One official WhatsApp number for your whole team, built for businesses in South Africa.
Answer customers from Johannesburg and Pretoria to Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha in one shared inbox, with Instagram alongside. Plans are shown in rand, and campaigns go only to customers who opted in, the way POPIA expects.
How South African businesses serve customers on WhatsApp and Instagram
In South Africa, WhatsApp is the messaging app almost everyone already has open. Customers expect to message a business the same way they message family: a quick question about stock, a request for a quote, a voice note asking whether the courier is on the way. Large retailers, banks and mobile networks run official WhatsApp channels, so shoppers now expect the corner boutique, the dental practice and the estate agent to answer there too, and quickly. Instagram is the shop window for fashion, beauty and décor, with a WhatsApp link in the bio.
Customers write mostly in English, but rarely only in English. A chat in Gauteng can slip into isiZulu or Sesotho, a client in the Western Cape may write in Afrikaans or in Kaaps, and a customer in the Eastern Cape may answer in isiXhosa. Your team needs the full history, and saved replies in the customer's language.
The sectors that lean hardest on WhatsApp are online retail and clothing, beauty and nail salons, medical and dental practices, property agencies and rental managers, car dealerships and panel beaters, driving schools, private schools and tutoring centres, insurance brokers, and tourism, from Garden Route guesthouses to lodges near the Kruger. Payment usually happens by EFT or card link, and the customer sends proof of payment straight into the chat; delivery runs through couriers and pick-up points.
The trouble starts when that chat lives on one cellphone. The phone goes home with one staff member, the weekend's enquiries sit unanswered until Monday, a proof of payment is buried in a busy thread, and nobody knows who promised which delivery date. Bulk sends from the WhatsApp Business app or unofficial tools get numbers reported and banned. The official WhatsApp Business Platform with a shared inbox gives every teammate the same number, the same history and approved templates instead.
What South African teams do with BelloSend every day
Proof of payment, matched to the order
A customer pays by EFT and sends the proof of payment on WhatsApp. The chat lands in the shared inbox, is assigned to whoever handles accounts, and gets a tag such as "POP received". An internal note records the reference, so the packing team sees the order is paid without asking anyone.
Courier and collection updates
An online store in Johannesburg connects its shop to BelloSend through the API and webhooks on the Max plan. When an order is dispatched, an approved utility template sends the tracking number or the pick-up point details. Replies to that message go straight back into the inbox, where the support team answers in context.
Appointment reminders for practices and salons
A dental practice in Pretoria or a nail salon in Umhlanga sends an approved reminder template the day before each booking, with buttons to confirm or reschedule. The chatbot handles the confirmations, and anyone asking to move the appointment is handed to the receptionist with the full conversation.
Quotes for trades, panel beaters and installers
Customers send photos of a dented bumper, a leaking geyser or a roof that needs solar panels. The enquiry is assigned to an estimator, who replies with a quote as a PDF from a saved quick reply, and tags the contact so the follow-up is never forgotten when the job is accepted.
Black Friday and festive season campaigns
Black Friday and the December holidays are the busiest weeks for South African retail. On the Max plan, a clothing brand sends an approved marketing template to customers who opted in, segmented by tags, and watches delivery, read and failure status. Every reply arrives in the inbox for the sales team to close.
Property enquiries from portals and Instagram
An estate agency in Cape Town receives enquiries about rentals and show days on WhatsApp and Instagram. A chatbot flow collects the suburb, budget and move-in date, then hands the lead to the right agent. Agents can call the client back on WhatsApp when Meta enables calling on the number.
Back-to-school and fee reminders
A private school or tutoring centre sends parents approved templates in January about stationery lists, start dates and outstanding fees. Parents reply with questions in English or Afrikaans, and the admin team answers from one number in the browser or the Android app, instead of one staff member's cellphone.
Bookings and pre-arrival details for tourism
A guesthouse on the Garden Route or a safari lodge near the Kruger answers booking questions from local and overseas guests, then sends a pre-arrival message with directions and check-in times. Ice breakers on the Instagram profile and a WhatsApp Flow collect dates and guest numbers before an agent confirms.
Everything your team needs to work on WhatsApp and Instagram.
BelloSend joins daily customer service, structured outreach and automation without forcing your team to stitch together separate tools.
Shared team inbox
Handle WhatsApp and Instagram conversations together, assign contacts, use quick responses and keep customer context visible.
Instagram comments and mentions
See comments and mentions beside your direct messages and answer each one publicly under the post or privately in a DM.
Campaigns and templates
Manage Meta templates for compliant WhatsApp campaigns to opted-in contacts, and save Instagram templates — cards, buttons and post shares — for replies your team sends every day.
Chatbot and AI
Build chatbot workflows, keywords, AI-assisted contexts and human hand-off paths that answer on WhatsApp and Instagram, each channel with its own instructions.
Contacts and teams
Organize contacts with tags, create teams and control access with roles and granular permissions.
