How Green API works today
From the Green API website and its plans documentation (accessed September 27, 2026):
- Unofficial. Each instance is linked by scanning a QR code.
- Plans are per instance. Each instance is billed separately: Developer is free, Business is $12.00 per month and Chatbot is $24 per month.
- Developer limits. Only 3 chats and one Developer instance per account, plus monthly caps on some methods.
- Partner plan. $0.40 per day, billed daily, with white label, instance management and volume discounts.
Green API and D-API side by side
| Criteria | Green API | D-API |
|---|---|---|
| Connection type | Unofficial (QR code) | Unofficial (QR code or pairing code) and official WhatsApp API (Meta Cloud API) |
| Pricing | $12 per instance per month (Business) | Per connection, falling with volume: $15.00 at 1–9, $9.90 at 10, $8.75 at 11–50 |
| Free option | Developer plan, 3 chats | 3-day free trial, no credit card |
| Dedicated IP per number | Check with the vendor | Yes, a dedicated proxy per connection |
| Official API in the same integration | Check with the vendor | Yes, only the session type changes |
| WhatsApp voice calls (VoIP) | Check with the vendor | Included at no extra cost (bonus) |
Green API vs D-API: monthly cost
Green API Business versus the D-API Scale plan, where the tier price applies to every connection in the account.
| Connections | Green API Business / month | D-API / month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.00 | $15.00 |
| 9 | $108.00 | $135.00 |
| 10 | $120.00 | $99.00 |
| 30 | $360.00 | $262.50 |
| 50 | $600.00 | $437.50 |
Up to 9 numbers, Green API is cheaper. From 10 on, D-API costs less per connection. Above 50 connections, D-API pricing is Talk to sales. See pricing.
When to choose Green API
- You run fewer than 10 numbers and want the lowest monthly bill.
- You want a free plan to test with, with no time limit.
- You depend on one of the ready-made integrations Green API maintains.
When to choose D-API
- You run 10 numbers or more. The tier price drops for every connection in the account. See multiple WhatsApp numbers.
- Each number belongs to a different customer. Per-instance isolation and a dedicated IP per connection keep one customer's problem from spreading. See how to avoid bans.
- You need the official WhatsApp API too. Same send routes, only the session type changes. See the official WhatsApp API.
- You resell WhatsApp. See the WhatsApp API reseller model.
- Uptime is part of your product. 20+ servers across 3 datacenters, 99.9% uptime, self-healing / auto-reconnect and support in English.
Migrating from Green API to D-API
- Map the concepts. A Green API instance becomes a D-API session with a
sessionIdyou choose; one account API key in the Authorization header replaces per-instance credentials. - Create the session with
POST /api/v1/sessionsand awebhookUrl, then connect the number by QR code or pairing code. - Swap the send calls, starting with
POST /api/v1/messages/send/text. In Node.js, the SDK covers sessions, messages, groups and media. - Adapt your webhook receiver to the D-API envelope (
event,sessionId,data). Webhooks are retried with exponential backoff. See WhatsApp webhooks. - Log out of the Green API instance once the number is connected and messages flow.
D-API is a WhatsApp API built for products with many numbers. Compare with the UltraMsg alternative or the Whapi.Cloud alternative. The 3-day free trial needs no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is Green API an official WhatsApp API?
No. You connect a Green API instance by scanning a QR code, the same way WhatsApp Web links a device. That makes it an unofficial WhatsApp API, like the QR code connection on D-API.
Is D-API cheaper than Green API?
It depends on how many numbers you run. Green API’s Business plan is $12 per instance per month. D-API costs $15.00 per connection from 1 to 9, so Green API is cheaper there. From 10 connections D-API drops to $9.90, and from 11 to 50 to $8.75, below Green API’s Business price.
Does Green API have a free plan?
Yes. The Developer plan is free, limited to 3 chats and one instance per account, and is meant for testing. D-API has no free plan; it offers a 3-day free trial, no credit card required.
What is Green API’s Partner plan?
A plan for companies that manage instances for their own customers, priced at $0.40 per day, with white label, instance management by API and volume discounts. If you resell WhatsApp, compare it with D-API’s reseller model.
Can I keep the same number when moving from Green API?
Yes. The number stays on your phone. Connect it to D-API with a new QR code or pairing code, confirm it is connected, then log out of the Green API instance.