When people said “the WhatsApp Business API,” they used to mean one of two things: the Cloud API that Meta hosts, or the On-Premises API businesses ran themselves. That choice is gone. Here is what happened and what it means for you.
The On-Premises API has been retired
The On-Premises API meant deploying Meta's API containers on your own servers. It gave some large companies control over hosting — and made them responsible for uptime, scaling, upgrades and security. Meta wound it down in favour of the Cloud API, and the final On-Premises client expired on 23 October 2025. It can no longer be used to send messages.
The Cloud API (hosted by Meta)
Meta runs the infrastructure; you call its endpoints over HTTPS. There's nothing to host or patch, and new features arrive there first. By default a number can send up to 80 messages per second, with automatic upgrades for the highest-volume businesses. Calling the API is free — you pay Meta for messaging (see pricing).
If you are still moving off On-Premises
- Your number and templates live in your WhatsApp Business account, which the Cloud API uses directly.
- Your code needs to call Meta's hosted endpoints with an access token instead of your own containers, and to receive webhooks from Meta.
- Your operations get lighter: no servers, no container upgrades.
Where walpio sits
walpio is built on the Cloud API, and adds the operational layer on top: 24-hour-window handling, template management, delivery tracking, signed callbacks and a team dashboard. You bring your own Meta account and number; we operate them through one send endpoint. Cloud API power, none of the plumbing.