Pipeline
Recommended pipeline
For an Indian small business, WhatsApp is the lead channel, but a personal WhatsApp number cannot automate, broadcast, or be handled by a team without breaking. The fix is the official Business API with a shared inbox, a bot that replies instantly, and follow-up plus in-chat UPI payment. The good news is this whole stack has India-built, INR-billed options, so forex is rarely a factor.
Cost ledger
What this stack costs
You can start this stack largely on free tiers. 5 of 5 stages have a free option. Original estimate from FindThatSoftware's verified pricing.
| Stage | Cheapest option | From |
|---|
| Put WhatsApp on the official Business API with a shared inbox | AiSensy | Free tier |
| Auto-reply and qualify with a no-code bot | Landbot | Free tier |
| Pull leads from forms, website, and ads into WhatsApp | Zoho Forms | Free tier |
| Follow up so no lead goes cold | Privyr | Free tier |
| Collect payment with a UPI link in the chat | Cashfree Payments | Free tier |
Starting estimate, not a quote: cheapest paid tier per stage, free tiers counted as ₹0, usage-based fees excluded. Confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Stage 1
Put WhatsApp on the official Business API with a shared inbox
3 toolsGet a compliant business number that a team can share and that can automate and broadcast.
A personal or app-based WhatsApp cannot be automated, handled by multiple agents, or used for compliant broadcasts, and it risks a ban. The official Business API through an Indian provider fixes all of that and bills in INR.
AiSensy is India-built, INR-billed, and has a free tier, strong for broadcasts and simple automation on a budget. Gallabox is India-built and INR-billed with a shared team inbox and no-code bots, better when a team handles chats. Interakt (India-built, INR-billed) leans toward D2C and commerce workflows. Start with AiSensy if broadcasts and cost are the priority; pick Gallabox for a proper team inbox; pick Interakt if you sell products in-chat.
Setup for Put WhatsApp on the official Bu...
- Apply for the WhatsApp Business API number and complete the business verification
- Set up a click-to-chat link and QR code on your website, bio, and packaging
- Get message templates approved for your first outbound touches
Automation for Put WhatsApp on the official Bu...
Caveats for Put WhatsApp on the official Bu...
- WhatsApp charges per delivered message on top of the platform fee, so broadcasts have a real per-message cost
- Verification takes time and needs a number not already tied to a personal WhatsApp account
Stage 2
Auto-reply and qualify with a no-code bot
2 toolsAnswer instantly, ask the two or three questions that qualify the lead, and route hot ones to a human.
Most WhatsApp leads are lost to slow replies. A no-code bot that responds in seconds and asks a couple of qualifying questions captures intent while it is hot, which matters most on mobile-first WhatsApp traffic.
Gallabox has India-built, INR-billed no-code chatbots that sit on the same shared inbox, so the bot and human agents share one thread. Landbot is a visual flow builder for website and WhatsApp bots (it bills in EUR, so add forex plus GST). Use Gallabox to keep bot and inbox in one INR-billed tool; reach for Landbot only if you want its visual flow builder across web and WhatsApp.
Setup for Auto-reply and qualify with a n...
- Build a short welcome flow that greets, asks two qualifying questions, and captures the phone number
- Set a rule to hand a qualified lead to a human agent immediately
- Add an after-hours auto-reply so no lead hits silence
Automation for Auto-reply and qualify with a n...
Caveats for Auto-reply and qualify with a n...
- Long bot flows make people drop off; keep it to a few questions before a human takes over
- Landbot bills in EUR, so factor forex plus GST against the INR-billed options
Stage 3
Pull leads from forms, website, and ads into WhatsApp
2 toolsGet leads from every source into the same WhatsApp flow instead of scattered across channels.
Leads do not only start on WhatsApp; they come from a website form, a Google form, or an ad. Capturing them into a form and routing to WhatsApp keeps every lead in one flow with a phone number you can message.
Zoho Forms is India-built, INR-billed, with a free tier and clean routing of submissions onward. Google Forms is free and fine for a quick enquiry form if you just need name and number. Use Zoho Forms when you want routing and structure; use Google Forms if you only need a free, basic capture form.
Setup for Pull leads from forms, website,...
- Keep the form to name, phone, and one intent question so mobile users finish it
- Make phone number required and formatted so WhatsApp follow-up works
- Route new submissions into your WhatsApp tool so the first reply can be automatic
Automation for Pull leads from forms, website,...
Caveats for Pull leads from forms, website,...
- Every extra field drops mobile completion; ask for the minimum
- Get consent on the form before you message people on WhatsApp, to respect DPDP and WhatsApp rules
Stage 4
Follow up so no lead goes cold
3 toolsTrack each lead's status and next step, and automate the routing between your tools.
A shared inbox catches today's chats, but leads that need a second or third touch slip through without a follow-up system. A lightweight lead tracker plus an automation tool keeps the whole thing moving without manual copy-paste.
Bigin by Zoho is the cheapest real CRM here, India-built and INR-billed with a free tier, and it handles selling over WhatsApp as a first-class job, so leads land in a pipeline with an owner and a next step. Privyr is mobile-first and built around instant WhatsApp follow-up, which suits a solo operator working from a phone, though it bills in USD. Pabbly Connect is India-built and INR-billed with a free tier and does the wiring, routing a lead from your form or ad into WhatsApp and the CRM without copy-paste. Start with Bigin for the pipeline, add Privyr if you live on your phone, and use Pabbly Connect to join the two.
Setup for Follow up so no lead goes cold
- Set a simple status for each lead (new, following up, won, lost) and a reminder for the next touch
- Automate the handoff so a new form or WhatsApp lead lands in your tracker without manual entry
- Set follow-up reminders so no lead sits untouched for more than a day
Automation for Follow up so no lead goes cold
Caveats for Follow up so no lead goes cold
- Privyr is aimed at agents and bills in USD; it is a lead follow-up tool, not a full CRM
- Automation breaks quietly when a tool changes; check the flows every so often
Stage 5
Collect payment with a UPI link in the chat
3 toolsClose the sale by sending a payment link the customer can pay in seconds over UPI.
In India the fastest way to convert a warm WhatsApp lead is a UPI payment link right in the chat, no redirect, no card. INR-billed Indian gateways make this a one-message step.
Cashfree is an India-first, RBI-licensed gateway with UPI, payment links, and payouts, plus a free tier to start, all INR-billed. Instamojo is India-first with a free tier, aimed at freelancers and small sellers collecting payments simply. PhonePe Payment Gateway is a fit when your customers pay mostly by UPI. Pick Instamojo or Cashfree for an easy, low-commitment start; lean on PhonePe if UPI is nearly all of your payment mix. All are India-first and INR-oriented.
Setup for Collect payment with a UPI link...
- Generate a UPI payment link and send it in the WhatsApp chat once the lead is ready to buy
- Send an automatic payment confirmation and invoice back on WhatsApp
- Reconcile paid versus pending so follow-up targets only unpaid leads
Automation for Collect payment with a UPI link...
Caveats for Collect payment with a UPI link...
- Gateways charge a percentage per transaction; compare rates for your ticket size and UPI mix
- Payment links can expire or be shared; use single-use links for higher-value orders