Why Pay for WhatsApp Business API When an Open-Source Alternative Exists?
Over the past weekend, I went down a rabbit hole with WhatsApp automation — and it was fun.
Everyone knows the WhatsApp Business API is the official way to send bulk or automated messages, but it comes with costs, restrictions, and setup overhead. For small use cases or side projects, paying per message (and going through BSPs) just doesn’t feel right. That got me thinking: is there a simpler way?
That’s when I stumbled upon the Evolution API — an open-source project that connects your WhatsApp account to an API by leveraging WhatsApp Web under the hood.
And of course, I had to try it. 🚀
Setting It Up Was Surprisingly Simple
Here’s all it took:
- Deploy Evolution API on my server (or localhost).
- Connect my client to it.
- Scan the QR code, just like WhatsApp Web.
- Boom — I had an API for sending messages.
Within minutes, I was sending messages programmatically without paying for WhatsApp’s official API.
Building My Own Client on Top
While experimenting, I realized there were a few things missing for real use. So, I built a client on top of Evolution API that makes it much easier to work with.
Here’s what it can do:
- Manage WhatsApp sessions → Log in from unlimited devices without constantly rescanning QR codes.
- Send bulk messages → Upload a list of recipients and fire campaigns easily.
- Import contacts via CSV → No manual copy-paste pain.
- Use message templates → No need to rewrite the same messages again and again.
- Track campaigns & usage → See what’s going out and measure activity.
I originally built this to help a friend who was stuck sending repetitive messages manually. But along the way, I realized it could actually be useful for many more people.
Open-Sourcing the Project 🚀
I’ve now open-sourced the project on GitHub so anyone can use it, refine it, and hopefully make it better:
If you’ve been struggling with bulk messaging or want to automate repetitive WhatsApp workflows, this might save you a ton of time.
Why Bother When There’s the Official API?
That’s a fair question. For businesses that need compliance, scale, and reliability — the official WhatsApp Business API absolutely makes sense. It’s backed by Meta’s infrastructure, comes with SLAs, and keeps you within the rules.
But for small projects, side hustles, or just experimenting, the open-source route has huge advantages:
- No per-message fees.
- Full control over how it works.
- Freedom to experiment without vendor lock-in.
- The joy of using open-source and contributing back.
Shoutout to My Coding Buddies
Honestly, I couldn’t have done this so quickly without Claude + GitHub Copilot. They were like my pair-programming partners all weekend, helping me parse docs, stitch things together, and debug faster. Huge productivity boost. 🙌
What’s Next?
This isn’t meant to be a business or a polished SaaS product — just something I learned, built, and want to share with the community.
If you’ve ever experimented with WhatsApp automation or APIs, I’d love your feedback and ideas. Contributions are welcome on the repo!
💡 No SaaS. No extra costs. Just open-source tools working together.
Would this kind of setup help you with your messaging workflows?
