WhatsApp chatbot: what it does, what it costs and how to build one
A WhatsApp chatbot replies to messages sent to your business number. Give it facts to answer questions, and criteria if it should spot a qualified buyer.
ManySetter teamUpdated 9 min read
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Chapter 01The basics
What can a WhatsApp chatbot actually do?
A simple bot follows buttons and set paths. An AI chatbot reads free text and answers from your facts. A sales setter also qualifies: what to ask next, when to offer a call, when a person steps in.
For a service business, a useful first conversation looks like this:
- 01MessageTo your number
- 02One question“What do you need?”
- 03Answer savedNeed, timing, fit
- 04Right informationOr support
- 05Next stepA call when it fits
Service business
Qualify inbound inquiries and offer a call when it fits.
Ecommerce
Answer delivery questions and route order issues.
Coach or consultant
Learn the person’s goal, timing and fit with your offer.
Support first, not a pitch
Someone asking for help with an order gets support, not a sales pitch. Build around the job your customers are trying to get done.
Chapter 02Decide
An imported FAQ isn’t qualification
Most WhatsApp chatbots blur three things. Keep them apart: each needs its own input and its own test.
What each layer needs, and how to test it
| Layer | You provide | It lets the bot | Test it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imported FAQYou provide: Your real answers: prices, hours, delivery, refundsIt lets the bot: Answer a question with your factsTest it with: A question the FAQ doesn’t cover | Your real answers: prices, hours, delivery, refunds | Answer a question with your facts | A question the FAQ doesn’t cover |
| Brand rulesYou provide: Tone, length, words to avoid, topics for a personIt lets the bot: Answer the way your team wouldTest it with: A rude or off-topic message | Tone, length, words to avoid, topics for a person | Answer the way your team would | A rude or off-topic message |
| QualificationYou provide: Who you sell to, who you don’t, when to offer a callIt lets the bot: Ask the next question, then book or hand offTest it with: One lead who fits, one who doesn’t | Who you sell to, who you don’t, when to offer a call | Ask the next question, then book or hand off | One lead who fits, one who doesn’t |
The first two layers make a bot that answers well. The third turns an answer into a sales decision: that’s the job of a setter, on top of the same facts.
Buttons suit set choices; free text needs AI within your rules. Manychat’s own AI Step (opens in a new tab) runs on WhatsApp. Comparing AI chatbots? Run the six tests in how to evaluate a WhatsApp AI chatbot.
Start simple
Launch a rule-based flow first. Add AI or qualification where real conversations show the path breaking. Compare every WhatsApp automation setup.
Chapter 03Setup
WhatsApp Business App or Business Platform?
WhatsApp Business App
Basic business tools, like greeting and away messages, on your phone.
WhatsApp Business Platform
What a full chatbot runs on: flow builder, team inbox and integrations. Manychat connects your number to it.
Before you connect an existing number, check:
- The connection method and account permissions
- What happens to your WhatsApp Business App and its features
- Where your team will answer incoming chats
- That past chat history won’t transfer into Manychat
Instagram isn’t WhatsApp consent
WhatsApp can be a separate channel in a Manychat journey, but someone who messaged you on Instagram hasn’t agreed to WhatsApp follow-ups.
Official sources: choosing how to connect WhatsApp (opens in a new tab) and transferring your own number (opens in a new tab).
Chapter 04Build
How to build a WhatsApp chatbot in six steps
Pick one outcome
Answer a recurring question, qualify inbound inquiries or book suitable calls. Write down what a person would do after reading the chat. No next action? Don’t collect more data.
Connect your business number
Use an official WhatsApp Business Platform route. In Manychat, choose between an existing and a new number, and check plan eligibility, admin access and the impact on your Business App workflow.
Create a simple entry flow
Start from an inbound message with a short welcome and two choices: “Hi, thanks for messaging [Business]. Is this about an existing purchase or working together?” Buttons: Existing customer, Work together.
Ask one qualifying question
On the sales branch: “What are you hoping to improve in the next three months?” Let people answer in their own words, and save the reply only if it helps your sales process. No long quiz.
Route the conversation
Support goes to the right person or knowledge base. A matching prospect gets the next question or a booking option. An unclear answer gets a clarifying question. A request for a person reaches a live agent, with the history.
Test the whole path
With a real test number, check the welcome, a free-text reply, an unknown question, the handoff, the booking link, the opt-out and a chat that resumes after the window. Review the inbox, not just the preview.
Chapter 05Template
A short qualification script to adapt
- Customer
Hi, I saw your post. Can you help me?
- Bot
Happy to help. Is this about [offer], or support with something you bought?
- Customer
I want help getting more calls.
- Bot
Got it. What happens after someone messages your business today?
- Customer
I try to reply manually, but I miss people.
- Bot
That helps. About how many new conversations come in during a typical week?
- Next action
Share a resource, hand off or invite to a call, based on the need
Swap the offer and the questions for your business. Don’t offer a booking before you know what the person needs.
Chapter 06Check
Check the facts before it answers
An automated answer is only as good as the facts behind it. Before any reply goes live, check each one against your source:
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Run each from a test number and read the reply as a customer would. Check again after any price or policy change.
Chapter 07Rules
The WhatsApp rules that shape your bot
- 01Customer messages youOpens the 24-hour window
- 02Reply freelyNo template needed
- 03They reply againThe 24 hours restart
- 04Window closesApproved template only
- 05You start a chatTemplate and permission
A phone number isn’t consent
A number in your CRM doesn’t allow a promotional WhatsApp sequence. Keep a clear opt-in, an easy way to stop messages and a quick route to a person.
Templates in Manychat
Outside the window, pick an approved template where your plan and wallet allow it. Check its category, approval status, destination and cost before you schedule a reminder or follow-up.
Rules and eligibility change. Official sources: WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (opens in a new tab), messaging windows (opens in a new tab) and WhatsApp templates in Manychat (opens in a new tab).
ManySetter
Turn WhatsApp chats into booked calls.
An AI setter on top of your Manychat flows. It answers from your offer and books the call when your criteria are met.
- Keeps your Manychat flows
- Qualifies with your criteria
- Books a call or hands off
Build and test free · Manychat billed separately
Chapter 08Budget
What does a WhatsApp chatbot cost?
Budget for three separate pieces:
Chatbot software
The tool’s subscription, by plan and seats.
Message charges
Billed by WhatsApp, by market and message category.
AI and integrations
Usage your provider may bill separately.
Setup or migration can add work. Don’t compare tools on the monthly headline: estimate inbound chats, template sends, follow-ups and inbox seats.
Check pricing when you publish
Manychat’s WhatsApp pricing guide (opens in a new tab) flags a service-message billing change on October 1, 2026. Check WhatsApp’s live pricing and your provider’s page before you commit.
Then test any WhatsApp chatbot software in a trial. Can it:
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Only need quick replies? A no-code flow may be enough. Sales depend on qualification? Compare lead state, handoff and confirmed calls, not message counts.