How do I get WhatsApp API for a new business?

The four steps to go live

The onboarding flow is designed so a non-technical founder can complete most of it in a single sitting. Working with InfiQ, an official Meta Business Partner, means the technical setup (webhook, hosting, number registration) is handled for you rather than left as a developer project.

• Step 1 - Verify your business. Submit your documents in Meta Business Manager for Business Verification. This is the step most likely to add days, so complete it early and make sure every document matches your legal business name exactly.
• Step 2 - Embedded Signup. From the InfiQ dashboard you launch Meta's Embedded Signup popup, log in with your Meta account, pick your WhatsApp Business Account and connect your chosen number. This creates a WhatsApp Business Account that you own.
• Step 3 - Approve a first template. Because a new number cannot message people who have not written to you first without a pre-approved template, submit at least one utility or marketing template (for example an order confirmation or a welcome message). Template review is usually minutes to a few hours.
• Step 4 - Go live. Once your number is registered and the template is approved, send a test message, then start real conversations. Your account begins at a starter daily messaging limit that scales up automatically as you send good-quality, opted-in messages.

You own the account, not us

A critical detail many businesses miss: your WhatsApp Business Account and its BSUID (Business-Scoped User ID) should belong to you, not to the provider. InfiQ onboards you so that the WhatsApp Business Account sits under your own Meta Business Manager with full ownership. That means if you ever change providers, your number, templates and history stay with you. This is very different from resellers who register your number under their own account and effectively hold it hostage. Ask any provider you evaluate one question: after onboarding, will the WhatsApp Business Account be under my Business Manager? With InfiQ the answer is yes.

How billing works for a new sender

Understanding cost up front prevents nasty surprises. Since 1 July 2025, WhatsApp bills per delivered message priced by template category, rather than by 24-hour conversation. There are three categories, each with its own rate: marketing (promotions and offers), utility (order updates, alerts and account notifications) and authentication (OTPs and login codes). Service messages you send inside the free 24-hour service window, which opens when a customer messages you first, are not charged. For a new business this matters because your early volume is usually utility and authentication, which are cheaper than marketing, so your first month of costs is often modest.

• Marketing messages cost the most; use them for genuine offers to opted-in contacts.
• Utility and authentication messages are lower-cost and drive most day-one value for a new business.
• The 24-hour service window is free time to reply to a customer, not a billing bucket.
• InfiQ shows transparent rupee pricing (ex-GST), so you can forecast before you send.

Common reasons onboarding stalls (and how to avoid them)

Almost every delay for a new business traces back to a handful of avoidable issues. Getting these right the first time is the difference between going live in a day and waiting a week. The most frequent blocker is a phone number that is still active on the consumer WhatsApp app, followed by document mismatches during Business Verification.

• Number already in use: deregister the number from any WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app before onboarding, or use a fresh number.
• Name mismatch: your display name and legal documents must clearly refer to the same business.
• Weak business footprint: a live website and matching social pages help Meta approve verification faster.
• Poorly written templates: templates rejected for being too promotional in a utility category, or containing placeholder abuse, slow you down - keep the first template simple and genuinely useful.
• Low opt-in quality: sending to purchased or scraped lists on day one hurts your quality rating and can cap your limits early.