WhatsApp Business API in the Philippines: How It Works, What It Costs and How Online Sellers Use It
The WhatsApp Business API connects your business number to software instead of one phone. Sellers in the Philippines use it to answer every chat automatically, send order confirmations and delivery updates, confirm COD orders and take payment by link. You get it through a provider such as AeroChat, which connects your number with Meta’s embedded signup. Meta charges per delivered message, and the Philippines falls under Meta’s “Rest of Asia Pacific” rate. You can keep the WhatsApp Business app on the same number.
Many Filipino shoppers message sellers on Facebook Messenger, and many buyers and business customers use WhatsApp too. Running both from one place matters. AeroChat puts WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and web chat on the same workflows, so a customer gets the same answer wherever they ask. The WhatsApp side runs on the API, which Meta calls the WhatsApp Business Platform. The version most businesses use today is the Cloud API.
WhatsApp Business app vs the API
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API | |
|---|---|---|
| Who replies | You or your staff, on a phone or linked devices | Software such as AeroChat, plus your team in a shared inbox |
| Automation | Greeting, away message and quick replies | Full workflows connected to your store, payment gateway and courier |
| Messages after 24 hours | Typed and sent by hand | Approved templates (utility, marketing, authentication) |
| Cost | Free app | Meta’s per-message fees plus your provider’s plan |
With coexistence you keep the app on your phone and run the API on the same number. More detail in WhatsApp app vs API.
How Meta prices WhatsApp messages for the Philippines
As of November 2026, from Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation:
- Per message. Meta charges per delivered message sent by the business, not per conversation. This model started on 1 July 2025.
- By category. Template messages are marketing, utility or authentication, and each has its own rate.
- By country. The rate depends on the country calling code of the recipient’s number. The Philippines (+63) is not a separate market on Meta’s rate card. It is charged at the “Rest of Asia Pacific” rate.
- Customer messages are free. Messages customers send you cost nothing.
- Service replies. From 1 October 2026, each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages a month. Further service messages are charged. Utility templates sent inside an open 24-hour window are charged from the same date.
Meta publishes the current rates in its rate cards. See WhatsApp pricing for how the categories and the 24-hour window work, and AeroChat pricing for the plans.
What you need to start
- A Meta business portfolio. If you run a Facebook page for your shop, you may already have one.
- A phone number that can receive a verification code. It can be the number you already use in the WhatsApp Business app.
- A display name that meets Meta’s rules.
You can start before your business is verified with Meta. Verification raises your messaging limits. See how to get the WhatsApp Business API and choosing a solution provider.
What online sellers in the Philippines run on it with AeroChat
- Answer every chat from store data. Stock, price, shipping and order status, from Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix or a Google Sheets store, in English, Filipino or Taglish.
- Confirm COD orders before dispatch. See cash on delivery confirmation in the Philippines.
- Take payment in the chat. AeroChat sends a PayMongo, Xendit or Maya Business payment link, and the customer can pay with GCash, Maya or card where your account offers them. Payment is detected automatically, so nobody checks screenshots. Airwallex is built in (open an account if you don’t have one).
- Send order and delivery updates as utility templates. See order confirmation and delivery updates.
- Book same-day delivery through Lalamove or GrabExpress.
- Send broadcasts to customers who opted in, as marketing templates. See WhatsApp broadcasts.
Customer: Hi po, can I pay my order #2240 via GCash? (example)
AeroChat: Yes po. Your order #2240 is ₱1,450 for 2 x Cotton tote, natural (example). Here’s your payment link. Choose GCash on the payment page.
AeroChat: Payment received, salamat po! Your order is confirmed and will ship tomorrow.
In the store: order #2240 is marked paid when PayMongo shows the payment as complete.
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks to pay for an order on WhatsApp, follow these steps.
- Ask for the order number and the phone number or email they ordered with, and match it to the order in our store.
- Read back the items and the total in ₱.
- Send a PayMongo payment link (example) for the order total.
- When PayMongo shows the payment as paid, mark the order paid and confirm the shipping date from our shipping rules.
- If the payment fails, send a new link and offer cash on delivery if the order allows it.
Reply in the customer’s language, including Filipino and Taglish. Use “po” when the customer does.
How to set it up with AeroChat
- Sign up for AeroChat and start your 7-day free trial.
- Connect your WhatsApp number through Meta’s embedded signup, and your Facebook page for Messenger.
- Connect your store. Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix are built in.
- Describe your workflows in your own words, in any language, or paste the recipe above. Add your gateway or courier keys in the dashboard.
- Submit your order templates for approval and turn the workflows on.
Questions
Can I use WhatsApp and Messenger together?
Yes. AeroChat runs the same workflows on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and web chat, from one dashboard.
How do I send messages after 24 hours?
Outside the 24-hour customer service window, a business-initiated message needs an approved template, utility or marketing, and the customer’s opt-in. See message templates and template approval.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app?
Yes. With coexistence you keep the app on your phone and use the API on the same number.
Which provider should I use in the Philippines?
Compare what each provider connects to, not only the message price. See the best WhatsApp chatbot in the Philippines and the best WhatsApp API provider for online sellers.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Put your WhatsApp number on the API
Sign up, connect your number and your Facebook page, and send yourself an order question in Taglish.
Start your 7-day free trial. No credit card needed.
On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.