What is the WhatsApp Cloud API?
The WhatsApp Cloud API is the official way for software to send and receive WhatsApp messages on behalf of a business. Meta runs the servers. Your software, or a provider like SaleMag, connects to it with an access token tied to your WABA and phone number.
Through the Cloud API you can:
- receive customer messages instantly through a webhook,
- reply with text, images, buttons, lists and product messages,
- send approved message templates to start a conversation,
- send in-chat forms built with WhatsApp Flows.
Meta now offers the Cloud API as the way to use the platform; the older self-hosted On-Premises API has been retired.
Why does it matter for sellers in Bangladesh?
A busy f-commerce page gets the same questions all day: price, size, delivery charge. On the WhatsApp Business app one person answers from one phone. On the Cloud API, a team can share the number, an AI assistant can answer instantly, and order confirmations go out automatically. It is also the only route to bulk messaging that WhatsApp allows, with opt-in and approved templates.
Example
A cosmetics seller connects its number to the Cloud API. A customer writes "price koto?" at 11 pm. The AI assistant replies with the price from the catalog, takes the order, and the team sees it in the morning. The next day, a utility template tells the customer the parcel is on its way.
SaleMag connects your number through Meta's own signup flow, so you use the official WhatsApp Business API without hosting anything.
Related terms
WABA, message template, 24-hour window, WhatsApp Flows.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cloud API the same as the WhatsApp Business API?
Yes, in everyday use. 'WhatsApp Business API' is the common name, and the Cloud API is the Meta-hosted way to use it.
Do I need to host a server to use the Cloud API?
No. Meta hosts the API. You use it through a software provider or your own app that calls Meta's endpoints.
Does the Cloud API cost money?
Meta charges for some message types, such as templates, and sets its own rates by category and country. Check Meta's current rates and our pricing page for the software side.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app on the same number?
Usually a number moves from the app to the platform. Meta has added options for some cases, so check its current rules before you migrate.
About the author
WhatsApp & F-commerce automation, Dhaka
The Dhaka team that builds SaleMag, the AI sales inbox for WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram used by online sellers in Bangladesh.