How to send bulk WhatsApp messages within the rules (2026)
What WhatsApp's Terms allow, the 256-contact broadcast limit, consent and opt-out, gradual sending from WhatsApp Web, and when to use the official API.
There are three ways to send one message to many people on WhatsApp: a broadcast list in the phone app (up to 256 contacts per list, delivered only to people who saved your number)[1], list sending from WhatsApp Web with gradual delivery to contacts who agreed to hear from you, and the official WhatsApp Business API for large volumes with approved templates. None of them removes WhatsApp's right to restrict a number that breaks its Terms, so this guide starts with the rules, then the method, then the tool.
What WhatsApp's Terms say about bulk messaging
WhatsApp's Terms of Service are direct: you must not use the Services in ways that "involve sending illegal or impermissible communications such as bulk messaging, auto-messaging, auto-dialing, and the like"[2].
They also say what can happen: WhatsApp "may modify, suspend, or terminate your access to or use of our Services anytime for any reason, such as if you violate the letter or spirit of our Terms"[2].
For businesses, the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (last updated on 23 Sep 2026) adds the practical rules[3]. You may contact people only if they gave you their phone number and you received opt-in permission. You must honour every opt-out request and remove that person from your contact list. And: "Do not confuse, deceive, defraud, mislead, spam, or surprise people with your communications"[3].
The rules give no daily message number. They describe behaviour: consent, expectation, no spam.
Why tools that promise to beat WhatsApp's filters are a risk
On 22 Oct 2025, Malwarebytes reported research by Socket's Threat Research Team: a coordinated campaign had placed 131 spamware extensions on the Chrome Web Store. They hijack WhatsApp Web "to automate bulk messages and skirt anti-spam controls" by injecting code into the page[4].
An extension built to get around anti-spam controls is built to break the Terms. When WhatsApp acts, it acts on your number, not on the vendor. No tool can stop WhatsApp from restricting a number that breaks its rules.
Before installing any extension, check the publisher, privacy policy, last update, permissions and recent reviews. Full checklist: our security page.
Consent first: opt-in and opt-out the policy expects
Opt-in has two parts: the person gave you their number, and they agreed to receive messages from you. The policy makes you solely responsible for the opt-in method and for obtaining it in a way that complies with the laws that apply to you[3].
The policy recommends an opt-in that covers the categories you will send (order updates, offers, product recommendations), clear instructions to opt out of specific categories, honouring those requests, and simple opt-in and opt-out flows[3].
Can go on a list: a customer who bought and agreed to updates, someone who signed up where WhatsApp messages were stated, a person who wrote first about a product. Cannot: bought lists, numbers copied from websites or groups, numbers collected for another purpose.
Handle opt-outs with three habits: say how to stop in the first message of any series ("Reply STOP to stop these messages"), remove the person before the next send, and record it with a label such as "Do not message". This is policy compliance, not a legal guarantee.
Broadcast lists in the WhatsApp app: what 256 really means
The Help Center page "How to use broadcast lists" sets the rules[1]: up to 256 contacts per list, as many lists as you like, delivery only to contacts who saved your number in their address book, and replies that come back as private chats.
People who did not save your number will not get it. From a regular or WhatsApp Business app number, the only official way to reach them is a one-to-one chat. Messaging many strangers is exactly what the policy calls spam.
Splitting lists does not change the pattern. Five lists of 256 sent back to back are still 1,280 messages from one number.
It is a phone feature. WhatsApp's instructions for broadcast lists are for the phone app[1]. If you work on a computer, you need another route.
The WhatsApp Business app has a separate feature, explained in "How to create and send a business broadcast"[5].
Cadence and volume: why gradual sending and reasonable volumes exist
WhatsApp has not published a daily number for ordinary one-to-one messages. Any "50, 200 or 500 per day" table is a guess. The old version of this page had one; we removed it because it had no source.
Watch for warning signs instead (WhatsApp does not say how it weighs them): blocks and reports from recipients, many recipients who never saved your number, identical text sent in fast bursts, one-way messages with few replies, and a new number with no history.
In practice:
- Start small, on a number with real customer conversations.
- Spread sends across the day.
- Send to one segment at a time.
- Stop and review when replies fall or blocks rise.
Gradual sending gives you time to catch opt-outs and complaints before the next batch.
Segment the list and write messages people expect
Segmenting means different messages for different groups, based on what each agreed to: active customers, open quotes, people who asked for a call-back, customers who have not bought in a while.
You can tag each chat with a Zapext label to keep track of these groups. Labels work even on a regular WhatsApp account, with no Business account needed. See how to add labels on regular WhatsApp Web.
The policy asks you to "clearly communicate the value of receiving this information"[3]:
| Messages people expect | Messages that surprise people |
|---|---|
| "Your order has shipped and should arrive on Friday." | One discount sent to everyone in your phone |
| A follow-up on a quote the person asked for | The same promotion every day |
| "The blue kurta in size M you asked about is back in stock." | A first message to a stranger |
Use the person's name and the specific context. Send during business hours in the recipient's time zone and keep to the frequency you promised at opt-in.
What Zapext does for list sending
Zapext is a Chrome extension that adds a CRM inside WhatsApp Web. List sending sends the same message to several contacts who agreed to receive it. Messages go out gradually, not all at once:
- Choose the contacts who agreed to receive this message.
- Write the message for that segment, with an opt-out line.
- Set the "Number of seconds between each send".
- For campaigns to more than 5 contacts, Zapext shows a warning that links to WhatsApp's message policies and says it does not encourage misuse.
