---
title: WhatsApp Business Broadcast List: How to Create and Limits
description: How to create broadcast lists in WhatsApp Business, the 2026 limits, and when to use API broadcasts for larger volumes.
date: 2026-05-17
author: Victor Villalobos
locale: en
source: https://www.zavu.dev/en/blog/lista-transmissao-whatsapp-business
tags: WhatsApp, Marketing, Messaging
---

# WhatsApp Business Broadcast List: How to Create and Limits

A broadcast list is the simplest way to send the same message to multiple people on WhatsApp Business without creating a group. It works well for up to **256 contacts per list**, but has important rules. This guide shows how to create one, the 2026 limits, and when it makes more sense to switch to **API broadcasts** instead.

## What a broadcast list is

Unlike a group, in a broadcast list **each recipient gets the message individually**. Nobody sees who else received it. Replies come to you only, as private chat.

```
Company
   │
   ├──> Customer A (receives as private chat)
   ├──> Customer B (receives as private chat)
   ├──> Customer C (receives as private chat)
```

For the customer, it looks like a personal message.

## How to create a broadcast list in WhatsApp Business

### On Android

1. Open **WhatsApp Business**
2. On the chat screen, tap the **three dots** (top right)
3. Select **New broadcast**
4. Add contacts (up to **256** per list)
5. Tap the **green** button to create
6. Done. Send the message normally.

### On iOS

1. Open **WhatsApp Business**
2. Tap **Broadcast Lists** at the top of the chat screen
3. Select **New List**
4. Add contacts
5. Tap **Create**

## Critical rule: the customer must have your number saved

**Only contacts who have your number saved in their address book receive broadcast messages.** This is Meta's rule, designed to prevent spam.

If you send a promotion to 200 people but only 50 have your number saved, **the other 150 receive nothing** — silent failure.

### How to get customers to save your number

1. Send a **click-to-WhatsApp link** with your number (`wa.me/15551234567`)
2. On first contact, ask: "Please save this number as [Company] to receive updates"
3. Use **QR Code** in physical store or at site checkout
4. Add the link to email footers and social media

## App broadcast list limits

| Feature | Limit |
|---|---|
| Contacts per list | 256 |
| Lists you can create | Unlimited |
| Messages per day | "Reasonable" (Meta doesn't publish a number, but ~1,000 messages/day is safe) |
| Frequency | No hard rule, but avoid more than 2-3 broadcasts per week |

**Spam penalties**: Meta can **limit or ban the number** if it gets too many reports. Keep quality high.

## Broadcast list best practices

1. **Clear opt-in**: confirm the customer wants your messages. "Do you want to receive updates here on WhatsApp?" is minimum.
2. **Low frequency**: 1-2 messages/week max.
3. **Relevant content**: generic promo gets blocked. Personalize by interest.
4. **Clear CTA**: every broadcast should have an action (link, number, discount code).
5. **Business hours**: never send at 10pm or middle of the night.
6. **Limited personalization**: the app doesn't personalize with name, but you can have 3-4 segmented lists instead of one.
7. **Clean inactives**: contacts not responding in 30 days may have deleted your number. Removing them improves deliverability.

## When broadcast lists aren't enough

Move to **API broadcasts** with WhatsApp Business API when:

- Need to send to **more than 256 contacts** in one campaign
- Want to **personalize** with name, order number, value
- Need **reports** (who received, who read, who replied)
- Want to schedule automatic sends
- Need **registered opt-in** with date and channel (GDPR/CCPA compliance)
- Want **CRM integration**

## API broadcasts: example

With [Zavu](https://www.zavu.dev/en) you can send to thousands or millions in one API call:

```typescript
import Zavu from "@zavudev/sdk"
const zavu = new Zavu({ apiKey: process.env.ZAVU_API_KEY })

// 1. Create broadcast
const broadcast = await zavu.broadcasts.create({
  name: "Black Friday 2026",
  channel: "whatsapp",
  messageType: "template",
  content: {
    templateId: "tpl_black_friday_promo",
    templateVariables: {
      "1": "{{contact.first_name}}",
      "2": "30%"
    }
  }
})

// 2. Add contacts (up to 1,000 per request, no total limit)
await zavu.broadcasts.addContacts(broadcast.id, {
  contacts: [
    { phone: "+14155551234", variables: { first_name: "John" } },
    { phone: "+14155552345", variables: { first_name: "Mary" } },
    // ... thousands of contacts
  ]
})

// 3. Send
await zavu.broadcasts.send(broadcast.id)

// 4. Track progress
const progress = await zavu.broadcasts.getProgress(broadcast.id)
console.log(`Sent: ${progress.sent}/${progress.total}`)
console.log(`Delivered: ${progress.delivered}`)
console.log(`Read: ${progress.read}`)
```

API broadcast advantages:

- **No recipient limit** (you pay per delivered message)
- Real personalization with per-contact variables
- Doesn't require contact to have your number saved
- Real-time metrics
- Meta-approved templates (required for promo messages)
- Opt-in compliance with registered consent

## Pricing: broadcast list vs API broadcast

| Scenario | Cost |
|---|---|
| App list (up to 256, saved-number contacts) | Free |
| API broadcast (Utility template, US) | ~$0.015 per message |
| API broadcast (Marketing template, US) | ~$0.025 per message |

For 1,000 marketing messages: ~$25. Pays off when ROI exceeds investment.

## Common mistakes

**1. Sending heavy promo on first contact.** Customer who never got anything from you marks as spam. Start with useful messages (order status, reminders) before promotion.

**2. Using the same list for everything.** Create segmentations: VIP, just-purchased, abandoned-cart, inactive.

**3. Not measuring.** If you don't know read and reply rates, you're shooting in the dark. App doesn't give those — only the API.

**4. Text too long.** Long messages have much lower read rates. Ideal: up to 4 lines + 1 link.

**5. Message without identification.** Always put company name first ("Hi from [Company]! ..."). Customers who forgot to save your number don't know who it is.

## Related resources

- [What is WhatsApp Business](/en/blog/o-que-e-whatsapp-business)
- [WhatsApp Business auto-reply](/en/blog/mensagem-automatica-whatsapp-business)
- [Zavu Docs — Broadcasts](https://docs.zavu.dev/guides/broadcasts/overview)
- [WhatsApp Business API: official guide](/en/whatsapp-business-api)

## Conclusion

The broadcast list is **great to start**, but becomes a bottleneck fast. The 256 contacts max and saved-number-in-address-book requirement limit real reach. When you need to send to more people, personalize with name and have delivery/read metrics, the [API with broadcasts](/en/whatsapp-business-api) is the path. Providers like Zavu let you broadcast to thousands of contacts with one call, transparent per-message cost and full reports.