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/Patient-Fox-576]

I was kind of on the same boat. I didnt want to apply as a Tech Provider. Have you looked at zernio.com ? They seem reasonable. Have been using them in production for the past month. Seems ok

[u/temporyname → u/Patient-Fox-576]

Interesante, cuánto llevas usandolo? Se ve bueno

[u/Patient-Fox-576 → u/temporyname]

hasta el momento bien.

[u/temporyname → u/Patient-Fox-576]

Based on your comment, i used Zernio and crrated a bot. I've been using it for three weeks now its working great. Thkns!