WhatsApp marketing

WhatsApp broadcast list vs API broadcast: what is the difference?

The Business app broadcast list and an API broadcast are not the same. Compare recipients, permission, templates, reports and risk to see which fits you.

  • 2 min read
  • Updated
  • By Ashmit Arya
On this page (8)
  1. Side by side
  2. And groups?
  3. What an API broadcast adds
  4. Permission applies to both
  5. Which should you use?
  6. Moving from a broadcast list to the API
  7. Sources
  8. Frequently asked questions

"Broadcast" means two quite different things on WhatsApp, and mixing them up is how people end up with the wrong tool.

Side by side

Business app broadcast list

  • Sent from one phone
  • Works for contacts who saved your number
  • No delivery or read report per campaign
  • No templates, no audience filters
  • Built for a small circle

API broadcast

  • Sent from a shared, connected number
  • Audience chosen by tag, field or upload
  • Approved template, personalised with variables
  • Delivered, read, replied and failed per recipient
  • Built for opted-in lists at scale

And groups?

A group puts everyone in the same conversation, so members see each other and each other's replies. That suits a class or a community, but it is the wrong tool for marketing: people leave, mute or report, and you cannot personalise or measure anything.

What an API broadcast adds

  • Templates. Outside the 24-hour window, only approved templates can be sent, which protects customers from spam. See template approval.
  • Audiences. Choose all contacts, a tag or a segment, and exclude tags such as "do not contact".
  • Personalisation. Map variables such as the customer's name so each message reads as written for them.
  • Scheduling. Pick the time and let it send.
  • Results. See who received it, who read it and who replied.
Responseify broadcast personalise step where variables are mapped to contact fields
Responseify broadcast scheduling with a date and time picker

How to send a broadcast and how to schedule one.

Permission applies to both

Whichever you use, WhatsApp's policy requires that people agreed to hear from you and that you stop when they ask. An API broadcast helps you comply: opt-outs are skipped, and you can see exactly who was messaged. Details are in how to send bulk WhatsApp messages without getting banned.

Which should you use?

Quick quiz

How many people do you message at once?

Moving from a broadcast list to the API

If you have been using a broadcast list, you already have the hard part: customers who know you. Moving to the API is mostly about three things. First, record permission properly so you can show it later. Second, turn the messages you send often into approved templates. Third, import your contacts and tag them, so each broadcast goes to the right segment. A CSV import takes minutes on the Growth plan and above, as covered in WhatsApp CRM vs Excel.

Start with one small segment, check the results screen, and widen only when the read and reply numbers look healthy. The campaign metrics guide explains how to read them.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is a broadcast the same as a group?

No. A broadcast sends one message to many people individually. A group puts everyone in one shared conversation.

Why do I need a template for an API broadcast?

Because a broadcast usually starts a conversation outside the 24-hour window, and only approved templates can be sent there.

Can recipients see who else got the message?

No. Each person receives a private one-to-one chat.

Can I schedule a broadcast?

Yes. Choose a date and time on the final step.

About the author

Ashmit Arya · Founder, Responseify

Builds Responseify, a WhatsApp CRM for Indian businesses, and tests what these guides describe in the product himself. Every number here is sourced and dated, and posts are updated when the rules change.

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  • Where we give figures about our own examples, we say so and show how we counted.
  • Found a mistake or an out-of-date rule? Email us and we will correct it. More about us on the About page.
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