WhatsApp Business API & CRM in India (2026): Pricing, Setup & DGI CRM
Official WhatsApp API, team inbox, broadcasts, chatbots and lead CRM in one app, with costs explained.
Updated: 10 November 2026
Yes, DigiGrowInfinity provides WhatsApp Business API service in India through our own platform, DGI CRM. You get the official WhatsApp Business Platform from Meta, a shared team inbox, broadcasts, chatbots and a built-in Lead CRM in one app. Plans start at ₹999 per month, Meta's message charges are passed on at Meta's own rate with no markup, and there is a 7-day free trial with no credit card.
This guide explains what the WhatsApp Business API is, how it differs from the free WhatsApp Business app, what it costs in India in 2026, and how to choose a WhatsApp CRM for your business.
What is the WhatsApp Business API?
The WhatsApp Business API (officially the WhatsApp Business Platform) is Meta's version of WhatsApp for companies that need to message customers at scale. Instead of one phone, your number runs on the cloud and connects to software such as a CRM. That lets several team members reply from one number, send approved template messages to thousands of opted-in customers, run chatbots and trigger messages automatically from ads, forms and websites.
Businesses do not get the API directly from an app store. You connect your number through a provider (a Meta tech partner or a platform built on Meta's Cloud API). DGI CRM is that layer: it connects your number to the official platform and gives you the tools to use it.
WhatsApp Business app vs WhatsApp Business API
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API (with DGI CRM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Plan fee + Meta per-message charges |
| Team access | One phone plus a few linked devices | Shared inbox for owner and multiple agents |
| Bulk messages | Broadcast lists, limited and only to saved contacts | Broadcasts with approved templates to opted-in contacts |
| Automation | Basic greeting and away messages | Chatbot flows, keyword replies, drip sequences |
| Integrations | None | Lead ads, website forms, Shopify, WooCommerce, Google Sheets, webhooks |
| Verified badge | Meta Verified (paid) | Official Business Account or Meta Verified, depending on eligibility |
If you get a few chats a day and reply yourself, the app is enough. Once leads come from ads, several people need to reply, or you want to message customers in bulk without risking a ban, the API is the right choice.
WhatsApp Business API pricing in India (2026)
Your cost has two parts: the platform fee you pay your provider and the message charges you pay Meta. Since July 2025 Meta charges per delivered template message instead of per conversation. These are Meta's current rates for India as listed on DGI CRM:
| Message type | Used for | Meta charge (India) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, launches, re-engagement | ₹0.8631 per message |
| Utility | Order updates, receipts, reminders | ₹0.115 per message |
| Authentication | OTPs and login codes | ₹0.115 per message |
| Service | Replies inside the 24-hour window | ₹0.115 per message after the first 1,000 free each month |
- Free service messages: the first 1,000 service messages each month are free per WhatsApp number.
- Free entry point: when a customer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or Facebook Page button and you reply within 24 hours, messages for the next 72 hours are free.
- Utility change: from 1 October 2026 utility templates are charged even inside the 24-hour window.
- No markup on DGI CRM: many tools add a margin on Meta's rate. DGI CRM charges Meta's own rate, so your plan fee is the only extra cost.
Meta revises rates from time to time, so always check the latest numbers on the DGI CRM pricing page before you plan a campaign budget.
Example: what does a month cost?
Say a coaching institute sends 5,000 marketing messages (a new batch offer) and 2,000 utility reminders in a month on the Starter plan. Meta charges about ₹4,316 for the marketing messages and ₹230 for the reminders. Add the ₹999 plan fee and the month costs roughly ₹5,545 before taxes. Replies to students inside the 24-hour window are covered by the 1,000 free service messages.
DGI CRM plans for WhatsApp API
| Plan | Price | Best for | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial | ₹0 for 7 days | Testing every feature | No credit card needed |
| Starter | ₹999 / month | Small businesses starting on the API | 1 owner + 5 agents, 1 number, 2 chatbot flows |
| Growth | ₹2,499 / month | Growing sales teams | 3 numbers, 10 chatbot flows, API, webhooks, Sheets and Zapier |
| Scale | ₹4,999 / month | High-volume businesses | 1 owner + 9 agents, 10 numbers, unlimited chatbot flows |
| Enterprise | Custom | 5 lakh+ messages a month | Up to 200 agents, dedicated account manager |
Plans are prepaid for 1, 6 or 12 months (6 months saves 10%, 12 months saves 16%) and do not auto-renew. A Combo plan with the Lead CRM saves about 20%. Contacts and broadcast volume are unlimited on every paid plan.
