Whatsapp chat using api inside retool

🤝 Community Show & Tell
1

Hi guys I made this chat app using the whatsapp api from the facebook developer platform and using webhooks

whatsapptest-ezgif.com-video-to-gif-converter

as a disclaimer the webhook won't work straight out of the box because I had to setup a vercel server as a interface between the facebook api and the retool webhooks because retool doesn't support the verify token from facebook

5 Likes
2

Here is the json btw
Whatsapp.json (43.8 KB)

3

Thanks for sharing, @Gsmplus! It's always cool to see what's possible in Retool.

I've moved this topic over into the Community Show & Tell category, just to keep everything organized. Happy building!

2 Likes
4

Sorry my bad Darren

1 Like
5

That’s a great build! You’re absolutely right — the webhook won’t just work out of the box. The verify_token handshake from Facebook often trips people up, and using a Vercel server as an interface is a smart workaround. Retool not supporting the token verification directly makes this extra step necessary.

For anyone else trying this:

  • Make sure your Vercel (or any serverless function) properly handles the GET verification request before handling POST events.
  • Keep an eye on rate limits and 24-hour session rules from WhatsApp.
  • If you don’t want to manage custom hosting, services like Botsense handle webhook validation and give you an easier way to connect WhatsApp API with automation platforms.

Curious — are you planning to extend this chat app for customer support or keep it as a dev project?

12

You can point your webhook to a small server just for the verify_token check, then forward real events into Retool. I also watch rate limits and reset the 24‑hour window.

13

I’ve been using the whatsapp business api for handling customer chats, and the fixed monthly pricing has been great for keeping costs predictable. I liked how quickly I could hook it into my CRM and set up simple chatbots without extra fees sneaking in. The uptime has been solid too, so I don’t worry about messages getting stuck during busy hours.