API Alerts 2.0 is in final testing. This page describes the full 2.0 product. Today we deliver push notifications; Slack, SMS, WhatsApp, email, and webhooks roll out with 2.0. See what's coming →
WhatsApp Alerts
Deliver event notifications via WhatsApp to your team members. Rich messaging, global reach, and significantly lower costs than SMS.
WhatsApp goes only to workspace members who have personally verified their own phone number. There is no way to send WhatsApp messages to external phone numbers, contact lists, or any number that hasn’t been verified by its owner.
How it works
WhatsApp is a first-party integration powered by Twilio. API Alerts handles the delivery. No Twilio or WhatsApp Business account needed.
- Add an SMS/WhatsApp destination to a router in your workspace
- Team members set their preference to WhatsApp in their account settings
- Events matching the router’s pattern trigger WhatsApp messages to those members
WhatsApp and SMS share the same destination configuration. The delivery channel is determined by each team member’s preference.
Team members need a verified phone number on their account to receive WhatsApp messages.
Why WhatsApp over SMS
| SMS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$0.005–0.05/msg globally | $0.008–0.08/msg (varies by country) |
| Rich content | Formatted messages | Plain text only |
| Reliability | Delivered via internet | Carrier-dependent |
| Global reach | Consistent pricing worldwide | Expensive internationally |
WhatsApp is the default preference for team members because of its lower cost and richer formatting.
SMS or WhatsApp
Team members choose their preferred channel in account settings. The SMS destination respects this preference unless the Enforce SMS toggle is enabled, which overrides all members to receive SMS regardless.
Pricing
WhatsApp is pay-as-you-go and works on every plan, including Free. It shares the same workspace SMS balance, with no separate WhatsApp allowance. Every account starts with $25 of credit ($5 drawn into each workspace), with top-ups available from the billing page. WhatsApp messages typically cost less per send than SMS, so the same balance goes further.
Get started
- Open your workspace in the dashboard
- Navigate to a router and add an SMS/WhatsApp destination
- Team members set their preference to WhatsApp in account settings
- Team members verify their phone numbers