What you’ll learn
- Why WhatsApp broadcasts don’t get delivered, and how to fix it
- WhatsApp broadcast list limit: what you can send in 2026
- How to create a WhatsApp broadcast list
- Which WhatsApp broadcast fits your list size
- What business broadcasts add, and what they cost
- When to switch from a broadcast list to the API
You send a promotion to your 200 customers, and only some of them get it. That’s how a WhatsApp broadcast list works: it’s a saved list of up to 256 contacts you can message at once, and only people who’ve saved your number receive it.
Below you’ll find why messages don’t arrive and how to fix it, the limits, how to make a list, and the two tools that take over when your list outgrows it. Each WhatsApp fact comes from WhatsApp’s or Meta’s own pages, read on 2 November 2026.
Why WhatsApp broadcasts don’t get delivered, and how to fix it
Work through these in order.
- They haven’t saved your number: WhatsApp’s own fix is to ask them to add you to their contacts, and a line in your first reply or on your invoice helps.
- You’ve hit the monthly cap: check Settings, then Broadcasts.
- You’re on a computer: WhatsApp doesn’t support lists there, so use your phone.
- Your number is connected to the API: if you’ve moved to the WhatsApp Business API through coexistence, Meta turns broadcast lists off, and your old lists become read-only.
- People are blocking you: WhatsApp warns business accounts when many people report or block them, so check whether the message is one they asked for.
WhatsApp broadcast list limit: what you can send in 2026
WhatsApp’s help page sets out these rules:
- Each list holds up to 256 contacts, and you can make as many lists as you like.
- Everyone on the list must have saved your number in their address book.
- Lists work on phones only. WhatsApp says they aren’t supported on Windows, Mac or Web.
- Replies come back as private chats from each person, and nobody sees the others.
There’s a newer limit too. WhatsApp says people in some countries might see a monthly cap of 35 free broadcast messages, and it’s “rolling out gradually”. To check yours, go to Settings, then Broadcasts. If nothing shows there, you don’t have the cap yet.
Need help with AI and WhatsApp? See our AI systems and prices.
Book a demo call ›How to create a WhatsApp broadcast list
It takes about a minute on your phone:
- Open the Chats tab.
- Tap the menu, then Broadcast lists.
- Choose the new list button, then pick your contacts.
- Save with the tick.
To edit one, open the list from your Chats tab, then tap the menu and Broadcast list info. You can rename it, add or remove people, or delete the list there.
Which WhatsApp broadcast fits your list size
Three different tools share the name, and most guides blur them. Here’s how they compare.
| Broadcast list | Business broadcast | API template message | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you send it | Phone, ordinary or Business app | WhatsApp Business app | Software connected to the API |
| Who gets it | Up to 256 who’ve saved your number | Your contacts, or a list you import | People who opted in, up to your limit |
| Cost | Free, with a cap of 35 a month in some countries | Paid per delivered message, by country code | Paid per delivered message, by category and country |
| Can you schedule it? | No | Yes | Yes, through your software |
| Reviewed by Meta | No | Yes | Yes, up to 24 hours |
| Availability | A standard feature, with the cap rolling out | “Limited countries” | Any number on the API |
If your list is under 256 people who know you, stay with a broadcast list. It’s free, and it reads like a normal message.
What business broadcasts add, and what they cost
Business broadcasts are the paid option inside the WhatsApp Business app, under Tools. You pick an audience from your address book, or from a CSV or XLSX list you upload on the app’s web version. You can add an image, a video or a document, plus a button for your catalog, a quick reply, a call or a website.
You can send straight away or schedule it. Each one goes through Meta’s review before it goes out, and processing can take from a few seconds up to 3 hours.
You pay for each message delivered within 5 days, priced by the recipient’s country code. WhatsApp lists an SGD rate card, and you’ll see the total before you check out. Amounts for anything undelivered come back as credit.
The catch is availability. WhatsApp says business broadcasts are “currently available in limited countries” and “might not be available to you yet”, so check your Tools tab. They’re also not supported once your number is connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform.
When to switch from a broadcast list to the API
The API doesn’t use lists at all. You send a template message, which is one you write in advance and Meta approves, to people who’ve opted in. They don’t have to save your number first, which fixes the biggest problem with lists.
It comes with rules. You must have opt-in that names your business. Review can take up to 24 hours. New accounts can reach 250 people outside the 24-hour customer service window in a day, and verifying your business is one way to reach 2,000. Each delivered message costs money, and Meta may hold back marketing messages to someone who’s getting too many from any business.
