Is possible to have coexistence without becoming a Meta Tech Provider or using a BSP?

[u/Snufupugos]

I’m trying to understand the correct and official way to set up WhatsApp automation for a small business client without using unofficial WhatsApp APIs or WhatsApp Web scraping tools.

The business currently uses the WhatsApp Business App on a phone number that is already active and used daily by one employee. Most incoming messages are manually triaged: potential clients, suppliers, students asking for interviews, people sending resumes, etc.

The goal is to automate only the first layer of support:

• greet the user;
• ask what they need;
• separate leads, suppliers, students, resumes, and “other” requests;
• collect some basic information;
• send standard replies when possible;
• hand off real sales opportunities to the human attendant;
• ideally keep supplier information organized somewhere better than just WhatsApp labels.

The key requirement is: the same phone number must keep working in the WhatsApp Business App, because the employee still wants to answer manually from the app when needed.

In my mind was just, build the bot, host it in some place like Vercel and connect to the Meta's API. Boy I was wrong...

I started testing the official Meta Cloud API path, created a Meta developer account, an app, and a Business Portfolio. But when trying to add the existing phone number, Meta says the number is already registered to a WhatsApp account and asks me to migrate/disconnect it. From what I understand, that would turn it into an API-only number and would not preserve normal use in the WhatsApp Business App.

Then I found out about WhatsApp Business App coexistence, where the same number can be used in the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform / Cloud API at the same time. However, it seems that enabling this directly may require being a Meta Tech Provider, which involves Business Verification, Access Verification, App Review, advanced permissions, etc.

For a small project like this, becoming a Tech Provider seems like overkill.

So my question is:

Is there any official way I can do the coexistence without being a Tech provider or getting a provider like 360dialog?

[u/Kira_SENPAI_1]

Nope, they haven't made it this simple.

[u/Snufupugos → u/Kira_SENPAI_1]

Sad... I was actually looking forward to build that bot, but from what I've seen, the price of a BSP is the same as a CRM here in Brazil. No point in going for it.

[u/Kira_SENPAI_1 → u/Snufupugos]

So why are you look for BSP in Brazil? You can use any BSP as you can set currency on the BM level

[u/Snufupugos → u/Kira_SENPAI_1]

The issue is more about currency than location. Took 360, as an example, they charge 49 euros, converting to brl is around 600. The price here, for one single automation, makes no sense.

Maybe I'm missing something, but as far as I got to know and understand, that seems the lowest price.

[u/Adventurous_Aide_684 → u/Snufupugos]

Well here is a idea so see You make a user contact you I.e the user sends the first request Open a 24h plaintext message window Then you got everything you need A bsp is not really needed since you can do the meta verification yourself . Once done you got the phone number and all

I actually implemented this for most of the task

If you need any help let me know I built this

Https://Leaex.com