Flows and calling
Create interactive WhatsApp Flows and, when enabled by Meta, manage business calling, IVR and transfers.
Live analytics
Track messages, contacts, sessions, campaigns, agent performance and Meta account insights across both channels.
One conversation history. The right teammate. No lost context.
Give support and sales teams a shared place to answer WhatsApp and Instagram, while assignments, availability and permissions keep work organized.
- WhatsApp and Instagram direct messages in one queue
- Instagram comments and mentions answered in public under the post or privately in a DM
- Contact and message history in one view
- Teams, assignments and agent transfers
- Quick responses and custom actions
Move from approved template to measurable campaign.
Sync WhatsApp templates, segment opted-in contacts and monitor delivery without hiding the operational details your team needs. WhatsApp campaigns reach your opted-in contacts; Instagram campaigns reach the people who messaged you in the last 24 hours, because Instagram never lets a business start the conversation.
- Meta template management and synchronization
- CSV contact imports, tags and targeting
- Delivery, read and failure status visibility
- Saved Instagram templates — cards, buttons and post shares — for replies inside an open conversation
Automate repeatable work without trapping customers.
Use keywords, visual flows, AI contexts and external webhooks on both channels, then transfer the conversation to a person when it matters.
- Visual chatbot and WhatsApp Flow builders
- AI contexts and configurable providers, with separate instructions per channel
- Ice breakers and a persistent menu on your Instagram profile
- Human hand-off, queues and SLA workflows
From your number to a working team in three steps.
BelloSend supports Meta Embedded Signup and manual Cloud API configuration, depending on how your business manages its WhatsApp assets.
Connect your WhatsApp account
Choose eligible Coexistence or Direct Cloud API setup and connect the business assets authorized in Meta.
Prepare your workspace
Invite users, assign roles and teams, sync templates, organize contacts and configure your workflows.
Serve, automate and improve
Handle real conversations, launch compliant campaigns and use live operational data to improve.
Connect securely. Integrate on your terms.
Use official WhatsApp connectivity, scoped API keys and outbound webhooks while keeping each organization, credential and action properly controlled.
Official Meta APIs
Connect through Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform and Instagram Messaging API, without unofficial routes.
APIs and outbound webhooks
Create scoped API keys and signed event destinations that cover WhatsApp and Instagram, to connect BelloSend with approved business systems.
Protected integration secrets
Access tokens and app secrets are encrypted at rest when stored by the configured production service.
Organization isolation
Accounts, contacts, messages and settings are scoped to the active organization.
Roles and permissions
Use Admin, Manager, Agent or custom roles to grant only the access each person needs.
Audit history
Review changes to key resources and understand who changed operational settings.
Answer from anywhere, on Android.
The same inbox, the same organizations, the same permissions — built as a real Android app rather than a website in a frame. Available now for Android; iOS is coming.
Android 7.0 or newer · free with your BelloSend account · updates itself
A native experience
Swipe, search, record a voice note, send a picture from the camera — at the speed the phone moves, offline-tolerant, with your chats where you left them.
Notifications that arrive
A new customer message rings the phone even when BelloSend is closed, with the message in the shade and a tap straight into that conversation.
Calls, made simple
Take a WhatsApp call on a locked phone the way any call arrives, and place one from a conversation in a tap — speaker, mute and transfer included.
What teams say after switching.
Support leads, campaign managers and admins on what changed day to day.
We had four people answering from one phone and it was a mess. Now I can see who is on what, and the notes stay with the chat when someone hands it over.
Honestly I expected to fight with the setup. First campaign went out in about twenty minutes and I could finally see who actually read it.
Adding an agent takes two minutes and I choose exactly what they can open. That was my main worry before we moved everything over.
One price, everything included
Every plan carries the whole product. What changes is how much of it you need — how many people, numbers and contacts.
Billed monthly or yearly. Change or stop whenever you like.
WhatsApp marketing and customer messaging rules in South Africa
Messaging customers on WhatsApp in South Africa means following two sets of rules: South African law, mainly POPIA and the Consumer Protection Act, and Meta's own WhatsApp policies. Here is what each one asks of a business, in plain terms.
POPIA and the Information Regulator
The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) governs how you collect, use and store customers' names, numbers and chat history. It is enforced by the Information Regulator. Collect only what you need, tell customers why, keep it secure and register your Information Officer with the Regulator.
Consent before electronic direct marketing (section 69)
Section 69 of POPIA prohibits direct marketing by electronic communication unless the person has consented or is an existing customer. The Regulator's Guidance Note on Direct Marketing treats direct messaging as electronic communication. You may ask a non-customer for consent only once, in the prescribed manner such as Form 4, and silence never counts as consent.
Existing customers: similar products and an opt-out every time
You may market to an existing customer only about your own similar products or services, only if they were given a chance to object when you collected their number, and only if every marketing message gives them a free, simple way to opt out. Each message must also identify your business. Keep a record of everyone who has said no.
