Top 5 WhatsApp Business Solution Provider + How to Choose One

If you are planning to apply for WhatsApp API, also known as the WhatsApp Business Platform, you should be familiar with the term WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) or WhatsApp partner. Diving into this topic can feel daunting as there are plenty of BSPs to choose from, each with its own set of features, pricing and limitations. In this article, you will learn what WhatsApp partners are, how they can help your business, and what to look for when choosing a WhatsApp BSP.

What is a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider?

WhatsApp Business Solution Providers are third-party companies that help you get access to the WhatsApp API. They are approved by WhatsApp and often provide solutions to enable businesses to send messages, manage customer interactions and integrate with other business tools.

When creating WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp had good reasons to entrust BSPs with access to its API. Let’s find out why.

Why WhatsApp Collaborates with WhatsApp Business Partners

Before 2022, businesses could only apply for a WhatsApp API account through a WhatsApp BSP. WhatsApp's decision not to offer its API directly to most companies stems from two priorities.

The first one was profitability. After Meta acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion, the company pledged never to have ads on WhatsApp, so it needed a different business model. The solution was the WhatsApp Business API.

The second priority was to keep a low headcount. Despite being acquired for a high price, WhatsApp only had about 35 engineers back then. Outsourcing the process to partners is less resource-intensive and cost-effective because it eliminates the need to hire additional employees.

Because WhatsApp wants to maintain its reputation as a secure messaging channel, it carefully selects its BSPs. WhatsApp must ensure BSPs are reliable and won’t damage its reputation as a secure messaging channel.

If there's one thing we learned from email and SMS, it's that some companies use them to spam customers, which affects user experience and drives users away. WhatsApp is well aware of the importance of protecting its platform from spamming, so it restricts the number of BSPs with access to its API.

Next, we’ll give you a quick overview of the different types of integrations made available by WhatsApp Business Solution Providers.

How a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider Works

Today, businesses can access the WhatsApp API in two ways: directly through Meta or via a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) While Meta’s Cloud API provides a straightforward path to access, BSPs continue to play a significant role and remain a preferred option for many businesses.

This preference is rooted in the early days of WhatsApp Business, when access to the API was only available through BSPs via the On-Premises API—a version that businesses hosted and managed on their own servers. Although Meta is deprecating the On-Premises API on July 1st, 2025 and is encouraging migration to the Cloud API, BSPs have adapted and evolved.

So, why choose a BSP today? Even in a Cloud API world, BSPs continue to provide value by simplifying the onboarding process, building tailored WhatsApp solutions, offering dedicated customer support and helping businesses stay compliant. Let’s explore what makes them still relevant.

WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Benefits

If you're new to the WhatsApp Business API, your WhatsApp partner will guide you every step of the way—from understanding messaging rules and porting numbers to getting your WhatsApp Business API account verified.

Let’s face it: WhatsApp Business API can be hard to grasp. It comes with complex and sometimes confusing messaging rules. For instance, you can’t message customers freely—WhatsApp enforces specific formats and timing restrictions for business-initiated conversations.

To make things more challenging, these rules evolve frequently. WhatsApp is constantly refining its policies, which can be difficult for businesses to keep up with. Thankfully, WhatsApp partners are well-equipped to help you understand and stay up to date with the latest rule changes.

Beyond just guidance, many BSPs now offer additional services to simplify your setup. While WhatsApp now provides virtual phone numbers during WhatsApp API onboarding, BSPs can help you port your existing number if you prefer it—be it mobile, landline, or even a 1-800 number.

Moreover, most BSPs today don’t just give you API access—they bundle it with built-in messaging software. This means you get both the technical backbone and a ready-to-use interface to start chatting with customers, without needing to get WhatsApp API access from one provider and a messaging inbox from another.

And while many WhatsApp partners genuinely focus on helping your business succeed, it's still important to review their pricing models to ensure they align with your needs and budget.

WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Pricing

A WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) can set its own prices. That’s why many of them charge more than what WhatsApp charges. For example, some BSPs add a markup to every message you send. These extra costs vary from one provider to another, so it’s worth checking if you’re paying more than you need to.

