Exhibit A
What does each badge ask of you?
Overlap
In both sets
222% of everyone
Both need a verified, genuine business and a policy-compliant account. Meta Verified adds an app number and a paid subscription; OBA adds a Cloud API number, 30 days on the platform, two-step verification, an approved display name and notability.
| Audience | Total | Only here |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Verified needs | 4 | 2 |
| OBA badge needs | 7 | 5 |
| In both | 2 | |
| Unique people | 9 |
Highlighting In both sets: 2. Both need a verified, genuine business and a policy-compliant account. Meta Verified adds an app number and a paid subscription; OBA adds a Cloud API number, 30 days on the platform, two-step verification, an approved display name and notability.
What is Meta Verified for Business?
Meta Verified for Business is a paid monthly subscription from Meta for businesses that use the WhatsApp Business app. After Meta checks the business's details, the account gets a verified badge beside its name, proactive protection against accounts impersonating it, access to enhanced account support, and premium features that vary by market and plan. In India it has been offered to WhatsApp Business app users since 2024.
Its closest neighbour is the Official Business Account (OBA), the badge known as the green tick, which is a different product with a similar-looking result. OBA status is requested for a phone number on the WhatsApp Business Platform, costs nothing and is granted at Meta's discretion to notable brands. Meta Verified is subscribed to by an app business and depends on verification and payment, not on notability. Both now appear as a blue checkmark beside the name.
Meta Verified does not change how WhatsApp messaging works. It does not raise messaging limits, alter template rules or reduce what Meta charges per message, and the badge lapses if the subscription stops. For a business sending at scale through the Cloud API, the badge route Meta documents is the Official Business Account request; Meta Verified is aimed at smaller businesses running the app.
Key takeaways
- Meta Verified for Business is a paid subscription that gives a verified WhatsApp Business app account a badge, impersonation protection and enhanced support.
- It has been offered to WhatsApp Business app users in India since 2024; Meta sets the monthly price per market and plan.
- It is bought, whereas the Official Business Account badge is granted free, on request, to notable brands on the API.
- Both now show a blue checkmark beside the name, so customers cannot tell from colour alone which one a business holds.
Example: A Pune bakery's lookalike problem
A Pune bakery that takes cake orders on the WhatsApp Business app found two fake accounts using its logo and asking customers for advance UPI payments. It subscribed to Meta Verified, completed verification and added a line to its Instagram bio: 'Order only from our verified WhatsApp; look for the badge next to our name.' It reported the fake accounts through the support access the plan includes, and its regular customers now have one mark to check before paying.
How does Meta Verified for Business work?
Check eligibility in the app
Open the WhatsApp Business app's settings and look for Meta Verified. It appears for eligible businesses in supported markets, India included.
Choose a plan and pay
Meta shows the plans and monthly price for your market before you subscribe; the subscription renews until you cancel it.
Verify the business
Provide the business details and documents Meta asks for, so it can confirm the business is genuine and that the account belongs to it.
Get the badge and protection
Once approved, the verified badge appears beside the business name, and Meta monitors for accounts impersonating the business.
Keep it active
Keep payment current and the account within Meta's policies. If the subscription ends, the badge and the protections end with it.
Why does Meta Verified for Business matter?
Small Indian businesses are prime targets for impersonation: a fake 'customer care' account using a shop's name and photo can collect payments meant for the real one. A verified badge and impersonation monitoring give an app business a trust signal it could not otherwise get, since app numbers are not eligible for the OBA badge. Knowing exactly what the subscription includes also stops a business paying for it in the hope of better delivery or lower message costs.
Common mistakes with Meta Verified for Business
Buying it to improve delivery or prices
The subscription changes trust signals, not messaging mechanics. Delivery, limits and per-message charges are unaffected, so judge it on impersonation risk alone.
Confusing it with the Official Business Account
OBA is free and granted to notable brands on the API; Meta Verified is paid and for app users. Check which one fits your number before applying for either.
Letting the subscription lapse
The badge disappears when payment stops, and customers who were told to look for it may then distrust the real account. Keep billing current or tell customers before you cancel.
Treating the badge as a licence to message
A verified account still needs opt-in before messaging people and must follow WhatsApp's policies. Customers can still block or report it.
Meta Verified for Business FAQs
Is Meta Verified the same as the WhatsApp green tick?+
Can businesses on the WhatsApp Business API get Meta Verified?+
How much does Meta Verified cost in India?+
Does Meta Verified increase my messaging limits?+
Best practices for Meta Verified for Business
- Tell customers exactly what your verified profile looks like, including the display name.
- Report impersonating accounts quickly and keep screenshots as evidence.
- Revisit the choice if you move to the Cloud API, where the badge route is the OBA request.