What you get with DGI CRM
- Official WhatsApp Business API: free API access and help applying for the green tick (now a blue verified badge).
- Shared team inbox: every chat in one place, agent assignment, round-robin distribution and manager monitoring.
- Broadcasts and templates: send approved templates to segments filtered by tags, schedule campaigns and track cost per campaign.
- No-code chatbots: buttons, menus, questions and handover to a human, included in every plan.
- Drip sequences and auto-replies: welcome, away and keyword replies, plus timed follow-ups.
- Built-in Lead CRM: Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads leads land in a sales pipeline with follow-up reminders, auto distribution and cost-per-lead tracking.
- Payments in chat: send payment links on WhatsApp.
- Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Google Sheets, Pabbly, Zapier, a website chat widget, tracked links and QR codes, plus a developer API and webhooks.
- Ads reporting: see Meta and Google ads results next to your WhatsApp conversations.
- 23 language options: use the app in English, Hinglish, Hindi and 20 other Indian languages.
Who should use a WhatsApp CRM?
- Real estate: reply to property leads from Facebook and Instagram in seconds and move them to site visits.
- Coaching and education: handle enquiries, admission follow-ups, fee reminders and batch updates.
- Manufacturers and distributors: share catalogues and price lists with dealers and track every enquiry.
- Clinics and healthcare: appointment confirmations and reminders that reduce no-shows.
- D2C and e-commerce: order updates, abandoned cart messages and repeat-purchase offers.
How to get WhatsApp Business API with DGI CRM
- Start the free trial at dgicrm.com. No card is needed.
- Keep a phone number ready that can receive an OTP. A number already on the WhatsApp app has to be removed from the app before it moves to the API.
- Connect through Meta's signup with your Facebook business account. Basic setup takes about 15 minutes.
- Create templates for offers, reminders and follow-ups and submit them for Meta approval.
- Import contacts, set up a chatbot and connect your lead sources such as Meta lead ads, website forms or Shopify.
Prefer not to do it yourself? Our team at DigiGrowInfinity can set up the API, templates, chatbot and Click-to-WhatsApp ads for you as part of our WhatsApp marketing service.
Why businesses choose DGI CRM over other WhatsApp API tools
Most WhatsApp API tools stop at chats and broadcasts, so you end up paying for a separate lead CRM. DGI CRM puts WhatsApp, your ad leads and your sales team in one app and one bill. It is built by a performance marketing agency that runs Meta and Google lead campaigns every day, so features like auto lead distribution, team wallets and cost-per-lead tracking come from real client needs. Chatbots are included rather than sold as an add-on, and Meta charges carry no markup.
Frequently asked questions
Do you provide WhatsApp Business API service in India?
Yes. DigiGrowInfinity provides official WhatsApp Business API access through DGI CRM, our WhatsApp CRM platform. You can start with a 7-day free trial, and our team can also handle the full setup for you.
What is the price of WhatsApp Business API in India?
On DGI CRM, plans start at ₹999 per month. Meta charges separately per message: about ₹0.86 for marketing and ₹0.115 for utility, authentication and service messages, with the first 1,000 service messages free each month. DGI CRM adds no markup on Meta charges.
Can I use my existing WhatsApp number for the API?
Yes, but the number has to be removed from the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app first. The same number cannot run on the app and the API at the same time.
Is WhatsApp API safe for bulk messages?
Yes, when you use the official API with approved templates and send only to customers who opted in. Unofficial bulk-sender tools break WhatsApp rules and can get numbers banned.
What is the difference between WhatsApp API and WhatsApp CRM?
The API is the connection Meta provides. A WhatsApp CRM is the software on top of it, with the inbox, broadcasts, chatbots, contacts and reports your team actually uses. DGI CRM gives you both.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. DGI CRM has a 7-day free trial with all features of the WhatsApp CRM and Lead CRM, and no credit card is required.
Related services and guides
- DGI CRM — WhatsApp Business API and CRM platform
- DGI CRM pricing — all plans and Meta rates
- WhatsApp marketing service — done-for-you setup and automation
- Meta Ads agency — Click-to-WhatsApp and lead ads
- How to reduce low-quality leads — filter leads before your team calls