WhatsApp Business API: Cloud or Hosted?
WhatsApp as a channel for business messaging isn’t something new. Brands worldwide are using WhatsApp Business Platform to connect with customers across the whole journey – to answer questions, progress sales, and provide support 24/7 when customers request it.
Businesses looking to use the API now have two hosting options: On-Premises API hosted by Infobip and from now on, Cloud API hosted by Meta, which we also offer.
But which one is the best option for your business? Read on to find out.
What is WhatsApp Business Cloud API?
In addition to being one of the first WhatsApp Business API solution providers on its launch in 2018, Infobip was one of the few providers who participated in the beta program for WhatsApp Cloud API.
Starting in April 2022, the Cloud API is now officially available to all.
Compared to an on-premises solution hosted and managed by Infobip, Cloud API is a simpler version of the WhatsApp Business Platform. By having the service hosted by Meta, maintenance and upgrade complexity is reduced.
The combination of features and benefits make Cloud API the best option for small and medium businesses looking for a more cost-effective way to connect with customers who have opted-in to receiving messages from them on WhatsApp.
What about security and privacy?
WhatsApp is considered a very secure platform.
With Cloud API, the message gets encrypted in the Meta cloud using Signal protocol encryption.
For On-Premises API, the sender is hosted by Infobip and all messages are encrypted from Infobip’s platform all the way to the end user’s device. This process is deployed and managed by Infobip, who also look after all upgrades. Costs for this enhanced service are applied on a per-sender basis.
On Premises API or Cloud API – which is right for you?
When deciding which solution to choose for your business, you should consider the required level of security for your business communication, as well as your expected traffic.
Both solutions include a rich set of standard features, although with on-premise you do get some extras – including Product Messages, Identity Change and some add-ons like anti-virus scanning for incoming media.
With these extras and the enhanced security, on-premise is considered a premium solution that is recommended for enterprise businesses, particularly in the Finance and Fintech sectors. Cloud API is better suited to small and medium businesses, especially in the e-commerce sector, who don’t require the highest level of transaction security.
As a WhatsApp Business Provider and long-term Meta partner, Infobip enables businesses to orchestrate their communication via the WhatsApp API and with our cloud Saas Solutions – including our customer engagement hub Moments, chatbot building platform Answers and digital cloud contact center solution, Conversations.
Start with Infobip
We are a long-term META partner, helping brands worldwide to unlock the full potential of WhatsApp for their business and help them become high-performing, data-driven, customer-centric organizations.
Already have a WhatsApp account? You can simply port your number to Infobip.
We have you covered – from onboarding to campaign launches and beyond.
Our onboarding package matches your business needs to help you accelerate time to value, maximize ROI, and equip your team with knowledge on how to use our products.
You can also benefit from:
- Personalized CX consultancy: Understand the complexities of designing an end-to-end solution and achieve the best possible CX through co-creation with our experts.
- Dedicated project planning: Work with a project manager to create a detailed project plan tailored to your requirements.
- Comprehensive training and documentation: Receive training and project documentation to get up and running in no time.
- Custom integrations: Seamlessly integrate our solutions with your existing infrastructure to maximize results and reduce costs.
- Data migration: Migrate all your customer data from your old system to ours without any heavy lifting.
- Global reach, local presence: Our 60+ offices around the world allow us to react faster and have everyday interactions providing 24/7 customer support.
- A full-stack solution for customer engagement: Experience better business outcomes with a fully integrated contact center, marketing automation, and chatbot building platform informed by our customer data platform.
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Start using WhatsApp Business API today
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