WasenderAPI alternative: how WaAPI compares
WaAPI caps new conversations on every number you link — 20 an hour, 60 a day — so a script that loops or a wrong import can’t message hundreds of strangers in an afternoon. Replies and groups never count. It costs more: $10 a number, against $4.50 to $6 at WasenderAPI (less billed yearly).
$10 per number / month · No per-message fees · Cancel anytime
Send protection
A safety net on every number you link
In our experience, numbers get restricted less for how much they send than for how many of their messages go to people who never wrote to them. WaAPI’s send protection limits exactly that, on every number you link, by default.
Where it comes from
It rests on years of running numbers for customers and on our own analysis of numbers that got restricted. What they had in common was not volume — most sent less than many numbers that never were — but a large share of messages to people who had never written to them. A limit on volume or speed does not see that pattern; a limit on new conversations is aimed at it.
What it does
Every number you link starts with a cap of 20 new conversations an hour and 60 a day, plus a short pause between messages. Whether someone has written to you is read from the number’s own chats. Replies to people who wrote first and messages to groups and channels never count. A message over the cap is not sent: the API says why and when the next one can go, and queued sends try again by themselves.
What it saves you from
A script that loops, a wrong import or a campaign sent from the wrong number cannot reach hundreds of strangers in an afternoon. There is no cap on how many messages go to people who wrote to you. Need more new conversations? Switch the protection off for one number after a warning, at your own risk.
Compared with WasenderAPI: its enforced limits are on speed — up to 256 send requests a minute per session, or one every five seconds with Account Protection, a setting chosen per session. Its terms require each recipient’s consent and its help centre advises letting new contacts write first, but nothing in its API counts new contacts. No limit can rule out a restriction; WaAPI’s is aimed at the pattern we see behind them.
As of November 2026, read on each provider’s own pages. Sources: Rate limits · Session settings · Terms · Help: compliance
The difference
What else the higher price pays for
More of the app through the API
WasenderAPI’s docs list sending to channels, webhooks for channel posts and incoming calls, and automatic call rejection; its “Channels (Communities)” section lists one endpoint, sending to a channel, and there are none for status or labels. WaAPI creates, lists, follows and searches channels, assigns chat labels and, in beta, manages communities, posts status updates and places and answers calls.
Built for AI agents
Both host an MCP server. WasenderAPI’s runs on paid plans and signs in with a personal access token; its docs list over 40 tools. WaAPI’s has 142 tools, and an agent in Claude or Cursor signs in with your account — no token to copy. Once switched on for a number, WaAPI also sends and checks verification codes for you.
QR code or pairing code
WasenderAPI links by QR code, or by passkey through a browser extension; its help centre says pairing-code linking is not supported. WaAPI links by QR code or pairing code — a code typed on the phone, so nobody has to hold the phone up to the screen that shows the QR code.
At a glance
What each price buys
Both send and receive messages, manage groups and link a number that already runs the app, and each has extras the other lacks — view-once sending, for one, is WasenderAPI’s. The main differences lie in what the sending limits cover by default, how much of the app the API reaches, and the tools around it.
