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WhatsApp Tech Provider Program Overview


Twilio, in partnership with Meta, has introduced the WhatsApp Tech Provider Program to simplify WhatsApp onboarding for Independent Software Vendors ("ISVs"). This program allows ISVs to:

  • Allow your client businesses to onboard fully self service to WhatsApp without any manual effort by Twilio or the ISV
  • Access your client businesses' WhatsApp Business Accounts within Meta's system
  • Register WhatsApp Senders programmatically with the Twilio Senders API
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Existing ISVs: Guided Onboarding support ending December 31, 2024.

If you had previously onboarded client businesses to WhatsApp with Twilio using Guided Onboarding, you may continue to register WhatsApp Senders for existing and new client businesses using that process until December 31, 2024.

Twilio recommends adopting the Tech Provider Program to efficiently continue registering WhatsApp Senders for your client businesses.

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We estimate the time to complete the integration and start onboarding client businesses is 3-8 weeks. See more details below.


How client businesses will onboard to WhatsApp

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By completing the Tech Provider Program, your client businesses will onboard to WhatsApp using Meta's WhatsApp Embedded Signup product. Twilio uses the same WhatsApp Embedded Signup within the Twilio Console to power WhatsApp Self Sign-up for direct customers onboarding their own brand.

It is fully self service and client businesses can onboard a WhatsApp Sender directly from your website in 5-10 minutes.

  1. Client business will choose the phone number that they wish to use on WhatsApp (unless you assign numbers automatically). The WhatsApp Tech Provider Program supports both Twilio phone numbers and non-Twilio phone numbers (i.e. bringing your own phone number, or BYON) on WhatsApp.

  2. Client business will click the "Login with Facebook" button within your UI and the Embedded Signup popup window will launch.

  3. In the popup window, they will follow Meta's flow and complete the following:

  • Create or select a Meta Business Portfolio
  • Create a WhatsApp Business Account ("WABA") or select the existing one if onboarding an additional number
  • If using a Twilio voice-only or non-Twilio phone number they will need to verify ownership of the phone number with Meta by entering in an OTP sent by either SMS or Voice
  1. Once they complete the flow within the Meta popup window, it will close and you will register their WhatsApp Sender using the Twilio Senders API.

Please note that all existing Meta phone number limits(link takes you to an external page) apply.


Overview of the integration requirements for ISVs

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At a high level, you will need to:

  • Register as a Meta developer and create a Meta App within Meta's app dashboard
  • Add the Facebook SDK and WhatsApp Embedded Signup code to your website
  • Integrate with the Twilio Senders API

Once you complete the pre-requisites below, use the full step-by-step WhatsApp Tech Provider Program Integration Guide which includes in detail how to complete the technical integration.

We do not recommend Meta's Tech Provider documentation(link takes you to an external page) as certain steps are not relevant for Twilio ISVs.


1. Register a WhatsApp Sender for your own company using Self Sign-up

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We strongly recommend completing WhatsApp onboarding for your company using the Self Sign-up process in your Twilio account before onboarding your customers to WhatsApp. This not only ensures you are familiar with the WhatsApp Business Platform basics, but enables your Meta Business Portfolio to be eligible to go through Meta's Business Verification.

2. Fill out the WhatsApp Tech Provider request form

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Let the Twilio WhatsApp onboarding team know you are adopting the WhatsApp Tech Provider Program by filling out the request access form(link takes you to an external page).

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After filling out the form, you do not need to wait before continuing to the next steps. After you submit the form, the Twilio WhatsApp onboarding team will create a support ticket to help guide you through the process within 3 business days.

Please note this is a required step as later in the process Twilio will need to send you a "Partner Solution" request within Meta's app dashboard for you to accept.

3. Complete Meta Business Verification

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Before a company can participate in the Tech Provider Program, Meta requires all businesses to be verified by successfully completing Business Verification.

  1. Go to Business Manager Settings > Security Center(link takes you to an external page) and click "Start Verification". If it states that your business is not eligible for Verification, then complete WhatsApp Self Sign-up for your company first.
  2. You will need to provide business documents to verify your company's name, email, address and/or phone number.

Learn more and view Meta's documentation on Business Verification and accepted documents(link takes you to an external page).

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Meta's processing time for business verification varies per region and can take up to 2-4 weeks.

4. Register as a Meta Developer

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You will need to register as a Meta Developer if you have not created a Meta App before. See Meta's Register as a Meta Developer(link takes you to an external page) documentation for more information.

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