The short answer
The free WhatsApp Business app is enough for most small businesses, and it stays free.
On the API, Meta charges per message: about 35 sen for marketing and about 6 sen for updates, and replies after the first 1,000 a month since October 2026.
Track WhatsApp clicks from your website as a key event in Google Analytics 4.
The free app is enough for most
Before you pay for anything, ask whether the free app is really holding you back. For most shops, clinics and service businesses in Melaka, it is not.
What the app gives you
Greeting and away messages, quick replies, labels and a catalogue, on your phone and a linked laptop. It costs nothing, and the October 2026 charges do not apply to it.
Where it starts to pinch
It is built for a small team on one number. Broadcasts only reach people who saved your number, and it cannot send automatic messages from your website or store.
Signs you have outgrown it
Several staff answering at the same time, hundreds of chats a day, or a store that should send order and delivery updates by itself.
One or two people answering? Stay
If one or two people handle the chats, the app is usually the right tool. Spend the time on faster replies instead.
What the API actually is
The WhatsApp Business API is not a better app. It is a connection that lets software send and receive WhatsApp messages for you.
You use it through a provider
There is no WhatsApp API app to download. You use a provider's shared inbox, or software built for you on Meta's Cloud API.
Templates for messages you start
When a customer has not messaged you in the last 24 hours, you can only send a template approved by Meta. Templates are marketing, utility (like order updates) or authentication (one time codes).
You can often keep your number
With Meta's coexistence feature, many numbers can run on the app and the API at the same time. Some app features stop working, so check the list with your provider first.
You need a Meta business account
Setup needs a Meta Business Portfolio with your business details. Plan a few days for checks and approvals.
What the API costs in Malaysia
Meta charges per message, in ringgit if you choose. Rates below are from Meta's Malaysian rate card as of October 2026. Meta changes them a few times a year, so check before you budget.
Messages from customers are free
You only pay for messages your business sends. Incoming messages cost nothing.
Marketing messages: about 35 sen each
Promotions, offers and newsletters sent as templates. These are charged every time, so a broadcast to 1,000 people costs about RM350 in Meta fees alone.
Utility and authentication: about 6 sen each
Order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders and one time codes.
Replies now cost too, after 1,000
Since 1 October 2026, replies within the 24 hour window are charged at about 6 sen each, after the first 1,000 per phone number each month. Chats that start from a click to WhatsApp ad or a Facebook Page button stay free for 72 hours.
Then the provider's fee
Most providers charge a monthly fee, from around RM200 to more than RM1,000, and some add a markup on Meta's rates. Going direct to Meta's Cloud API has no fee, but you need software built.
Count the enquiries your website sends
Whichever you use, you should know how many WhatsApp chats your website brings in. It takes about 20 minutes to set up.
One WhatsApp link per page, with a ready message
Use a wa.me link with a message that names the page, like “Hi, I'm asking about the one page website”. Each chat then tells you where the customer came from.
Google Analytics already sees the clicks
If your site has Google Analytics 4 with enhanced measurement on, clicks on links to wa.me are recorded as outbound clicks. Look under Events for “click”, then check the link domain.
Turn it into a key event
Create an event called whatsapp_click for clicks to wa.me or api.whatsapp.com, and mark it as a key event. Now you can see which pages and which Google searches bring chats.
Compare clicks with real chats
A click is not always a message. Label new chats “Website” in WhatsApp, and once a month compare the count with your clicks.
Mistakes to avoid
Most API regrets come from moving too early, or for the wrong reason.
Moving to the API just to broadcast
Marketing messages cost about 35 sen each, need the customer's permission, and too many blocks lower your number's quality rating.
Signing a yearly plan before testing
Start on a monthly plan for two or three months and count what you really send.
Using unofficial WhatsApp tools
Tools that automate the normal app through WhatsApp Web break WhatsApp's rules, and the number can be banned. Use the official API instead.
Adding a chat widget nobody answers
A WhatsApp button only helps if someone replies quickly. Show your reply hours next to it.
Quick answers.
01Is the WhatsApp Business app still free?
Yes. The app is free to use. The per message charges, including the October 2026 change, apply to the WhatsApp Business API.
02Do I need the API to put WhatsApp on my website?
No. A wa.me link or button works with the free app. You only need the API for things like automatic order updates or a shared inbox for a team.
03How much would the API cost a small online shop?
Say a shop sends 200 order updates and 600 replies a month. The replies fall within the free 1,000, and the updates cost about RM12 in Meta fees. The provider's monthly fee is usually the bigger cost.
04Can I keep my current number on the API?
Usually yes, either with coexistence (app and API together) or by moving the number to the API. Back up your chats first, and ask your provider which way suits your number.
05Will WhatsApp clicks show in Google Analytics?
Yes, if Google Analytics 4 is installed with enhanced measurement on. Set up a whatsapp_click key event to see them clearly by page.
06What does CST charge?
Adding WhatsApp links with ready messages on each page and setting up click tracking in Google Analytics is charged as website fixes at RM150 an hour, with the estimate approved first.
Related guides
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