Before using the WhatsApp API through a BSP, be aware that some of them charge a one-time setup fee to get started.

Also, getting WhatsApp API through a BSP usually means you’ll be using their platform too. This platform often includes tools like a messaging inbox, automation, and reports. While this can be useful, it might come with extra costs—and in most cases, you can’t opt out of it.

Some BSPs might also ask a lot of questions about your business before giving you access, which can feel overwhelming.

To avoid surprises, look for BSPs that clearly list their prices on their website and don’t add unnecessary fees. With a bit of research, you can find a provider that’s honest and upfront about their costs.

Finally, keep in mind that some BSPs may place limits on how you use the WhatsApp API. We’ll talk more about that next.

WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: Restrictions

Not all WhatsApp partners will support features available on WhatsApp API. Some WhatsApp partners integrate WhatsApp API with their proprietary API (remember WhatsApp on-premises API?) so it’s technologically challenging to include any new WhatsApp features.

WhatsApp partners don’t just provide API access—they bundle it with their own messaging platform or CRM by default. This can be a drawback for businesses that already use another CRM, as they may end up paying for features they don’t need. Since WhatsApp API access now comes with a platform, it’s important to choose one that fits your business needs. Look for a solution that matches your requirements for pricing, usability, integrations, and support.

What happens if you want to change your BSP? Luckily, it’s possible to migrate a phone number to a new WhatsApp API account with another WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, given that the source and destination Facebook Business Manager IDs are the same.

In some cases, businesses are not aware of these restrictions until they have signed up. So, choose your WhatsApp Business Solution Provider carefully because it can be hard to switch.

We have explained WhatsApp BSP’s benefits, pricing and restrictions. However, it can still be challenging to come to a conclusion. In the next section, we will help you identify which WhatsApp partner is the best for your use case.

Top 5 WhatsApp Business Solution Providers

In this guide, we’ll explore five of the most popular BSPs: Respond.io, WATI, Trengo, SleekFlow and MessageBird. We’ll compare their features, reliability, and overall value to help you choose the best option for your business.

1. Respond.io

Respond.io is a BSP that offers advanced WhatsApp features that most competitors lack, including WhatsApp Business Calling API and the possibility to use both the WhatsApp API and the WhatsApp Business App simultaneously. Native integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce ensure seamless CRM synchronization, unlike competitors that may require workarounds.

Beyond WhatsApp, respond.io supports a wide range of messaging channels, including SMS, Email, Webchat, TikTok, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, LINE, WeChat Viber and custom channels. This provides a truly omnichannel solution, whereas competitors like WATI are limited to WhatsApp, and others may lack key messaging apps.

Respond.io's AI-powered automation is more flexible than competitors' rule-based setups, enabling businesses to build intelligent workflows effortlessly. Additionally, respond.io delivers enterprise-grade stability, ensuring reliable performance even under high message volumes, unlike some competitors that may experience slowdowns or crashes.

Customer support is another advantage; respond.io offers 24/5 multilingual support, unlike competitors with limited availability and slow response times. Moreover, respond.io's transparent pricing starts at $79 per month for the Starter plan, which includes features suitable for small sales teams.

For more advanced needs, the Growth and Advanced plans offer additional features at higher price points. However, you can scale the number of user seats and monthly active contacts without scaling your plan. This clarity helps businesses avoid hidden fees and unpredictable costs associated with some competitors.

2. WATI

WATI (WhatsApp Team Inbox) is made for businesses that rely solely on the WhatsApp Business API. It supports multiple users managing conversations simultaneously, making it ideal for small teams looking to scale. WATI also offers helpful features like WhatsApp broadcasts, interactive messages, and no-code automation—allowing businesses to automate replies and tasks without needing technical skills.

However, WATI comes with several limitations. Most notably, it supports only WhatsApp, which can be a drawback if your customers also reach out via other channels like Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram. The platform has also been known to slow down during high-traffic periods, making it less suitable for businesses with heavy message volumes.

