WhatsApp chatbot
A WhatsApp chatbot is an automated messaging system that holds real conversations with users inside WhatsApp on behalf of a business. It handles enquiries, collects information, and triggers actions without a human needing to type a single reply.
WhatsApp chatbots run on the WhatsApp Business Platform (formerly the WhatsApp Business API), which gives organisations programmatic access to WhatsApp messaging. That connection is what allows a chatbot to do genuinely useful things: update a customer record, raise a support ticket, confirm an order, or slot someone into a nurture flow, all from within a conversation the customer chose to start.
With over two billion active users, WhatsApp is the dominant messaging app across many of Spotler’s key markets, including the UK, the Netherlands, and Latin America. Customers already have it on their phones. They already know how to use it. A well-built chatbot on WhatsApp meets people exactly where they are, without asking them to download anything new or log in anywhere.
Complete guide: WhatsApp chatbots for business
Learn how to build, deploy, and optimise a WhatsApp chatbot, from choosing the right platform to measuring ROI.
What is the difference between a WhatsApp chatbot and WhatsApp Business?
WhatsApp Business is the app and platform that gives businesses a verified presence on WhatsApp. A chatbot is a layer you build on top of it. Specifically, chatbots use the WhatsApp Business API to send and receive messages programmatically, with no human typing involved. A small business might manage conversations manually through the WhatsApp Business app. A larger organisation will use the API to automate those conversations and connect them to a CRM, helpdesk, or marketing platform.
Do you need the WhatsApp Business API to run a chatbot?
Yes. The standard WhatsApp Business app does not support automation. To run a chatbot, you need the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), which gives developers the ability to send and receive messages, create approved message templates, and connect WhatsApp to external systems. Access is granted through Meta-approved Business Solution Providers (BSPs) like Spotler.
Can a WhatsApp chatbot send promotional messages?
Yes, but there are rules. WhatsApp separates session messages (replies sent within 24 hours of a customer contacting you) from template messages (pre-approved messages sent outside that window, which include promotional content). Marketing messages require an approved template and, critically, the recipient must have opted in. That opt-in requirement is a feature, not a limitation. It means your WhatsApp audience is genuinely interested in hearing from you.
How is a WhatsApp chatbot different from email automation?
The biggest difference is how the conversation feels. Email automation is asynchronous: you send, they read later, maybe they reply. A WhatsApp chatbot is a back-and-forth exchange, happening in real time, in the same app people use to message their friends. WhatsApp also consistently outperforms email on open rates. That said, both channels have a place. Email handles long-form and document-rich communications well. WhatsApp is better suited to quick confirmations, support flows, reminders, and conversational lead capture.