There are two ways to create a WhatsApp Business account: download the free WhatsApp Business app and register it with your business number, or create a WhatsApp Business API account through Meta and a provider. The app takes a few minutes to set up and is ideal for small businesses; the API takes a few more steps, but it’s the foundation for team-based support, automation and CRM integration. This guide walks through both, step by step.
Before you start: app or API?
Choosing well from the beginning saves you a migration later. If the difference isn’t clear yet, see our comparison of WhatsApp vs. WhatsApp Business vs. the API. In short:
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses, one person or a very small team | Companies with sales or support teams |
| Where you use it | Phone and linked devices | A connected platform or software |
| What you need | A number and a smartphone | A Meta Business account, a number and a provider |
| Cost to create the account | Free | Free (you pay for delivered messages) |
| Meta business verification | Not applicable | Recommended from the start |
How to create a WhatsApp Business app account
Requirements
- A business phone number that can receive a code by SMS or phone call. It can be a mobile or a landline.
- An Android phone or iPhone with an internet connection.
- Your business details at hand: name, logo, description, address, hours, email and website.
Step by step
- Download the app. Search for “WhatsApp Business” on Google Play or the App Store and install the official app from WhatsApp LLC.
- Accept the terms of service. When you open the app for the first time, read and accept the terms.
- Enter your business number. Type the number with the country code. If that number is already on personal WhatsApp, the app will offer to use it; back up first, as WhatsApp’s Help Center recommends.
- Verify the number. Enter the six-digit code you receive by SMS. If you’re using a landline, choose the option to get the code by phone call.
- Enter your business name. Use the name your customers know you by, without filler words or promotions.
- Pick a category and upload your logo. The category tells customers what you do; the logo helps them recognize your brand in their chat list.
- Complete your business profile. Add a description, address, business hours, email and website from the app’s business tools settings.
Set up the basic tools
Once the account is created, spend half an hour getting your operation ready:
- Catalog: upload your main products or services with a photo, price and description.
- Greeting message: welcome first-time contacts and ask what they need.
- Away message: share your hours when you’re offline.
- Quick replies: create shortcuts for payment methods, shipping and location.
- Labels: set up statuses like new, quoted, paid and delivered.
- Link and QR code: share a WhatsApp link on your website and social profiles so customers can message you in one click.
How to create a WhatsApp Business API account
The API isn’t something you download. You activate it through Meta, usually with a provider or platform that gives you the interface to handle conversations. These are the general steps.
Requirements
- A Meta Business account (business portfolio) in your company’s name.
- A dedicated phone number that can receive the verification code. The simplest option is one that isn’t registered to another WhatsApp account; if you want to use a number that’s already on the app, check with your provider first.
- Your company’s legal documents for Meta verification.
- A payment method in Meta for the messages you send.
- A business website, which Meta often uses as a reference during verification.
Step by step
- Create or review your Meta business portfolio. If you already manage Facebook and Instagram ads or pages, you probably have one. Make sure your legal name and company details are correct.
- Choose your provider or platform. The most common way to create the account is through the sign-up flow offered by the platform you’ll use, which guides you through connecting your Meta portfolio.
- Create the WhatsApp Business account. During that sign-up, a WhatsApp Business account is created inside your business portfolio.
- Register and verify the number. Enter the number and confirm the code you receive by SMS or call.
- Set your display name. This is the name customers will see. Meta reviews it against its guidelines, so it needs a clear connection to your brand.
- Add a payment method. You’ll need it because Meta charges per delivered message based on category and country, with changes since October 1, 2026. Estimate your spend with Mercately’s WhatsApp API pricing calculator.
- Verify your business with Meta. Upload documents showing your company exists. This is the step that lets you grow with fewer sending restrictions.
- Create your first templates. Prepare the WhatsApp message templates you’ll need (welcome, order confirmation, follow-up) and submit them for approval.
If you’re going to use Mercately, we have a dedicated tutorial on how to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately.
How to optimize your business profile
Your profile is the first thing a new customer checks. To make it work for you:
- Use a high-resolution, centered logo so it looks right in the round profile photo.
- Write a one- or two-sentence description that says what you sell and who it’s for.
- List your real business hours and update them for holidays.
- Add an address only if you serve customers at a physical location.
- Link your website or online store.
- Review everything every few months: outdated hours or a broken link erode trust.
Common mistakes when creating the account
- Using a personal number you’ll later want to keep for family. Pick a number that will belong to the business from day one.
- Choosing a generic or promotional display name. On the API, Meta may reject it; on the app, it confuses customers.
- Putting off business verification. If you plan to grow with the API, get it ready from the start.
- Skipping templates. Without approved templates, you can’t restart conversations outside the 24-hour window.
- Setting up the account without deciding who replies. An account with no clear owners ends up with unanswered chats.
How Mercately helps once your account is ready
Mercately is an AI-powered conversational CRM built on the official WhatsApp Business API, and an official Meta partner. Once your account is active, you can connect it to Mercately to:
- Have several agents work the same number with automatic assignment and supervision through WhatsApp Multi-agent.
- Bring WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger into one shared inbox with each customer’s history in Mercately’s CRM.
- Automate replies with no-code chatbots and MIA, the AI agent, which works 24/7 and hands off to a person when needed.
- Send campaigns with approved templates, segmented by tag or stage.
- Collect payments inside the chat with digital payments.
Mercately’s team also offers guided setup and support depending on your plan. For the full walkthrough, see our guide to getting started with Mercately.
Start off on the right foot
Creating the account is only the first step; what makes the difference is how you run it afterward. Try Mercately free for 15 days, no credit card required, and connect your WhatsApp Business account to a CRM with automations and AI.
