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WhatsApp Coexistence vs. API-Only

When you connect a WhatsApp number to SendSeven, you choose between two modes:

  • API mode -- the phone number is fully migrated to the WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API). The WhatsApp Business App on the phone is replaced by SendSeven as the only sender/receiver.
  • Coexistence mode -- the phone number is shared between the WhatsApp Business App and the Cloud API. Your team can keep using the familiar mobile app, and SendSeven receives and sends messages on the same number in parallel.

This guide explains how Coexistence works, what trade-offs you accept compared to API mode, and how to pick the right mode for your use case.

Quick Recommendation
  • Pick API mode if you run automation, bots, campaigns, multi-agent teams, or want full control over every conversation.
  • Pick Coexistence if a small team is already using the WhatsApp Business App on a phone, and you only want to add broadcasts, templates, or light automation on top of it.

How Coexistence Works​

Coexistence links a single WhatsApp Business phone number to both:

  1. The WhatsApp Business App running on your phone(s), and
  2. The WhatsApp Cloud API (which SendSeven uses).

Both sides share the same chat history. A message sent from a phone using the WhatsApp Business App is visible to SendSeven via webhooks (and shows up in the SendSeven Inbox). A message sent from SendSeven shows up in the WhatsApp Business App.

        Customer's WhatsApp
                |
                v
       WhatsApp Business Platform
                |
       +--------+---------+
       |                  |
       v                  v
WhatsApp Business App   Cloud API (SendSeven)
   (your phone)         (Inbox, automation, broadcasts)
       |                  |
       +--------+---------+
                |
        Shared chat history
        (synced both ways)

Up to 5 devices can be linked to the same number (1 primary phone with the WhatsApp Business App + up to 4 linked devices). SendSeven counts as one of those linked devices.

What Syncs​

ItemSyncs?Notes
Inbound text messagesYesVisible in both the app and SendSeven
Inbound media (image, audio, video, document)YesAvailable in both
Outbound text/media from the appYesLogged in SendSeven Inbox
Outbound text/media from SendSevenYesVisible in the app
Read receiptsYesSynced both directions
ReactionsYesSynced both directions
TemplatesAPI onlyCannot be sent from the WhatsApp Business App -- see Conversation Initiation
Broadcasts / campaignsAPI onlyUse SendSeven; the app's broadcast list feature is independent and not recommended
Group chatsNoCoexistence supports 1:1 chats only
WhatsApp Business App labelsLimitedApp-side labels don't map to SendSeven tags automatically
Quick replies stored in the appNoConfigure canned responses in SendSeven instead
Catalog / Pay / Calling featuresVariesSome features only work on one side -- check with your team

Conversation Initiation -- The Most Important Rule​

This is the single most common source of confusion in Coexistence mode.

WhatsApp's 24-hour customer service window applies to Coexistence exactly the same as to API mode:

  • Within an open 24-hour window: messages can be sent freely from either the WhatsApp Business App or SendSeven (API).
  • Outside the 24-hour window: only pre-approved template messages can re-engage the customer -- and templates can only be sent via the API, never from the WhatsApp Business App.
Customer last replied 25 hours ago -- window CLOSED
                    |
        +-----------+----------+
        |                      |
        v                      v
  WhatsApp Business App     SendSeven (API)
        |                      |
        |                      v
        |              Send a TEMPLATE
        |              -> Customer receives it
        |              -> Window REOPENS
        |
        v
  Type any free-form message
  -> Message FAILS to deliver
  -> No way to start a new chat

Practical Consequences​

ScenarioWhat worksWhat does not work
Customer messaged you 1 hour agoAgent types from the WhatsApp Business App OR SendSeven -- both workn/a
Customer messaged you 3 days agoSend a template via SendSeven API to re-open the windowTyping a free-form message from the WhatsApp Business App will not be delivered
Agent wants to proactively reach out to a customer who has never messagedSend a MARKETING or UTILITY template via SendSeven APIThe WhatsApp Business App cannot send the first message
Bulk outreach to 500 customersUse SendSeven campaigns with an approved templateThe WhatsApp Business App broadcast list is limited and not recommended
Train Your Team

The single biggest pitfall in Coexistence is agents trying to "start a new chat" from the WhatsApp Business App. Outside the 24-hour window, every new conversation must be initiated by an API template send. After the customer replies once, agents can continue freely from either side.

A workflow that handles this cleanly:

  1. Proactive outreach -- always done from SendSeven (template send, campaign, or flow).
  2. Customer replies -- the 24-hour window opens; the conversation appears in both the WhatsApp Business App and the SendSeven Inbox.
  3. Agent reply -- can be done from either side. Most teams pick one place (usually SendSeven, so chat history, tags, and assignments stay in one tool) and keep the WhatsApp Business App as a read-only backup.

Tradeoffs​

Coexistence -- Pros and Cons​

Pros

  • Keep the familiar app. Agents who already use the WhatsApp Business App on a phone don't need to learn a new tool.
  • No migration risk. Existing chat history stays on the phone; no loss of conversation context.
  • Fast to roll out. A team can start using SendSeven for templates and broadcasts in minutes without changing day-to-day workflows.
  • Offline capability. The WhatsApp Business App works on the phone even without internet on the desktop side.