Switch when your list passes 256, when too few people have your number saved, or when you want sends to run from software your team already uses. Our guide to the WhatsApp Business API explains the rest, and our guide to moving from the app to the API shows how to keep your number. Meta’s rates are in our WhatsApp API pricing guide.
How to send without getting reported or blocked
If a lot of people report or block you, WhatsApp warns your account, and repeat spam suspends business broadcasts for three days with no appeal, or longer if it happens again. Scheduled broadcasts don’t go out while you’re blocked, though you aren’t charged for them.
WhatsApp’s own advice is simple:
- Only message people who opted in, and make the opt-in clear about what they’ll get.
- Tell people how to opt out, and honour it.
- Remove contacts who haven’t interacted with you recently.
- Send what they signed up for.
Singapore law applies as well. The Personal Data Protection Commission says its Do Not Call rules cover marketing messages sent over data apps such as WhatsApp to a Singapore number, and a vague “marketing purposes” clause isn’t enough consent. Appointment reminders and account notices generally fall outside those rules. Check the PDPC’s guidelines before you send a promotion to a list you didn’t collect for that.
Your WhatsApp broadcast questions, answered
How many people can I add to a WhatsApp broadcast list?
Up to 256 contacts per list, and you can make as many lists as you like. Everyone must have saved your number.
Why do only some people get my broadcast?
Start with whether they’ve saved your number. WhatsApp only delivers a broadcast list message to people who’ve added you to their contacts.
Can people see each other on a broadcast list?
No. Each person gets a private message from you, and their reply comes back as a private chat.
What’s the difference between a broadcast list and a group?
A broadcast goes one to many and replies stay private, while everyone in a group sees everyone and can talk to each other.
Can I send a broadcast from my computer?
Broadcast lists, no. WhatsApp says they aren’t supported on Windows, Mac or Web, so create and send them from your phone.
Can I schedule a broadcast?
Not a broadcast list. Business broadcasts can be scheduled in the WhatsApp Business app where they’re available, and software can schedule template messages. Our guide to scheduling WhatsApp messages goes through each one.
Is WhatsApp broadcast free?
Broadcast lists are free, with a monthly cap of 35 in some countries. Business broadcasts and API template messages are paid per delivered message.
Will WhatsApp ban me for broadcasting?
Sending to people who report you can get your broadcasts suspended, or your account restricted. Send only to people who opted in.
Broadcasts your whole team can see, paced within daily limits
A broadcast only starts the job. Then the replies come in, and someone has to answer them, quote and follow up. On one shared phone, that’s where they get lost.
Our WhatsApp Inbox and CRM includes broadcasts and scheduled sends, paced within daily limits and sending hours. We connect your number for you, with no setup fee and no Meta per-message fees. Three people work from their own logins, each chat is assigned to a person, and every chat is filed against the lead on your job board.
It’s S$119 a month on annual billing. The inbox pricing page has every plan and the month-to-month price, plus the plan with an AI agent. Our message templates give you wording to start from. Our CRM guide explains where the replies should go, and our WhatsApp Inbox alternatives page sets it beside Wati, SleekFlow and respond.io. We also run the SEO, Google Ads, Facebook ads and email marketing that grow the list, and our free WhatsApp link generator gets people onto it.
On a free 30-minute call we’ll show you the inbox on your own number and customer list. You only get a quote if we can help.
Sources, read on 2 November 2026
- Broadcast list rules, steps and editing: WhatsApp Help, How to use broadcast lists
- The monthly cap of 35 free broadcast messages: WhatsApp Help, Monthly broadcast limits
- Linked devices don’t support broadcast lists: WhatsApp Help, About linked devices
- What business broadcasts are: WhatsApp Help, About business broadcasts
- Creating, reviewing and scheduling business broadcasts: WhatsApp Help, How to create and send a business broadcast
- Business broadcast pricing and the SGD rate card: WhatsApp Help, About pricing for business broadcasts
- Warnings, suspensions and opt-in advice: WhatsApp Help, Cannot send business broadcasts
- Importing contacts: WhatsApp Help, How to import contacts
- Template review: Meta, Templates overview
- Opt-in rules: Meta, Getting opt-in
- Messaging limits: Meta, Messaging limits
- Per-user marketing limits: Meta, Per-user marketing limits
- Coexistence turning broadcast lists off: Meta, Onboarding WhatsApp Business app users
- Do Not Call rules and WhatsApp: PDPC, Advisory guidelines on the Do Not Call provisions
