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    Connecting WhatsApp Cloud API (WACA) directly to Meta

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    Updated 10/30/2026

    ☁️ Connecting WhatsApp Cloud API (WACA) directly to Meta

    WACA is the official WhatsApp Cloud API, connected directly. Your WhatsApp Business account and number live in your Meta business portfolio, and Meta charges your company card for messages at its own rates. WazzaBee only charges a subscription per line, with no markup on messages. Connecting takes 15 minutes.

    WACA or WABA: which to choose

    WACA (direct)WABA (via WazzaBee)
    Who pays MetaYour company, with the card in your Meta accountWazzaBee, and you top up the line balance
    Markup on messagesNoneIncluded in the message price
    How it connectsA Meta app, a token and three fields in the dashboardLog in with Facebook right from the dashboard
    WhatsApp app on your phoneNo, the number works only via the APICan be kept with Coexistence
    1 000 free replies a monthYes, for each numberNo

    If your company has no card for international payments or you would rather not deal with the Meta developer dashboard, connect WABA. A comparison of all options and a cost calculator are on the WhatsApp Cloud API page.

    What you need

    • ✅ A Facebook account of the company administrator;
    • ✅ A business portfolio in Meta Business Suite: an existing one or one created in step 1;
    • ✅ A phone number that can receive an SMS or a call and is not registered in the WhatsApp app;
    • ✅ A Visa or Mastercard bank card with international online payments enabled;
    • ✅ Your WazzaBee dashboard open in another tab.
    Is the number already used in regular WhatsApp? If you need to keep the app on the phone, connect WABA with Coexistence instead: the same number works both in the app and in the official channel, and up to six months of chats can be transferred. In WACA the number works only via the API, so it is freed up: WhatsApp → Settings → Account → Delete account, wait 3 minutes and continue.

    📱 Step-by-step setup

    Step 1. Meta business portfolio

    Open business.facebook.com and log in with Facebook. If your company does not have a portfolio yet, click Create account and enter the company name, your name and your work email.

    In Settings → Business info, enter the legal name, address, phone number and website exactly as they appear in your registration documents. This determines whether your company passes business verification when you need to raise your broadcast limit.

    Step 2. App in the developer dashboard

    1. Open developers.facebook.com/apps. On your first visit Meta will ask you to register as a developer: verify your phone number and email.
    2. Click Create app.
    3. Enter a name, for example "WhatsApp WazzaBee", and a contact email.
    4. In the list of use cases, select Connect with customers through WhatsApp.
    5. Select your business portfolio from step 1 and finish creating the app.

    Step 3. Phone number

    1. In the app menu, open WhatsApp → API Setup.
    2. In the phone numbers section, click Add phone number.
    3. Fill in your WhatsApp profile: display name, category and description. Customers will see the name, so use your company name without promotional words.
    4. Enter the number and choose how to verify it: SMS or phone call. Enter the code you receive.
    5. Set a six-digit two-step verification PIN and keep it safe. You will need it to migrate the number and to get the blue checkmark.
    ℹ️ In the same section Meta shows the Phone number ID and the WhatsApp Business Account ID. Copy both, you will need them in step 7.

    Step 4. Payment method

    1. Open WhatsApp Manager and select your WhatsApp Business account.
    2. Go to Account settings → Payment methods and click Add payment method.
    3. Choose your country and account currency. The currency cannot be changed once a card is linked.
    4. Enter your card details and save.
    ⚠️ Do not skip this step. Without a payment method Meta does not deliver paid messages, and from October 1, 2026 it will not deliver regular replies to customers beyond the free thousand a month either.

    Step 5. System user

    The regular token from the API Setup page expires in 24 hours. For ongoing work you need a system user token.

    1. In Meta Business Suite, open Business settings → Users → System users.
    2. Click Add, enter a name, for example "wazzabee", and select the Admin role.
    3. Click Assign assets. On the Apps tab, select the app from step 2 and turn on full control.
    4. On the WhatsApp accounts tab, select your account and turn on full control as well.

    Step 6. Permanent token

    1. On the system user page, click Generate token.
    2. Select the app from step 2.
    3. Token expiration: Never.
    4. Select the whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management permissions.
    5. Click Generate token and copy the token right away. Meta will not show it again.
    🔒 The token gives full access to sending messages on behalf of your company. Do not forward it in messengers or post it anywhere. Paste it only into your WazzaBee dashboard.

    Step 7. Connecting in WazzaBee

    1. In your dashboard, open Channels and click Add channel.
    2. Select WhatsApp, then WhatsApp Cloud API (WACA).
    3. Enter a name for the channel. Only your agents can see it.
    4. Paste the token from step 6, the Phone number ID and the WhatsApp Business Account ID from step 3.
    5. Click Connect. WazzaBee will check the token and show the webhook URL and verify token.

    Step 8. Webhook for incoming messages

    1. Go back to your Meta app: WhatsApp → Configuration.
    2. In the Webhook section, click Edit, paste the URL and verify token from your WazzaBee dashboard, and save.
    3. In the list of webhook fields, subscribe to messages.
    4. Send a message to the connected number from your own phone. If it appears in your WazzaBee chats, the channel is working.

    💳 How much it costs

    WhatWho you pay
    Subscription per lineWazzaBee, in tenge, dollars or euros
    Broadcasts, notifications, verification codesMeta, charged to your card at the rate for the recipient's country
    Replies to customers within the 24-hour windowMeta, from October 1, 2026, beyond 1 000 free replies a month per number
    Incoming messagesFree

    See the current subscription price, Meta rates for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and the calculator on the WhatsApp Cloud API page.

    🛠 What can go wrong

    ProblemSolution
    "This phone number is already registered"The number is used in the WhatsApp app. Delete the account on the phone, wait 3 minutes and repeat step 3
    The verification code does not arriveChoose verification by phone call. Virtual numbers and numbers recently deleted from WhatsApp often do not receive SMS
    No "Connect with customers through WhatsApp" use caseThe app was created with the wrong type. Create a new one and select your business portfolio while creating it
    You cannot create a system userYou do not have admin rights in the portfolio. Ask the portfolio owner to give you full control
    WazzaBee says the token is invalidThe token was copied incompletely, issued with an expiration date, or lacks the whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management permissions. Generate a new one following step 6
    Outgoing messages are sent, but incoming ones do not arriveThe webhook is not set up or there is no subscription to the messages field. Check step 8
    Messages are not delivered, payment errorThe card is not linked or the payment was declined. Check Payment methods in WhatsApp Manager and ask your bank to allow international payments
    Template rejectedYou can see the rejection reason in WazzaBee. Fix the text using our breakdown of common errors and submit it again

    ➡️ What's next