WhatsApp is the first channel customers in Egypt and the Gulf use to contact any business. The trouble is that manual replies don't scale: messages at night, the same questions again and again, and a customer who waits an hour and goes to a competitor. That is where a WhatsApp chatbot for business comes in — but not just any bot.
WhatsApp Business app or the WhatsApp Business API?
The WhatsApp Business app is free and good for getting started: a greeting message, saved quick replies and a simple catalogue. But it lives on one phone, has no real AI and no way to share the work across a team.
The WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) is Meta's official solution for companies: several team members on one number, connections to your systems, approved message templates, and an AI agent that replies on its own. And you can now run both on the same number with Coexistence — see WhatsApp Business API and the app on the same number (Coexistence): the full guide.
Rules to know before you start
- The 24-hour window: after a customer's last message you have 24 hours to reply freely. After that, only approved templates are allowed.
- Templates: pre-written messages Meta reviews before use, in categories (marketing, utility, authentication). Their price depends on the category and country — check Meta's official pricing page.
- Consent: marketing messages go only to people who agreed to receive them, and they must be able to stop them easily.
"Auto-reply" vs "AI agent"
A classic bot runs on menus and keywords: "type 1 for prices". The moment a customer writes something outside the script, it breaks. An AI agent understands the message as written — even in dialect or Franco-Arabic — and answers from your business information. We compare them in detail in Classic chatbot vs AI agent — which one fits your business?.
What a good WhatsApp bot must do
- Answer from your information only: your prices, hours and policies, never made up.
- Understand dialects and Franco-Arabic: "3ayez a7gez" must be understood like "I want to book".
- Finish the job: book an appointment, send a payment link, answer "where is my order?" from your store.
- Hand over at the right time: an upset customer or a sensitive request goes to your team at once.
- Send the right media: the menu, catalogue or product photos when asked.
- Learn and improve: log the questions it couldn't answer so you can add the answers.
Get started in 10 minutes
- Create an aref.ai account — start your free trial.
- Paste your website link or upload your files (menu, price list, FAQ). The agent reads them and drafts its own instructions.
- Test the agent in "Try your agent" before it talks to any customer.
- Connect your WhatsApp number in one click through Meta's embedded signup.
What does it cost?
There are two parts: the platform subscription (see the pricing page) and Meta's fees for any templates you send. Replies to customer messages inside the 24-hour window are most of customer service.
The bottom line
A successful WhatsApp bot doesn't just answer faster — it answers correctly and takes the next step: a booking, a payment, or a hand-off to a person. If you run a clinic, restaurant or store, see how aref.ai works in the industries page.