Connect via WhatsApp Cloud API or personal QR device, send rich message types, and manage two-way conversations from the Inbox.
WhatsApp is the most feature-rich channel in Mersal — it supports rich message formats, two-way conversation handling, and two very different ways to connect depending on where you are in your business's growth.
Connection modes
- WhatsApp Cloud API — the official route, connected via Meta's embedded signup with a real WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). This is the production/enterprise path: it scales, and it's backed directly by Meta's infrastructure.
- Personal device via QR code — scan a QR code with WhatsApp on your phone, the same way you'd link WhatsApp Web. No Meta Business account required. This is built on Baileys, an open protocol implementation for WhatsApp Web, and it's the fastest way to get a real WhatsApp channel working — ideal for testing or getting started before you've set up an official Business Account.
Not sure which to use first? Start with the QR connection to send a real test message today, then move to the Cloud API once you're ready for production volume. See the step-by-step QR guide.
Message types
Mersal supports the full range of WhatsApp message formats:
- Text — plain text messages.
- Media — images, video, documents, and audio.
- Poll — native WhatsApp polls with multiple options.
- List — a tappable list of options presented as a message.
- Buttons — quick-reply buttons attached to a message.
- Interactive — structured interactive messages beyond simple buttons or lists.
- Location — share or request a location.
- Contact — send a contact card.
Inbox
Mersal includes a dedicated Inbox screen for two-way WhatsApp conversations — replies from customers land here, and you can read and respond to them directly, rather than only broadcasting outbound messages. This is what makes WhatsApp in Mersal a conversation channel, not just a campaign channel.
How it works under the hood
WhatsApp sending and receiving is handled by a dedicated Node.js gateway server responsible for session management (keeping your Cloud API or QR-linked connection alive) and for webhooks that carry inbound and outbound message events back into Mersal — which is how replies show up in the Inbox and how delivery statuses get updated in real time.
Sending programmatically
To send WhatsApp messages from your own backend instead of the dashboard, see the WhatsApp Send API reference.