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Shared WhatsApp inbox: what it is, three ways to set it up and how to choose

Updated on · Futura WhatsApp

The short answer

A shared WhatsApp inbox is one company number answered by several people at once, each with their own user, from an inbox where conversations are assigned and handed over. You can set it up with the WhatsApp Business app and linked devices, with tools that connect through a QR code, or on top of the official WhatsApp Business API, which is the route Meta offers businesses.

What a shared WhatsApp inbox is

In Spain, 94.6% of internet users use WhatsApp, according to the CNMC. That is why many businesses get most of their enquiries there, and once more than one person handles them the company phone becomes a bottleneck. A shared inbox fixes that: one number, several people, every conversation with an owner.

The minimum a shared inbox should have:

  • One user per person, with permissions.
  • Conversation assignment and handover, so two people never answer the same customer.
  • Statuses (open, pending, closed) and internal notes the customer does not see.
  • History on the customer record, not on a phone.
  • Response-time metrics and a view of unanswered chats.

Three ways to set it up

OptionHow it worksProsCons
WhatsApp Business app with linked devicesMain phone plus up to four linked devicesFree, nothing to configureOne account for everyone, no assignment or metrics
Tool connected by QR codeHooks into a WhatsApp Web sessionQuick to connectNot the official API for businesses
Official API and a shared inboxThe number is registered on Meta's platform through a providerUsers, official templates, integrations and coexistence with the appMeta charges per message and the business must be registered
Linked devices as stated on the WhatsApp blog. Some providers offer both QR and API connections and say so on their site, such as Whaticket.

What to check before choosing a tool

  1. Does every plan use the official API? Not always: Leadsales connects its Basic plan through WhatsApp Web and keeps the API for its Professional and Advanced plans.
  2. How many users are included, and what does the next one cost? The entry price is misleading if the team will grow.
  3. Are Meta's message fees charged separately, and with what commission? Respond.io, for example, states that WhatsApp fees are not included in any subscription and are paid from a prepaid balance (its help centre).
  4. Is there a minimum term? Kommo bills every six months, with a six-month minimum.
  5. Do email and calls sit in the same thread? If not, the team keeps jumping between tabs.
  6. Does the AI answer from your documents and hand over to a person when needed?
  7. Where is the data? Ask for EU hosting and a data processing agreement.

The real cost: software plus messages

With the official API you pay for two things: the tool and the messages Meta charges for. Until 30 September 2026 Meta only charges template messages; from 1 October 2026 it also charges service replies within the 24-hour window, at each country's utility rate (Meta documentation). We walk through it in WhatsApp Business API pricing.

If you use the app on your phone today, coexistence lets you connect the same number to the API without losing it and sync the last six months of chats (Meta).

Futura WhatsApp as a shared inbox

Futura WhatsApp runs on the official API: each person with their own user, assigned conversations, the customer's email and calls on the same record, and an AI assistant trained on your documents. The base licence is €79/month + VAT with five users and €5 per extra user, with no minimum term. Book a demo or first compare the best WhatsApp CRMs.

Frequently asked questions

How many agents can a shared WhatsApp inbox have?

With the app, the main phone plus four linked devices, all on one account. With the official API the limit is set by the tool: some charge per agent and others include a bundle of users in the plan.

Can two agents answer the same customer at once?

In the app, yes, and it is the most common problem. In a shared inbox each conversation has an owner and handovers are logged, so the customer gets a single reply.

Do I need a new number for a shared WhatsApp inbox?

No. With Meta's coexistence, the number you already use in the WhatsApp Business app is connected to the API, and the app keeps working.

Is a shared inbox the same as a WhatsApp CRM?

Not quite. A shared inbox distributes chats; a WhatsApp CRM also stores every conversation on the customer record, with their company, deals and next steps.

Keep reading

Sources consulted