Consumer Protection Act and the national opt-out registry
The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 gives consumers the right to refuse direct marketing and limits when marketers may contact them. The CPA Amendment Regulations gazetted on 15 April 2026 add a national opt-out registry run by the National Consumer Commission, with duties for direct marketers to register and check their lists against it. Check how they apply to your business.
Unsolicited commercial communications under ECTA
Section 45 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 requires anyone sending unsolicited commercial communications to offer a way to opt out and, on request, to say where they got the person's details. In practice, POPIA's stricter consent rule now sets the bar for most marketing messages.
Sending personal information outside South Africa
Section 72 of POPIA allows personal information to leave South Africa only under conditions such as the recipient being bound by adequate data-protection law or a binding agreement, the customer's consent, or the transfer being needed for a contract. WhatsApp and cloud software process data abroad, so cover this in your privacy notice and supplier agreements.
Meta's rules: opt-in, the 24-hour window and approved templates
Meta requires opt-in that names your business before you message someone on WhatsApp. Free-form replies are allowed within 24 hours of the customer's last message; after that you need a template approved by Meta. Respect opt-out requests, or blocks and reports will lower your quality rating and messaging limits.
This is general information to help you plan, not legal advice; for your specific situation, speak to a South African attorney or your compliance adviser.
Questions about BelloSend and the WhatsApp Business API
Is the WhatsApp Business API available for South African businesses?
Yes. Any South African business can use Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) with a +27 number. BelloSend connects only through the official Cloud API, and BelloCloud LLC is verified by Meta as a Tech Provider. You connect your number with Meta's Embedded Signup or a manual Cloud API setup, then your team answers from one shared inbox in the browser or the Android app.
Is BelloSend POPIA compliant?
POPIA compliance is the responsibility of your business as the responsible party, and no software can make you compliant on its own. BelloSend gives you tools that help: tags to record who opted in, approved templates, roles that limit what each agent can see, an audit history of who did what, and encryption of access tokens at rest. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your data.
Can I send WhatsApp marketing messages to my customer list?
Only to people who may lawfully receive them. Under POPIA that means people who consented, or existing customers receiving offers on similar products with an opt-out in every message. Meta also requires opt-in that names your business. On the Max plan, BelloSend sends approved templates to contacts you select by tag, and shows delivery, read and failure status. Remove anyone who opts out.
How much does Meta charge per WhatsApp message in South Africa?
Meta prices by the recipient's country code. On Meta's rate card effective 1 October 2026, a delivered marketing template to a +27 number costs USD 0.0379, and utility, authentication and service messages cost USD 0.0095. Each business number gets 1,000 free service messages a month. Meta bills these fees directly; BelloSend adds no fee per message. Our free WhatsApp pricing calculator estimates your monthly total.
Can I pay for BelloSend in rand?
On this South African version, plan prices are shown in rand, converted from the base price at the day's exchange rate, and you can switch to US dollars or euros. Growth, Pro and Max are billed monthly or yearly, with yearly costing less. For invoicing and payment options, contact the team on WhatsApp at +1 505 528 3844 or at contact@bellosend.net.
Can I keep my number and still use the WhatsApp Business app on my phone?
Often, yes. If Meta makes your number eligible for Coexistence during setup, you keep the WhatsApp Business app on your cellphone while the same number works in BelloSend, and up to six months of chat history can sync. With a direct Cloud API setup, the number works through BelloSend only. Meta decides eligibility when you connect.
Can my team reply in Afrikaans, isiZulu or other languages?
Yes. Agents reply in whatever language the customer writes in, and you can save quick replies in each language your team uses. Templates are submitted to Meta in the languages Meta supports, such as English and Afrikaans. The BelloSend app itself is available in English, French, Arabic and Spanish, and support answers in English, French or Arabic.
Can BelloSend get my business the green tick?
No one can promise that. The green tick (Official Business Account) is granted only by Meta, on its own criteria. Once your number is connected you can request it from Meta. What BelloSend does give you is an official, verified connection through the Cloud API, which a customer can trust more than an unofficial tool.
Which South African businesses use a WhatsApp team inbox?
Any business where more than one person answers customers: online stores and boutiques, beauty salons, medical and dental practices, estate agents, car dealerships, schools, insurance brokers, guesthouses and tour operators. Growth suits a small team with 2 members; Pro adds the chatbot and AI, calling and custom roles for 4 members; Max adds campaigns and the API for up to 10.
How do we get started, and is there a refund if it isn't for us?
Book a call or message us on WhatsApp, and BelloCloud creates your workspace and helps with onboarding: connecting your number, inviting your team, syncing templates and importing contacts from a CSV file. There is no free trial, but your first payment has a 14-day money-back guarantee, no reason needed, and you can cancel anytime by email.
Bring your WhatsApp and Instagram operations into one clear workspace.
Give your team the conversations, automation and controls they need without adding another disconnected process.