What you can automate on WhatsApp
| Job | What happens | Covered on |
|---|---|---|
| Auto replies and menus | A keyword, any first message or a button tap starts a flow that answers with your own messages | WhatsApp chatbot |
| Answers to open questions | An AI bot answers from your uploaded FAQs and documents, and hands over to a person when it cannot | WhatsApp chatbot |
| Lead capture | A flow asks questions with buttons or a form, saves the answers to the contact and assigns a salesperson | WhatsApp CRM |
| Ad replies | A click-to-WhatsApp ad starts its own flow, so the reply matches the ad | Click to WhatsApp ads |
| Order messages | WooCommerce orders get a confirmation; cash-on-delivery orders get Confirm and Cancel buttons | WooCommerce WhatsApp |
| Cart reminders | One reminder per abandoned cart, to shoppers who ticked consent | Cart message templates |
| Routing | New chats go to an agent or team, round-robin or by rule, with business hours | WhatsApp shared inbox |
| Campaigns | A broadcast of an approved template to a saved segment, within your Meta messaging limit | WhatsApp broadcast limits |
| Spreadsheets and your own systems | A flow step adds or looks up a Google Sheets row, or calls your webhook | WhatsApp + Google Sheets |
See also:WhatsApp chatbotWhatsApp CRMClick to WhatsApp adsWooCommerce WhatsAppCart message templatesWhatsApp shared inboxWhatsApp broadcast limitsWhatsApp + Google Sheets
The WhatsApp Business app versus the API
The free WhatsApp Business app can send a greeting message and an away message, and keeps quick replies as saved shortcuts your staff tap by hand. Where Meta offers it, the app also has Meta's own AI agent. It cannot run your own menu, ask your questions, react to an order in your shop or route a chat to the right person.
Anything more needs the WhatsApp Business Platform (the API), reached through a provider such as Chatzyn or through your own developer. Where Meta offers Coexistence for your number, you can keep using the app on your phone while the automations run on the same number.
Meta's rules every automation must follow
- A free-form reply, from a bot or a person, can only be sent within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, only an approved template can open the chat again.
- Messaging someone first always needs an approved template, and marketing templates need the customer's opt-in.
- Meta charges per delivered message, by category. Replies inside the 24-hour window are service messages: the first 1,000 a month per number are free, and since 1 October 2026 Meta charges for each one after that.
- How many people you can message first in a day is your Meta messaging limit, which grows with quality and volume.
- Unofficial bulk senders and browser extensions break WhatsApp's terms and get numbers banned. Chatzyn only uses Meta's official APIs.
Rules checked against Meta's WhatsApp pricing and messaging limits pages on 29 Oct 2026.
See also:WhatsApp API pricing
Sources:Meta: WhatsApp pricing (opens in a new tab)Meta: messaging limits (opens in a new tab)
How to start automating your WhatsApp
- Sign in with your email and create a workspace. The 14-day trial needs no card.
- Connect your WhatsApp Business number through Meta's sign-up screen.
- Start from a ready-made flow, such as replying to enquiries, and change the messages to your own.
- Submit the templates you need, such as an order confirmation, for Meta's approval.
- Publish the flow. Keep editing a draft while the live version runs, and roll back if needed.
Instagram in the same automations
The same flow builder runs on Instagram. Instagram comments, DM keywords, story replies and story mentions can start a flow. Facebook Messenger chats land in the same inbox and are assigned to your team, but flows do not run on Messenger yet.
Questions people ask
What is WhatsApp automation?
It is software that sends, sorts and follows up on WhatsApp messages for your business: auto replies, chatbots, order updates, reminders and routing to the right staff member. It runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform.
Is WhatsApp automation allowed?
Yes, through Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform, within its rules: free-form replies within 24 hours of the customer's last message, approved templates outside it, and opt-in for marketing. Unofficial tools that automate the normal app break WhatsApp's terms and get numbers banned.
Can I automate the free WhatsApp Business app?
Only lightly. The app can send greeting and away messages, and where Meta offers it, Meta's own AI agent can answer. Your own menus, flows, order messages and routing need the WhatsApp Business Platform through a provider.
How much does WhatsApp automation cost?
Chatzyn has a free plan and paid plans from ₹999 a month, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed. Meta also charges per delivered template message, for example ₹0.8631 for a marketing message in India from 1 October 2026. Replies within 24 hours are service messages, and the first 1,000 each month per number are free.
Do I need a developer to automate WhatsApp?
No. Flows are built by dragging steps, and ready-made flows cover common jobs. A developer is only needed if you want your own systems to call the REST API or receive webhooks.