Every festival season, sellers get their WhatsApp number restricted in the exact week they need it most. It is almost always avoidable. Here is how the limits actually work — app and API — in plain language.
By the Manva team · Last checked 2026-08-13
Two different WhatsApps, two different rule books
1. WhatsApp Business app (the free one on your phone)
A broadcast list sends to at most 256 contacts.
Your message only reaches people who have saved your number in their phone. This is the rule most sellers don't know — half a typical list never receives anything.
Send too many identical messages to people who haven't saved you, and the spam filters can restrict your number without warning.
2. WhatsApp Business API (what platforms like Manva use)
No "saved contact" requirement — approved template messages reach everyone who opted in.
Sending capacity comes in tiers: new numbers start around 250 unique customers per 24 hours, then 1,000 → 10,000 → 100,000. You climb a tier by sending to about half your current limit within a week while keeping quality good.
Marketing messages need pre-approved templates and are paid per message (Meta's per-message charges in India are typically well under ₹1 for marketing messages; utility messages are cheaper — check Meta's current rate card, they revise it).
The quality score — the thing that actually bites
Meta scores every sending number: green (high), yellow (medium), red (low). The score falls when people block or report you, and when messages go unread in bulk. What happens next:
Yellow: your sending tier can be frozen or reduced — mid-campaign.
Red: marketing templates can be paused entirely. During Diwali week, this is a business emergency.
Roughly speaking, if more than ~2% of recipients report you, expect trouble. The fix is unglamorous: send less, send better, only to people who said yes.
Opt-in: the only safe list is a permission list
Three compliant ways to build your list:
A checkout checkbox: "Send me order updates and offers on WhatsApp."
An explicit YES reply to an opt-in message.
A website popup or link-in-bio form with clear wording.
Never buy lists. Bought lists are exactly the people who will report you, and reports are what kill numbers.
How often to send
Our standing recommendation, unchanged across every guide we publish: 2–3 broadcasts per week to the same audience, up to 4–5 only in a genuine festival week. Daily content belongs on WhatsApp Status (unlimited, no quality risk) — not in broadcasts. The full seasonal sending plan is in the Diwali 2026 campaign calendar.
Growing your limit before the season
Start sending useful (not salesy) broadcasts in September — order updates, restock alerts, one weekly digest.
Keep read rates healthy by writing short and useful; delivery without reads still drags quality down.
By late October you'll have both a higher tier and a warmed-up audience — right when Navratri-to-Diwali demand arrives.
Where Manva fits, honestly: Manva manages templates, opt-ins and sending through the API, and warns you when volume risks your quality score. What no platform can do — ours included — is make an unwilling audience like your messages. Permission and restraint are the strategy; software just enforces them.
Common questions
How many people can I broadcast to on WhatsApp?
On the free Business app: 256 per list, and only saved-contact recipients get it. On the Business API: your tier decides — 250/day for new numbers, growing to 1,000, 10,000 and beyond with good quality.
Why did my WhatsApp broadcast not reach everyone?
On the app, messages only reach people who saved your number. On the API, check your tier limit and quality score — a yellow/red score silently reduces delivery.
Can my number get banned for broadcasts?
Yes — mass messages to people who never opted in, high block/report rates (roughly above 2%), or repeated identical texts can get a number restricted or banned. Opt-in lists and 2–3 sends a week keep you safe.
What do WhatsApp API messages cost in India?
Meta charges per message by category; marketing messages in India are typically well under ₹1 each and utility messages less. Rates change — check Meta's current price list before budgeting a big campaign.
Broadcast without risking your number
Manva handles templates, opt-ins and quality-score warnings, and answers customer replies from your real catalogue — from ₹149/month.