Get started

From zero to your first WhatsApp message in about 15 minutes. This page is the map; each step links to a detailed guide.

Before you begin

You need three things:

  • A phone number that is not active on the WhatsApp consumer or Business app (or one you are ready to migrate). A fresh SIM or even a landline works — it only needs to receive a one-time verification code.
  • A Facebook account with access to (or permission to create) your business's Meta Business Portfolio. The guided signup creates everything else for you.
  • Your business details — legal name, website or social page, and address — for the WhatsApp Business profile.

Cost: ₹0 to get started

No setup fee, no monthly platform fee. Your account starts with a 14-day free trial and 100 credits, so every step in this guide can be completed without paying anything. After the trial you pay per message only — see pricing.

The setup path

  1. 1

    Create your account

    Sign up at richautomate.in/register with your work email. Your workspace and trial credits are ready immediately — no approval wait on our side.
  2. 2

    Connect your WhatsApp number

    In the dashboard, open WhatsApp → Connect Number and follow the guided Meta embedded signup: pick or create your Business Portfolio, enter the number, and verify it with the OTP. Detailed walkthrough: Connect your WhatsApp number.
  3. 3

    Send your first message

    Open Live Chat, message your own connected number from a personal phone, and reply from the dashboard. That round-trip proves the whole pipeline — inbound webhook, conversation window, outbound delivery. Guide: Send messages.
  4. 4

    Create and submit a template

    To start conversations (not just reply), you need a Meta-approved template. Create one under Templates and submit it for review — approval usually takes minutes to a few hours. Guide: Message templates.
  5. 5

    Scale up: campaigns, flows, API

    Broadcast to a list with campaigns, automate replies with chatbot flows, or integrate your own stack via the REST API.

Three concepts worth knowing on day one

The 24-hour window. When a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer-service window opens. Inside it you can send free-form messages. Outside it, you can only reach the customer with a Meta-approved template.

Templates vs session messages. Templates are pre-approved by Meta and can start conversations; session messages are free-form replies inside the 24-hour window. Most businesses use templates to initiate and session messages to converse.

Per-message billing. You are charged per message, not per month. The wallet in your dashboard shows every debit, and the WABA cost calculator estimates a monthly bill from your volumes.

Keep your sending reputation clean

WhatsApp actively rate-limits and can restrict numbers that message people who never opted in. Always collect consent before broadcasting — no platform can guarantee immunity from Meta's quality enforcement.

Stuck? Message us on WhatsApp at +91 74349 01027 or book a free 15-minute setup call on Calendly.