It works only on a desktop or laptop, in Chrome or another Chromium-based browser; there is no mobile version. List sending, scheduled messages and the chatbot run only while the computer is on and WhatsApp Web is open. It works on a regular or Business number, without the official API. Replies land in a Kanban pipeline: every chat becomes a card, and quick replies cover the common answers. Zapext is rated 5.0 (45 reviews) with 552 users on the Chrome Web Store, figures seen on 24 Oct 2026[6].
To start, click "Add to Chrome" and open web.whatsapp.com. Zapext appears as a tab on the left side of the screen; click the avatar icon and log in or create your account there. There is no Zapext QR code step. Full steps: how to install the extension.
What Zapext will not do
- Promise your number cannot be restricted. That decision belongs to WhatsApp.
- Get around anti-spam controls. Gradual sending is pacing, not evasion.
- Claim you can send without limits. Keep volumes reasonable, guided by consent and replies.
- Message people who did not agree to hear from you. List sending is for your own opted-in contacts.
- Guarantee delivery or replies. That depends on WhatsApp and the recipient.
- Read your chats on its servers. Pipeline, labels and notes are stored encrypted on your computer; chat content is not sent to Zapext servers. See the security page.
When the official WhatsApp Business API is the right tool
An extension and the Business API do different jobs, and one company can use both on different numbers. The three options side by side:
| Option | Who receives it | Published limit | Cost | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast list (WhatsApp app) | Contacts who saved your number | 256 contacts per list[1] | Part of the app | Set up in the phone app |
| List sending from WhatsApp Web (extension such as Zapext) | Your contacts who agreed to hear from you | None published for ordinary chats | Flat price per number | Computer on, WhatsApp Web open |
| Official WhatsApp Business API | People who opted in, at scale | Starts at 250 unique users per 24 hours (outside the customer service window)[7] | Per-message fees by category and country[8] | Approved templates, provider setup |
Meta's "Messaging Limits" page, read on 24 Oct 2026, caps how many unique WhatsApp users a business portfolio can message outside a customer service window in a moving 24-hour period: new portfolios start at 250, which can grow to 2,000 through a scaling path, then to 10,000, 100,000 and finally a tier with no fixed cap, through automatic scaling based on quality[7].
Outside a window the customer opened, messages need pre-approved templates, charged per message by category (marketing, utility, authentication) and country[8].
Choose the API for thousands of automatic notifications a day or formal service-level commitments. Choose list sending from WhatsApp Web for your own opted-in customers, occasional campaigns and one to four people handling the chats.
Zapext charges one flat yearly or monthly price per WhatsApp number, not a fee per message, with no lock-in and a 7-day money-back guarantee. See pricing. For a team of two to four people on one number, see multiple users on one WhatsApp number.
Checklist before you send to a list
- Every contact gave you their number and agreed to messages of this kind.
- One segment chosen, with a message written for it.
- An opt-out line in the message, and a label to record opt-outs.
- Sends spaced out, in a batch you can review.
- Computer on and WhatsApp Web open for the whole send.
- Replies, blocks and opt-outs checked before the next batch.
- If anything looks wrong, stop. The next batch can wait.
The goal: messages people expected, at a pace a person could keep, to a contact list where everyone agreed to hear from you.
Sources
- [1] How to use broadcast lists — WhatsApp Help Center — WhatsApp (2026). accessed 2026-10-25.
- [2] WhatsApp Terms of Service — WhatsApp LLC (2021-01-04). accessed 2026-10-24.
- [3] WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy — WhatsApp (2026-09-23). accessed 2026-10-25.
- [4] Over 100 Chrome extensions break WhatsApp's anti-spam rules — Malwarebytes (2025-10-22). accessed 2026-10-24.
- [5] How to create and send a business broadcast — WhatsApp Help Center — WhatsApp (2026). accessed 2026-10-25.
- [6] Zapext — Chrome Web Store listing (users, ratings and current version) — Chrome Web Store (Google) (2026). accessed 2026-10-24.
- [7] Messaging limits — WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers (2026). accessed 2026-10-25.
- [8] Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers (2026). accessed 2026-10-24.
Frequently asked questions
Is bulk messaging allowed on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp's Terms prohibit bulk messaging and auto-messaging. The Business Messaging Policy allows businesses to message people who gave their number and opted in, and it requires you to honour opt-outs. Consent, messages people expect and an easy way to stop are the line. WhatsApp can restrict numbers that break these rules, whatever tool is used.
What is the WhatsApp broadcast list limit?
WhatsApp's Help Center says a broadcast list can have up to 256 contacts, and you can create as many lists as you like. Only people who saved your number receive the message. WhatsApp's instructions for broadcast lists are for the phone app.
Can I send bulk WhatsApp messages without saving the number?
Not with a broadcast list: the recipient must have saved your number. Messaging many strangers is what the policy treats as unsolicited, whatever tool you use. If you need to reach opted-in people at scale who never saved your number, the official WhatsApp Business API with approved templates is the right route.
How many WhatsApp messages can I send per day?
WhatsApp publishes no daily number for ordinary chats. The only published limits are for the Business API: 250, then 2,000, 10,000 and 100,000 unique users per 24 hours outside the customer service window, and a tier with no fixed cap. On the app or WhatsApp Web, consent, replies and pace matter more than a count.
Does Zapext guarantee my number will not be blocked?
No. No tool can stop WhatsApp from restricting a number that breaks its rules. Zapext sends lists gradually, lets you set the seconds between sends and shows a policy warning before campaigns to more than 5 contacts, but consent, volume and content remain your responsibility under WhatsApp's Terms.
Does list sending work when my computer is off?
No. Zapext runs inside WhatsApp Web on a desktop or laptop, in Chrome or another Chromium-based browser. List sending, scheduled messages and the chatbot work only while the computer is on and WhatsApp Web is open. There is no mobile version.