|
WasenderAPI
Independent, own number by QR or passkey
|
WaAPI
Independent · flat rate
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Price per number | $6 a month for 1 number, $15 for 3, $30 for 6, $45 for 10 ($6 down to $4.50 per number); 15% less billed yearly; custom prices above 10 | $10 a month for every number |
| Sending limits | 256 send requests a minute per session, no daily cap on sending. Account Protection, a setting chosen per session: 1 send request every 5 seconds | On by default for new numbers: 1–2 s between messages, 20 new conversations an hour, 60 a day per number; can be switched off |
| Channels and communities | Sends to channels and receives channel posts by webhook; no channel management. Its “Channels (Communities)” section has no endpoint that creates or manages a community | Channels: create, list, subscribe, search. Communities in beta: create, link groups, announcements |
| Status, labels, calls | Status and labels not in the docs. Calls: a webhook for incoming calls and automatic rejection | Status posts in beta; labels on chats; calls in beta: start, accept, reject, call links |
| AI agents | Hosted MCP server on paid plans, signed in with a personal access token; over 40 tools in its docs | Hosted MCP server with 142 tools, signed in from Claude or Cursor with your account; built-in verification codes |
| SDKs and integrations | Node.js, Python, Laravel; its own n8n community node; Make through Make’s HTTP module; Zapier through Zapier’s webhooks (blog guide) | PHP, Laravel, Python, Node.js; its own n8n community node; a Zapier app in early access |
| How it connects | A session on its servers that works like the browser version of the app. Linked by QR code, or by passkey through a browser extension; no pairing code | A session on our servers that works like the browser version of the app. Linked by QR code or pairing code |
| Messages and groups | Text, media, documents, stickers, contacts, location, polls, reactions, quoted replies, mentions, view-once, edits, deletes; group management | Text, media (also as document or sticker), contacts, location, polls, reactions, replies, mentions, edits, deletes, forwards; group management including join requests |
| Included | Every plan on its pricing page: no cap on contacts or daily messages, no per-message fee, webhooks, an MCP server and priority support; the plans differ in the number of numbers | Messages and media with no quota and no per-message fee, webhooks, MCP server |
| Free option | 3 days free without a card (up to 7 on request): 1 message a minute, 50 a day; MCP server not included | Test free for 3 days without a card: 15 actions every 5 minutes; text and media go only to your own test number; MCP server included |
As of November 2026, read on each provider’s own pages. Sources: WasenderAPI pricing · Home · Rate limits · Session settings · API docs · MCP · Help: n8n · Help: Make · Blog: Zapier · Help: how a session runs · Connecting a session · Help: linking · Help: free period limits
WasenderAPI pricing
$4 to $5.50 more per number a month
WasenderAPI is cheaper at every plan size. It sells plans of 1, 3, 6 and 10 numbers and quotes custom prices above that; WaAPI charges $10 per number with no tiers. Billed yearly, WasenderAPI takes another 15% off; its yearly prices are shown per month, as it lists them, and are paid for the year up front.
| Numbers | WasenderAPI plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly | WaAPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic | $6 / month | $5.10 / month | $10 / month |
| 3 | Pro | $15 / month | $12.75 / month | $30 / month |
| 6 | Plus | $30 / month | $25.50 / month | $60 / month |
| 10 | Business | $45 / month | $38.25 / month | $100 / month |
As of November 2026, read on each provider’s own pages. Sources: WasenderAPI pricing
Which one fits
WasenderAPI or WaAPI?
When WasenderAPI is the better choice
- The price per number matters most: $4.50 to $6 a month, 15% less billed yearly.
- Messages and groups are all you need, and you’d rather manage sending limits yourself.
When WaAPI fits better
- You want new conversations capped by default, not only a send rate per session.
- You need channel management or chat labels, or communities, status posts and placing or answering calls (in beta).
- You build with AI agents, or need verification codes, a plain PHP SDK or pairing-code linking.
Test free for 3 days · No credit card.
See why our customers are excited
Trusted by developers worldwide to elevate their apps
Overall we are very happy with the reliability and general service.
Dan M.
CTO
Good and affordable. Uptime is good compared to similar services.
Ranjid E.
CEO
Great tool to send marketing campaigns, would recommend for anyone in need of a reliable service.
Daniel M.
Senior Backend Developer
Switching
Moving from WasenderAPI
- 1. Unlink the number from WasenderAPI. Disconnect the session there and remove it under Linked devices on the phone; the account behind the number stays as it is. Create a WaAPI instance and link the same number by QR code or pairing code.
- 2. Move the webhook. WasenderAPI keeps one webhook URL and event list per session; WaAPI keeps them per instance. Enter your endpoint there and translate the event names and fields your handler reads in one place.
- 3. Swap the calls. Text, media, contacts, locations, polls and reactions each have a WaAPI action. Check anything else you use against the action list before you cut over.
curl --request POST \
--url https://waapi.app/api/v1/instances/123/client/action/send-message \
--header 'authorization: Bearer your-api-token' \
--header 'content-type: application/json' \
--data '{
"chatId": "[email protected]",
"message": "Your table for four is booked for Friday at 7 pm."
