API vs linked device

The official API and a linked device are the right tools for different jobs

We put the two methods side by side on approval, cost, messaging rules and risk. MyCRM has chosen the linked device route and its WhatsApp connection is coming soon; you decide which one fits you.

Where things stand, and what this page is for

MyCRM's WhatsApp connection is not available yet. It is in development, and it will use the linked device method, so we have a side in this comparison. Even so, this page is not a case against the official API. For many businesses it is the right choice, and we say plainly when.

Sorting out the names

Three things get mixed up:

The WhatsApp Business app: a free phone app with a business profile, catalogue, labels and quick replies.
The WhatsApp Business Platform (API): Meta's programming interface for businesses. It has no screen of its own and is used through software or a solution provider.
A linked device: the feature that opens the app's account in a browser or on a desktop. Some third-party software connects this way, which WhatsApp does not officially support.

Side by side

Topic	Official WhatsApp Business Platform (API)	Linked device through third-party software
Verification and approval	A Meta business account, business verification for higher limits, and Meta's approval of templates	A QR code or pairing code from the app on the phone
Cost model	Meta charges per delivered template message, plus the provider's fee	No message fee to Meta, only the software fee
24-hour window and templates	Free-form replies for 24 hours after the customer's last message, then only pre-approved templates	No window and no templates
Who can message first	The business, with an approved template, to someone who opted in	Technically anyone, but writing to strangers brings reports and restrictions
Groups	Group support is limited and not open to every business	The groups the number is in are visible
History	Old chats from the app do not come across by themselves	Only recent history syncs when you link
Dependence on a phone	None	The phone must come online now and then. After about 14 days unopened, the session drops
Terms and risk	The route WhatsApp supports. Limits can still shrink if quality falls	WhatsApp's terms restrict unofficial clients. The risk of restriction is not zero
Stability	A documented, versioned interface	WhatsApp can change things without notice, and connections can break

Messaging rules on the official API

When a customer writes to you, a 24-hour customer service window opens, and inside it you reply freely. Once it closes, you can restart the conversation only with a template that Meta has approved in advance. Templates fall into marketing, utility and authentication categories, and the customer must have opted in beforehand.

Billing is per delivered template message, and the amount depends on the category and the recipient's country. At the time of writing, Meta does not charge for free-form replies inside the window. Check Meta's current rate card and your provider's fee before you budget.

When the official API is the better choice

When compliance is a requirement. In regulated fields such as banking, insurance and healthcare, the discussion ends here.
When losing the number stops the business. For high-volume support on one main line, the restriction risk makes no sense.
When you send notifications. Order status, appointment reminders and one-time codes are what templates are for.
When you market to an opted-in list. This is the rule-based, measurable way to send campaigns.

Meta also offers an option to use the WhatsApp Business app and the API together on the same number. Ask your solution provider about it.

When a linked device can fit

Your team mostly replies to customers who write to you, by hand.
You work with customers in groups.
You want the number to stay in the app on the phone.
Your volume is small and per-message pricing does not suit you.
You knowingly accept the risk above, and your business does not stop if the number is restricted.

What MyCRM plans to offer

You will add your number as a linked device, by QR code or pairing code, and chats will land in the shared inbox with an assignee, stages, labels, notes, tickets and reports. We will not offer bulk messaging to people who have not written to you. If you need template notifications, opt-in campaigns or full compliance, look for a product built on the official API, not MyCRM.

The Telegram side is ready today: start with Telegram, or read What is a WhatsApp CRM? first.

FAQ

Does the 24-hour window apply to a linked device? No, that rule belongs to the official API. A linked number behaves like an ordinary WhatsApp account. That does not make it safe to write to strangers: reports lead to restrictions.

Will my account be closed if I use the linked device method? Nobody can say for certain. WhatsApp's terms restrict unofficial clients and the risk is not zero. Talking only to people who wrote to you lowers the chance of reports but does not remove it.

Will MyCRM support the official API? Not in the current plan, which covers only the linked device method. The WhatsApp connection itself has not launched yet.