Another concern is its automation setup, which can feel cluttered and confusing due to overlapping features. Additionally, WATI’s customer support is limited to business hours (9 am to 5 pm IST) and is only available via email or WhatsApp—posing a challenge if you need assistance outside those hours.

On the pricing front, WATI starts at $39/month for up to 5 users, which is budget-friendly for small teams. However, it also imposes a markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging fees, which can drive up costs as your message volume increases. Combined with the fact that WhatsApp API access comes bundled with WATI’s platform, businesses that already use another CRM may end up paying for tools they don’t need.

3. Trengo

Trengo is an omnichannel communication platform that supports multiple messaging channels, including WhatsApp, SMS, email, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram and more. It’s suitable for small businesses that need to manage communication across several platforms, and it allows businesses to send WhatsApp broadcasts and merge conversations from the same channel.

However, Trengo doesn’t support WhatsApp broadcasts on all messaging channels — it’s limited to SMS and WhatsApp. While it does offer rule-based automation to streamline customer interactions, the automation system can get confusing and redundant if you don’t keep track of which modules control which actions.

Trengo also has platform reliability issues, as it tends to crash when handling high message volumes, especially during peak business hours. Its customer support is only available weekdays from 9 am to 5:30 pm CET, and response times can be slower if you need assistance outside of these hours.

Pricing starts at $149/month for 5 users, but the lack of support for LINE and Viber could be a dealbreaker for businesses in certain regions where these apps are popular.

4. Sleekflow

Sleekflow is an omnichannel communication platform similar to Trengo, supporting popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, LINE, Telegram and WeChat. It allows businesses to send WhatsApp broadcasts, but like Trengo, it’s limited to rule-based automation and lacks advanced AI automation features.

Sleekflow stands out for its broadcast analytics and its ability to merge messages across WhatsApp and other supported channels. However, it has some drawbacks—most notably, it does not support email or custom channels, which limits the platform’s flexibility for businesses with diverse communication needs.

Similar to Trengo, Sleekflow’s platform can’t handle high message volumes very well, often slowing down or crashing when traffic spikes. Its customer support, available Monday through Friday (9 am to 6 pm HKT), is also limited, so businesses might struggle to get help during off-hours.

Sleekflow’s pricing starts at $159/month for 3 users, but WhatsApp is not included in the free plan, making it an expensive option if you need to scale.

5. MessageBird

MessageBird was originally designed for SMS, but it has since expanded to support other popular messaging channels, including WhatsApp.

While it supports WhatsApp and SMS broadcasts, the WhatsApp broadcast feature is not native, meaning it requires technical knowledge to set up properly. Additionally, the platform’s automation setup is spread across two areas, which can lead to confusion and redundancy.

One major drawback is that MessageBird doesn’t support custom channels, which could be a dealbreaker if your business uses proprietary apps or messaging platforms. It also experiences frequent downtime, which can disrupt your ability to communicate with customers.

MessageBird’s customer support is limited to Monday through Friday (9 am to 5 pm), with long response times and no support on weekends. Pricing is complicated, with multiple fees and a pay-as-you-go model that can be difficult to navigate.

We’ve just walked you through the five most common options businesses consider when choosing a WhatsApp BSP. Now, let’s bring it all together and reveal the one we recommend for your business.

Which WhatsApp Business Solution Provider Should You Choose?

Many platforms cater to small businesses, but as you grow, limitations in messaging channels, automation, and stability can become significant challenges. Switching platforms later involves data migration, retraining, and potential disruptions. Choosing a scalable platform like respond.io from the start helps prevent these issues.

With its superior WhatsApp capabilities, seamless CRM integrations, omnichannel support, unmatched stability and transparent pricing, respond.io is an excellent choice for growing businesses. Explore how you can enhance your customer communication with a free respond.io trial today.

Further Reading

You’ve made it to the end! That’s everything you need to know about WhatsApp API costs. If you enjoyed this article and you'd like to learn more about WhatsApp Business, here are some additional readings.

• The Ultimate Guide to WhatsApp Business API

• How to Use WhatsApp Business Multiple Users

• How to Use respond.io with a WhatsApp Integration