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META AND ACCOUNTS
WhatsApp On-Premises API (retired)
The WhatsApp On-Premises API was the original self-hosted WhatsApp Business API: a Docker-based client that BSPs and large businesses ran on their own servers to send and receive messages. Meta deprecated it in 2023 and switched it off fully in October 2025; the Cloud API is now the only supported option.
cloud apibspwaba
Why it matters
Most of the folklore about WhatsApp API being expensive, slow to set up and needing a BSP comes from the On-Premises era. Hosting, upgrades and scaling were the customer's or BSP's problem, which is why markups and setup fees were common. If a vendor or an old blog post still talks about hosting a WhatsApp client, the information predates the migration.
In VGraple CRM
VGraple CRM has only ever used the Cloud API, so there was no migration for our customers. Businesses moving from an On-Premises BSP keep their number by migrating it into a WABA in their own portfolio and reconnecting through Embedded Signup; the switching guide covers the steps.