Connecting WhatsApp

Follow these steps to connect your WhatsApp account in SAGA.

Last updated About 1 hour ago

1) Choose your connection method

There are two ways to connect WhatsApp:

  • Option A: Connect WhatsApp Business App

    • Choose this only if you already have the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, connected and ready to use with your business number.

    • Do not use this option if that number is already connected to platforms like ManyChat or Go High Level.

  • Option B (recommended): Connect a dedicated phone number

    • This is the recommended route, because it is usually the simplest and fastest way to get started.

    • You will follow an on-screen video and a short setup form to complete this connection.

2) Complete the setup

If you chose WhatsApp Business App

  • Follow the connection steps shown on screen to connect your existing app.

  • Make sure to add a payment card to your WhatsApp Business account so you can send messages.

If you chose a dedicated phone number (recommended)

  1. Watch the video on screen, tick the checkbox, and click Continue.

  2. Log in to your Meta account that contains your Meta Business portfolio, or create a new one.

  3. Follow the setup form step by step.

  4. When choosing the phone number, make sure to select it exactly as shown in the video in step 2.1.

  5. At the bottom of the number setup screen, you will see a button to add payment information. Click this and add your payment card so you can send messages from your WhatsApp account.

  6. Confirm that your payment card is successfully added to the correct WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). Meta manages billing at the WABA level, so the payment method must be attached to the same account that holds your number and templates.

Once this is done, your WhatsApp connection is set up.

3) How Meta billing works and what SAGA does

  • SAGA’s job: SAGA helps you get and connect your WhatsApp number, set up templates and send broadcasts. You use SAGA to manage your contacts, campaigns and inbox.

  • Meta’s job: Meta (WhatsApp) charges you directly for the messages you send to your customers. These are per‑message costs based on the type of message (for example: marketing, utility, authentication).

Where you pay and how to track it

  • When you set up your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), you add a credit card or payment method in WhatsApp / Meta Business billing.

  • Meta uses this card to bill you directly for every paid WhatsApp message that is delivered to your customers.

  • You can monitor your messaging volume and spending in the Insights tab of WhatsApp Manager here:
    https://business.facebook.com/latest/whatsapp_manager/insights

  • SAGA does not charge or mark up these WhatsApp message fees. You always pay Meta directly for your ongoing broadcast and messaging costs. SAGA only manages the connection and gives you the tools to send and track your messages.

24‑hour service window (replying to customers)

Meta also applies a 24‑hour service window rule to protect end users from spam and to keep conversations timely.

  • Whenever a customer sends your business a WhatsApp message, a 24‑hour window opens.

  • Inside this 24‑hour window you can reply freely with normal, “free‑form” chat messages (text, images, buttons, documents, etc.) and, under the latest pricing changes, with utility‑type templates without additional WhatsApp fees.

  • Each new message from the customer resets the 24‑hour window.

  • Once 24 hours have passed since the customer’s last message, the service window closes and you can no longer send normal free‑form replies. To reach the customer again, you must use an approved template message, which is then billed by Meta according to the usual WhatsApp pricing.

In practice: if a customer writes to you and your team answers within 24 hours, that ongoing back‑and‑forth support chat is not charged as marketing. If you want to re‑engage a silent customer after those 24 hours, you do it with a template (for example a reminder or follow‑up), and that template is what Meta bills.

4) Add or update the payment method in Meta

If you need to check or update your payment details:

  • Go to Meta Business Settings / WhatsApp Manager.

  • Open your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA).

  • Go to Payment settings.

  • Click Add payment method and enter your card details.

  • Make sure this card is attached to the same WABA that is connected to SAGA, because this is where Meta will charge your WhatsApp message costs.

5) Create a WhatsApp template

If you do not have a template yet, you need to create one before sending broadcasts:

  1. Click Templates in the top navigation.

  2. Fill out the template details and click Save.

  3. Your template will then be sent to Meta for approval. You can only use it in broadcasts after it is approved.

6) Send a broadcast

  1. Go to Mailing Lists and create a contact list (manual or automatic).

    • Make sure all contacts have valid phone numbers.

  2. Go back to the WhatsApp page and select the approved template you want to send.

  3. Select the contact list from the list.

  4. Click Send.

  5. You can then review the broadcast status to see how the send performed.

7) View messages in the inbox

  • Go to the WhatsApp page in SAGA.

  • Click the Inbox button in the top-right corner to see all your WhatsApp conversations.

Common issues and checks

If something is not working as expected, check the following:

  • Make sure you connected to the correct WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and that it has a valid payment method added.

  • Turn off any ad blockers or popup blockers, as they can interfere with the Meta connection popup during setup.

  • Be aware that new WhatsApp Business accounts are often limited by Meta to around 250 messages per day initially, and these limits increase over time based on your account’s quality and volume.