Text Messages) | 5 to 250 per second | 70 to 100 per minute |
| Sending Speed (Media Messages) | 5 to 250 per second | 50 to 60 per minute |
| Receiving Speed (All Messages) | 5 to 250 per second | 70 to 100 per minute |
| Delivery & Read Reports | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delivery Ratio | 98% | 90-95% |
| Quoted Replies Mentions | ✅ | ✅ |
| Verified Badge (Green Tick) | ✅ Subjected to Approval | 🚫 |
| Ability to use WhatsApp Web or Desktop App | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Blocking Algorithm | Liberal | Strict |
| WhatsApp Approval is Required to Get Started | Yes | No |
| 24 Message Window Restriction | Yes | No |
| Ability to Send Marketing, Promotional Messages | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ability to Send High Volume Notification Messages | ✅ | 🚫 |
| WhatsApp Number Filter Tool | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ability to Get Display Name of the Sender | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ability to get Display Picture of the Sender | 🚫 | ✅ |
| Ability to Send & Receive Messages in Groups (Beta) | 🚫 | ✅ |
| Typing & Voice Recording Simulator | 🚫 | ✅ |
| Mandatory Warmup Process | Yes | No |
| Business Usecase Restrictions | Yes | No |
| Onboarding Time | 1-7 Days | Instant |
| WhatsApp Approval Needed to Get Started | Yes | No |
| Physical Phone & WhatsApp App needed | No | Yes |
1. Official WhatsApp Account
WhatsApp Official Solution is a fully managed enterprise scalable solution suitable for businesses that want to engage large audiences through WhatsApp. Before start using WhatsApp Official Solution, your business and phone number must be approved by WhatsApp. Don’t worry we will take approval for you. In this model we will take all the necessary approvals, billing will be direct with us, and support will be provided by us, it’s a fully managed solution.
WhatsApp Cloud API
WhatsApp recently start offering WhatsApp Cloud API directly for developers, so if you are using the WhatsApp Cloud API then you can connect it with Picky Assist without any additional charges and make use of our comprehensive product suite like Teambox, Connector, Smart Replies, Sequences, Broadcaster etc , in this model you need to get the approval from WhatsApp, billing will be directly from WhatsApp & Support as well will be direct from WhatsApp, we will just allow you to connect your WhatsApp Cloud API and make use of our ready to use solutions.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Official Solution Approved & Authorised by WhatsApp | Your business must be approved by WhatsApp before start using the service (We will take the approval) Apply Now |
| Highly Availablity & Scalable Service | Not all categories of businesses are eligible. Read WhatsApp Commerce Policy |
| Supports Sending & Receiving all type of media files including contact & location | In order to send a message after 24 hours from the last user interaction businesses need to make use of pre-approved message templates. Read More Freehand marketing/promotions messages are not allowed after 24 hours |
| Supports Actual Delivery & Read Receipts | Currently, only image, video & pdf media are supported through templated messages, however during 24 hours you can send all type of media’s Read More |
| Option to get Verified Badge (Green Tick) | A valid opt-in is required to send messages. Read More |
| No need to host any phone to send and receive messages, the solution is based on WhatsApp Official Docker | Country-wise charges for Conversations. See Pricing |
| Possible to get the context of the message i.e when a user tap reply to a previously sent message you will able to get which message user is replied. | Price starts from $99. See Pricing |
| Mandatory Warm-Up Process | Mandatory Warm Up Process for Templated Messaging i.e Template message sending limits increase gradually i.e by default you can send template messages only to 1000 users in 24 hours window and this gradually increases when you reach each day threshold. Read More |
2. WhatsApp Web Automation
We make use of your existing WhatsApp Number connected with the WhatsApp Personal or Business App, in order to automate WhatsApp you need to scan the WhatsApp Web QR code with our server.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| No Approval is Needed From WhatsApp | Not Scalable Solution |
| No dependencies like Bridge app, you can just scan the QR code with Picky Assist to get started | Not possible to use WhatsApp Web or Desktop Application (not applicable for those who use Multi-device feature) |
| Able to Send & Receive All types of media files | Not a Highly reliable solution compared to WhatsApp Official, any update of WhatsApp Web Version may leads to downtime till we patch the update. |
Choosing a Solution
| Use case | Suggested Solution |
|---|---|
| Businesses having customers between 1000 to 5000 and 100000 messaging volume monthly | Web Automation |
| Want to send marketing messages after 24 hours like Drip Campaigns, offers, etc with no content restrictions | Web Automation |
| Businesses categories that are not allowed by WhatsApp / businesses rejected by WhatsApp for an official solution | Web Automation |
| Businesses that are limited by budget and don’t want to get billed for each conversation as per the country | Web Automation |
| Businesses that need scalable and reliable messaging solutions | WhatsApp Official Account |
| Business that need to deliver time-critical messages like OTP, Notification Alerts, etc | WhatsApp Official Account |
| Businesses who want to get a verified badge (Green Tick) and display the brand name to the user even if the number is not saved in the contacts | WhatsApp Official Account |
| Businesses who want to collaborate through WhatsApp groups (Programmatically) Read Use cases | WhatsApp Web Automation |
Choosing the best billing plan
You can choose the billing plan based on the answers of the following questions;
- What is the estimated number of contacts you need to store in your account?
- What would be the average monthly messaging volume?
- Whether API access is needed or not? i.e whether you want to integrate WhatsApp with your existing CRM / Application or any 3rd party applications.
- What kind of features you are looking for like Smart Replies, Drip Campaigns, Broadcaster, Social CRM etc?
Based on the above answers please compare different plans and choose the best one for your business
Please note Pro & Ultimate Plan offers API access so please choose the plan carefully, if you want to send and receive WhatsApp messages programmatically or want to integrate with your application or any 3rd party applications then please select Pro or Ultimate Plan.
If you are a developer and don’t need access to any of our ready-made solutions then you may consider our API-only plan for WhatsApp which costs you $34 per month including the WhatsApp Web automation channel, only last 3 days messages history will be stored and no access to any of our UI based solutions like Braodacster, Smart Replies, Drip Campagins
