Meta's Cloud API has no monthly platform fee, and WaSMS doesn't charge to connect it. You only pay Meta's per-conversation fees for certain message categories once you're outside the free tier, and those rates depend on your country and volume. Check the current rate for your region before you commit to heavy outbound sending.

Can I keep my existing number?

Yes. Meta lets you migrate a number that's already active on regular WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business App, as long as it isn't logged in anywhere else at the time. During migration there's a short window where the number can't send or receive on the old app while the switch completes, usually a few minutes.

How long does verification take?

Straightforward submissions with matching business details usually clear in one to three business days. If your first submission gets rejected for a mismatch between your document, business name, or website, budget another one to two days for the resubmission to clear.

What if approval is rejected?

Open the rejection reason in Business Manager's Security Center — it almost always names the specific mismatch. Fix your business name, address, document, or website so they match exactly, then resubmit. Most businesses get approved on the second attempt once the details line up.

WhatsApp Cloud API Setup: Connect Your Number - WaSMS

Choosing how to connect WhatsApp to your business usually comes down to three options: Meta's official Cloud API, a local gateway on your own PC, or a small VPS running the gateway for you. This guide covers the official route.

WhatsApp Cloud API is Meta's hosted API for sending and receiving WhatsApp messages directly from your business systems, without you needing to run your own on-premise server. You verify your business with Meta, register or migrate a phone number, then connect that number to a platform like WaSMS so you can send, receive, and automate conversations from one inbox. If the terminology around Business Account, On-Premise API, and Cloud API is still fuzzy, WhatsApp Business API explained untangles it before you start.

When WhatsApp Cloud API Is the Right Choice

Cloud API isn't always the fastest way to get started — that's a local gateway or a $3 VPS gateway. Cloud API is worth the extra steps when:

You want the official Business Account status and, eventually, a verified checkmark
You plan to send template messages (order updates, appointment reminders) to people who haven't messaged you first
You're comfortable with Meta's review process taking a few days
Your business has a public website and consistent branding across Facebook, Instagram, and your own site

	Cloud API	Local Gateway	VPS Gateway
Setup time	1-3 days (Meta review)	Minutes	Under an hour
Verified badge eligibility	Yes	No	No
Uptime depends on	Meta's servers	Your PC staying on	A small cloud server
Best for	Official presence, template messages	Testing WaSMS fast	24/7 reliability without Meta review

For the full side-by-side, see the WhatsApp Business Platform comparison.

If you just need to start replying to customers on WhatsApp this afternoon, the local or VPS gateway is faster. Cloud API is the "do it once, do it properly" option.

Prerequisites

Before you start, have these ready:

A Facebook Business Manager account (create one at business.facebook.com if you don't have one)
Your business's legal name, address, and a document that proves it — a registration certificate, utility bill, or tax document
A phone number that can receive an SMS or voice call for verification, and is not currently active on regular WhatsApp on another device
A WaSMS account with the Channels section ready to connect

![Meta Business Manager overview screen](IMAGE_NEEDED:screenshot of Facebook Business Manager dashboard with WhatsApp Business Platform tile highlighted)

Step 1: Meta Business Verification

Inside Meta Business Manager, go to Business Settings, then Security Center, then Start Verification. Meta checks your legal business name, address, and phone number against the document you upload. This step takes the longest, so start it before you touch anything else.

An agency called Bright Signal ran into this firsthand: they submitted a business document listing an old office address that didn't match their website footer. Meta rejected it once, they corrected the address in both places, and it passed on the second attempt within two days.

Step 2: Pick a Number

You have two options:

Use a new number dedicated to WhatsApp Business. This is the simplest path — no migration, no downtime.
Migrate an existing number that's currently on regular WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business App. Meta sends a verification code to that number, and once confirmed, the number moves to the Cloud API and stops working in the regular app.

Either way, the number can't be logged into WhatsApp on a phone at the same time it's registered to Cloud API — pick one or the other.

Step 3: Connect to WaSMS

Once Meta approves your number, you'll get a Phone Number ID, a WhatsApp Business Account ID, and a permanent access token from the Meta developer dashboard.

In WaSMS, go to Channels, then Add Channel, then WhatsApp Cloud API, and paste in those three values along with the webhook verification token WaSMS generates for you. WaSMS handles the webhook subscription automatically. Once it's connected, this is also the number you'd use for AI-powered replies on WhatsApp if you want AI Actions handling routine questions instead of a human answering every message.

![WaSMS Channels page with Cloud API fields](IMAGE_NEEDED:screenshot of WaSMS Channels settings form showing Phone Number ID, Business Account ID, and access token fields)

Test the connection with a simple request before you rely on it for real customers:

curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v20.0/<PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
    "to": "<TEST_NUMBER>",
    "type": "text",
    "text": { "body": "Hello from Cloud API, connected through WaSMS." }
  }'

If that message arrives, WaSMS will pick up incoming replies the same way — no extra configuration needed.

Common WhatsApp Cloud API Approval Delays

Most delays trace back to one of these:

Name mismatch — your Business Manager name doesn't match the name on your uploaded document or your live website
Personal-looking number — using a number that was previously used casually on WhatsApp raises flags
Low-quality document scans — blurry photos of certificates get bounced automatically
Category mismatch — selecting the wrong business category during setup

None of these are fatal. Fix the mismatch, resubmit, and most second attempts clear within 24 to 48 hours.

How to Connect WhatsApp Cloud API to Your Business Number

When WhatsApp Cloud API Is the Right Choice

Prerequisites

Step 1: Meta Business Verification

Step 2: Pick a Number

Step 3: Connect to WaSMS

Common WhatsApp Cloud API Approval Delays

What to read next

Frequently asked questions

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