}'<?php
$instanceId = 123;
$apiToken = 'your-api-token';
$ch = curl_init("https://waapi.app/api/v1/instances/{$instanceId}/client/action/send-message");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_POST => true,
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
'authorization: Bearer ' . $apiToken,
'content-type: application/json',
],
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
'chatId' => '[email protected]',
'message' => 'Your table for four is booked for Friday at 7 pm.',
]),
]);
echo curl_exec($ch);import requests
instance_id = 123
api_token = "your-api-token"
response = requests.post(
f"https://waapi.app/api/v1/instances/{instance_id}/client/action/send-message",
headers={"authorization": f"Bearer {api_token}"},
json={
"chatId": "[email protected]",
"message": "Your table for four is booked for Friday at 7 pm.",
},
)
print(response.json())const instanceId = 123;
const apiToken = 'your-api-token';
fetch(`https://waapi.app/api/v1/instances/${instanceId}/client/action/send-message`, {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
authorization: `Bearer ${apiToken}`,
'content-type': 'application/json',
},
body: JSON.stringify({
"chatId": "[email protected]",
"message": "Your table for four is booked for Friday at 7 pm.",
}),
})
.then((res) => res.json())
.then(console.log);Limits
Limits and sending safely
There is no cap on how many messages you send. In our experience, what gets numbers restricted is contacting many people who never wrote to you — so send protection is on by default for every new number.
What counts as a new conversation: a person who has never written to your number and whom you have not messaged in the last 7 days. Replies to people who wrote to you first and messages to groups and channels never count, and a follow-up within those 7 days doesn’t count twice.
Need more? Spread new contacts across several numbers, or switch send protection off for a number after confirming the warning — at your own risk.
Flat rate, simple
No message quota and no per-message fees; new contacts are paced by send protection. Media, groups, channels, SDKs and MCP included. Cancel anytime.
- No per-message fees
- No per-user fees
- No setup fee
- Cancel anytime
WasenderAPI vs. WaAPI: questions
Price, linking and which product this page means.
-
In November 2026 WasenderAPI listed $6 a month for one number, $15 for three, $30 for six and $45 for ten, with 15% off billed yearly; WaAPI costs $10 per connected number. For the difference, WaAPI caps new conversations by default, manages channels, assigns chat labels, runs communities, status posts and calls in beta, links by pairing code and hosts an MCP server with 142 tools that agents in Claude or Cursor sign in to with your account.
-
Because, in our experience and in our own analysis of numbers that were restricted, restrictions follow less from volume or speed than from many messages to people who never wrote. Every number you link starts with 20 new conversations an hour and 60 a day; replies, groups and channels never count, and the protection can be switched off per number after a warning.
-
Yes, if the person has never written to your number and you have not messaged them in the last 7 days. Whether someone has written is read from the number’s own chats, not only from messages sent through WaAPI. Up to 20 such messages go out an hour and 60 a day per number; above that a message is not sent, the API says why and when the next one can go, and queued sends try again by themselves. If a flow needs more, you can switch the protection off for that number after a warning.
-
For a paid number, WaAPI emails you when it goes offline and again after 24 and 72 hours if it stays offline, and your webhook receives a disconnected event.
-
Test free for 3 days without a card, on your own number, with up to 15 actions every 5 minutes. The MCP server works during the test too, under the same limits, so you can try an agent before you pay.
-
No. This page compares WasenderAPI at wasenderapi.com, a hosted API service. Desktop programs and browser extensions from other makers with similar names are separate products and are not compared here.
-
On WaAPI, yes — by QR code or pairing code. WasenderAPI’s help centre says pairing-code linking is not supported; it links by QR code, or by passkey through a browser extension.
-
Yes. Disconnect the session on WasenderAPI, remove it under Linked devices on the phone, and link the number to a WaAPI instance; the account behind it stays the same.
Try WaAPI on your own number before you pay anything
Test free for 3 days · No credit card.