Cons

  • No multi-agent. The WhatsApp Business App is single-user. If you have more than 1-2 agents, you'll either bottleneck on the phone or end up doing all real work in SendSeven anyway -- in which case API mode is cleaner.
  • No assignment, tags, SLAs in the app. All advanced inbox features (assignment, SLA timers, internal notes, tags, AI suggestions) are only available in SendSeven. If an agent answers from the app, none of that is captured.
  • Template confusion. As described above, the app cannot send templates. Agents need training.
  • Limited automation. Bots and flows can still run via the API, but anything an agent types in the app is invisible to the bot logic until it lands as a synced message in SendSeven.
  • No group chats (Coexistence does not support WhatsApp groups).
  • Phone dependency. The primary phone must stay online and unlocked enough to keep the linked devices working. If the phone goes offline for too long, the linked devices (including SendSeven) can disconnect.

API-Only -- Pros and Cons​

Pros

  • Full multi-agent inbox. Unlimited agents, with assignment, internal notes, tags, SLAs, AI, knowledge base, and reporting.
  • No phone dependency. Nothing runs on a physical device; the number is hosted by Meta's cloud.
  • Cleaner automation. Every inbound and outbound message goes through the same pipeline, so flows, bots, and webhooks see everything.
  • Single source of truth. All conversations, contacts, and history live in SendSeven.
  • Better for scale. Campaigns, broadcasts, opt-ins/opt-outs, and reporting are all native.

Cons

  • No WhatsApp Business App on the original phone. If a team is emotionally attached to the app, the change requires training and adoption work.
  • Chat history migration is limited. Some prior chat history from the app may not be importable; treat the migration date as a fresh start in SendSeven.
  • All agents work in the browser/desktop/mobile app of SendSeven, not in the native WhatsApp Business App.

Decision Matrix​

QuestionCoexistenceAPI-Only
Number of agents1 -- 21 -- unlimited
Need assignment, SLAs, tags, internal notes?Partially (only in SendSeven side)Yes (fully integrated)
Need bots / flows / AI?OK (works via API)Best (works on every message)
Need broadcasts / campaigns?Yes (via SendSeven API)Yes
Need WhatsApp groups?NoNo -- not supported by WA Business Platform
Team already uses WhatsApp Business App heavily?Strong fitRequires migration
Want a single source of truth for conversations?No -- split between app and SendSevenYes
Comfortable training agents on "templates only via SendSeven"?Requiredn/a

Quick Picker​

ProfileRecommendation
Solo founder using their own WhatsApp Business App, wants to add broadcasts and templatesCoexistence
2-3 agents on a shared phone, wants to add templates + light automationCoexistence (but consider API once team grows)
5+ agents, multiple shifts, SLA / reporting requirementsAPI-only
E-commerce business sending order updates, support, marketingAPI-only
Existing Cloud API integration on another platformAPI-only (migrate directly)
Heavy bot / flow / AI usageAPI-only
Compliance team that wants every message logged in one inboxAPI-only

Switching Modes Later​

You can switch from Coexistence to API-only at any time. The reverse (API-only -> Coexistence) requires Meta-side approval and is more disruptive, so most teams that are unsure start in Coexistence and migrate to API-only once the team grows.

When switching from Coexistence to API-only:

  1. Make sure all active conversations are handled.
  2. In SendSeven, change the channel mode (Settings > Channels > WhatsApp > Mode).
  3. The WhatsApp Business App on the phone will be unlinked.
  4. From that point on, the number is API-only -- the phone can no longer send or receive on it.

Pricing​

Coexistence is billed at the same WhatsApp conversation-based rates as API-only. The mode you choose does not affect Meta's per-conversation pricing. See the pricing page for the current rates.

Setting Up Coexistence​

Coexistence is configured during channel setup:

  1. Log in to SendSeven.
  2. Navigate to Settings > Channels > Add Channel > WhatsApp.
  3. Complete the Facebook Embedded Signup flow.
  4. When prompted, choose Coexistence (instead of API-only).
  5. Keep the WhatsApp Business App installed and online on the primary phone.
  6. After setup, SendSeven appears as a linked device on the phone (WhatsApp Business App > Settings > Linked Devices).

If your number is already API-only and you want to switch to Coexistence, contact [email protected] -- this requires a Meta-side migration.

FAQ​

Can agents answer from both the WhatsApp Business App and SendSeven? Yes, within the 24-hour window. Outside the window, only SendSeven can re-engage (with templates). We recommend picking one primary place to answer so chat ownership, tags, and SLAs are not split.

Will customers see "Sent from a desktop" or notice anything? No. From the customer's WhatsApp, everything looks like a normal conversation with your number.

What happens if my phone goes offline? WhatsApp keeps linked devices (including SendSeven) active for up to ~14 days without the primary phone, but reconnection requires the phone to come back online. For business-critical reliability, prefer API-only.

Do templates still need Meta approval in Coexistence? Yes. Template approval rules are identical -- see Understanding Templates.

Can I send the same template via the app? No. Templates can only be sent through the API. The WhatsApp Business App has its own "Message Templates" feature, but those are app-only quick-replies, not the regulated templates that re-open the 24-hour window.

Are group chats supported? No. WhatsApp Business Platform (both Coexistence and API-only) does not support group messaging.

Does Coexistence work with multi-tenant / multi-channel setups in SendSeven? Yes. Each WhatsApp channel can independently be in Coexistence or API mode.

Next Steps​