WhatSyncGREEN-API vs Whapi.Cloud: which WhatsApp gateway API to build on
GREEN-API vs Whapi.Cloud compared: free developer plans, per-instance pricing, SDKs, partner programmes, groups and channels.
· 6 min read
The quick answer
Both are QR-linked WhatsApp gateways billed per connected number, with no per-message fees.
- Free plan to build and test: GREEN-API
- Agencies reselling WhatsApp setups: GREEN-API's partner model
- Channels, communities and lots of tutorials: Whapi.Cloud
At a glance
| Decision | GREEN-API | Whapi.Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Developer: 3 chats, 1 instance | Sandbox with limits |
| Paid plan | Business, billed per instance; reported 690 RUB/month | $35/channel/month, $29 billed yearly |
| Annual offer | Reported 3 months free on annual | Lower monthly rate on annual |
| Reselling | Partner programme | Partner documentation |
| Connection | QR-linked WhatsApp account | QR-linked WhatsApp account |
Reported prices as of October 11, 2026. GREEN-API's paid price was only found in rubles; check the console for your currency.
First, know which kind of API you are buying
There are two ways to send WhatsApp messages from code. The official WhatsApp Business Platform from Meta needs a verified business, uses approved templates to start conversations and charges per message. The other way is a gateway that links to a normal WhatsApp account by QR code, the same way WhatsApp Web does, and exposes it as an HTTP API.
Every product in this comparison is the second kind. That is why they can offer flat monthly prices, unlimited messages, and group and channel features the official platform does not offer to most businesses. It is also why they carry a risk the official platform does not: WhatsApp can restrict or ban a number that it sees as automated. Use a dedicated number, keep volume human, and do not build a business on a number you cannot afford to lose.
Pricing
GREEN-API bills each instance, which is one connected number, separately. Its free Developer plan allows one instance that can talk to three chats, which is enough to build and test. The Business plan removes the limits; GREEN-API's own 2026 article lists it at 690 rubles a month with three months free on annual payment.
Whapi.Cloud lists $35 per channel per month, $29 on annual billing, with lower per-channel prices from six channels.
Ecosystem
GREEN-API maintains SDKs for several languages and actively recruits partners who connect businesses to WhatsApp and charge for it. Whapi.Cloud invests in documentation, a changelog and many tutorials for tools such as n8n and GoHighLevel, and supports groups, channels and communities.
Where WhatSync fits
If the reason you want an API is to let an AI agent read and answer WhatsApp, you may not need to build on a raw gateway at all. WhatSync's WhatsApp MCP server gives Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other MCP apps your chats as tools, with each send approved by you, on a linked number or the official Business API.
Questions
- Is GREEN-API free?
- The Developer plan is free but limited to three chats on one instance. Production use needs the paid Business plan for each number.
- Are GREEN-API and Whapi.Cloud official WhatsApp APIs?
- No. Both link a regular WhatsApp account by QR code. That allows flat pricing but carries a risk of the number being restricted.
Sources
Gathered on October 11, 2026 from vendor pages, app store listings and third-party reviews. Where sources disagreed we say so. WhatSync publishes this article and is not one of the two products compared. External links use nofollow.
- GREEN-API plans and pricing: Developer and Business plans, billed per instance.
- GREEN-API: how much is the WhatsApp Business API worth in 2026: Business plan price in rubles and the annual offer.
- Whapi.Cloud pricing: Per-channel price and volume tiers.
- Whapi.Cloud features: Groups, channels, communities and webhooks.
Keep reading
Want your WhatsApp chats in your CRM or your AI agent?
WhatSync puts WhatsApp conversations into Attio and lets Claude, ChatGPT and other AI apps read them and send approved replies. Use a linked number or the official Business API.