What to Ask a Tech Provider or BSP Before You Onboard via Them for WhatsApp API Access
Switching providers later is possible but not painless, so a few questions up front save a lot. Send these in writing and keep the answers. Not every provider will like all of them, which is a useful signal too.
Do I pay Meta for messages myself, or do I use your credit line?
Tech Providers don't have a credit line: you add your own payment method with Meta and Meta bills you. Solution Partners (formerly BSPs) can invoice you through theirs. Either is fine, you just need to know which one it is.
What do you charge on top of Meta's fees, and what are the contract terms?
A flat fee or a markup per message, any minimum commitment, contract length and notice period. Good: all of it in writing, with no surprises on Meta's rates.
Do you follow Meta's new account model? Will I see my WhatsApp account and the newly created Messaging account in my own business portfolio?
Good: yes, both are in your portfolio and you can see them in Business Settings. Red flag: the account sits in the provider's portfolio, because then you can't move it or see your templates without them.
Will you register my number, and will you give me the PIN?
A standard-onboarding provider normally registers the number at the end of onboarding. Good: they tell you whether the number has a PIN and who holds it. See the two-step PIN.
Is there an API or a dashboard where I can check my number's registration status and de-register it? What is your SLA if you have to do it for me?
This is what frees your number when you leave. Good: you can do it yourself, or they commit to a time frame, such as the same business day.
Will you do standard onboarding (API only), or coexistence so I can keep using the WhatsApp Business app on the number?
Not every provider offers coexistence, and it isn't the default. Choose based on whether you need the app.
If coexistence: how soon do you sync my chats and contacts, and can I see the sync status myself?
Meta requires the provider to start the sync within 24 hours, or the number has to be offboarded and the signup repeated. Good: it starts straight away and the status is shown on a dashboard.
If coexistence: do you pass on the messages I send from the Business app (echoes) to my webhook?
Without echoes, your chatbot can't tell that a human already replied, and may answer the same customer. Good: they pass them on, or give you a way to pause the bot when a human replies.
Do incoming messages go straight to my chatbot, or via your endpoint? What delay does that add, and what happens if my bot is down?
Good: a known latency figure, retries or queueing when your endpoint fails, and messages kept in order per customer. Red flag: no answer on retries.
What delay do you add to outgoing messages before they reach WhatsApp?
Good: a number, not "negligible". If they queue messages, ask how long the queue can get.
Do you protect me from accidentally sending a bulk batch, with rate limits or ban protection?
A mistaken send can hurt your number's quality rating or get it restricted. Good: limits that ramp up gradually, and a way to raise them.
Will you tell me if a template or my number's quality drops?
Good: alerts by email or webhook before a template is paused, not after.
How do I manage templates: through your interface, by you on my behalf, or in my own Messaging account?
Good: the templates live in a Messaging account that you own, and you can also see and edit them in WhatsApp Manager.
How much of the Cloud API do you expose, and which Graph API version do you run?
A provider that exposes a subset can block features you need later, such as media types, interactive messages or calling. Good: full pass-through, and a version that follows Meta's schedule.
How is my data protected? Can you use my access token? What else can you see: templates, message history, the numbers I message?
Good: a clear description of what is stored, what is encrypted, who can read it, and how long it is kept.
What can I export, and if there is no export, will you help me do it?
Conversation history, contacts, templates and reports. Also ask what is deleted when you leave and how fast.
What support do you give when I want to move out? Is it do-it-yourself, and what are your SLAs for it, including downtime?
Good: a written process, a named response time, and an honest answer on how long the gap will be.
What is your uptime, and how do you tell customers about outages?
Good: a status page, a support channel with response times, and a record of past incidents.