What is WhatsApp live chat on a website?
WhatsApp live chat is a click-to-chat widget on your website. A visitor clicks a button and WhatsApp opens (Web on desktop, the app on mobile) with your number pre-loaded and an optional pre-filled message. The conversation happens inside WhatsApp, not in a chat window on your site. That means the visitor keeps the message history on their own phone, and you can reply from any device where you're signed into WhatsApp.
Do I need WhatsApp Business API for live chat?
No. The click-to-chat handoff works with any WhatsApp number: regular WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business (the free app), or a Business API number. The Business API is only necessary if you want to send automated messages at scale, use templates, or run outbound campaigns. For live chat where visitors initiate the conversation, no BSP contract is needed.
Does WhatsApp live chat work on desktop?
Yes. When a desktop visitor clicks your WhatsApp button, the browser opens web.whatsapp.com with your number pre-loaded. If the visitor has scanned the WhatsApp Web QR code with their phone at any point, they land straight in the chat. If not, they scan the QR code once and continue. On mobile, clicking the button opens the WhatsApp app directly.
Can multiple agents reply to WhatsApp live chat?
Not with the basic WhatsApp app - one WhatsApp number = one device signed in at a time (WhatsApp Business supports up to 4 linked devices). If you want multiple agents replying from the same number simultaneously, you need a shared inbox on top of WhatsApp. Boei's shared inbox handles this: multiple agents see the same WhatsApp conversations, claim them, and reply from a unified interface. No lost messages, no double-replies.
What is the difference between WhatsApp live chat and website live chat?
Website live chat happens inside a chat widget on your page. The visitor stays on the site; the conversation lives in your database. WhatsApp live chat hands off to WhatsApp: the conversation lives on the visitor's phone and continues even after they close your website. WhatsApp usually has higher engagement (the visitor already trusts the app) and better follow-up (you can message them again), but website chat is better for anonymous browsing and for visitors who don't have WhatsApp. Boei supports both from the same widget.
Is WhatsApp live chat free?
The click-to-chat link itself is free (WhatsApp doesn't charge for wa.me links). Boei offers a free tier for the basic WhatsApp button widget. AI auto-reply, shared inbox, multi-channel, and CRM start at $19/month.
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