Integration · Automation platform
Zapier and WhatsApp: connect Broadchat to your other apps through webhooks
Broadchat has no Zapier app; it connects through Webhooks by Zapier. Step-by-step setup in both directions, a lead-ads example, field mapping and limits.
By Broadchat teamPublished 5 min read
You will need
- A Zapier plan that includes Webhooks by Zapier, which is not available on Zapier's free plan. Check Zapier's pricing page for the current plans.
- The Automations module on your Broadchat plan, for the workflow that receives Zapier's request.
- An approved WhatsApp message template for the message you want to send, and opt-in from the people you will message.
- Phone numbers with the country code in the source app (for example +91 98765 43210), or a Zapier Formatter step to add it.
How Broadchat and Zapier connect
The Zapier WhatsApp integration with Broadchat runs on webhooks, not on a listed Zapier app. In one direction, a zap sends a POST request to a Broadchat workflow's Custom Webhook URL, and the workflow sends a WhatsApp template. In the other direction, Broadchat posts events (messages, orders, payments, widget leads) to a Zapier Catch Hook URL, and Zapier passes them to your other tools. It takes a few more minutes to set up than a native app, but it works with any app Zapier supports.
Use it when the app you need has no native connection in Broadchat, for example Facebook Lead Ads, Google Forms, Typeform, Calendly or HubSpot. For Google Sheets, Shopify, WooCommerce and Razorpay, use the native connections instead.
Example: Facebook lead ad to WhatsApp
Skyline Homes runs a Facebook lead ad for a project in Noida. The form asks for name, phone and budget, and includes a consent line for WhatsApp updates. The zap:
- Trigger: Facebook Lead Ads → New Lead.
- Formatter: Phone number formatting, to make sure every number has the +91 country code.
- Action: Webhooks by Zapier → POST to the Broadchat Webhook URL with this data:
{
"name": "Arjun Mehta",
"phone": "+919876543210",
"budget": "80 lakh to 1 crore",
"campaign": "Skyline Greens Oct"
}In Broadchat, the workflow runs Create / Update Contact (phone {{1.phone}}, name {{1.name}}, custom field Budget {{1.budget}}), adds the tag from {{1.campaign}}, and sends enquiry_received_ack from the lead follow-up templates with Send Template Message (V2). A sales agent picks up the reply in the inbox.
Field mapping reference
| In Zapier (Data field) | In the Broadchat workflow |
|---|---|
| phone | WhatsApp Number: {{1.phone}} |
| name | Template variable 1: {{1.name}} |
| Any other field, such as budget | {{1.budget}} in variables, custom fields or filters |
| A nested object, such as lead.city | {{1.lead.city}} |
Troubleshooting
- Zapier shows 409: the Broadchat workflow is not Active. Activate it and retest.
- Zapier shows 404: the hook was regenerated. Paste the current Webhook URL into the zap.
- Workflow runs but no message: the number lacks a country code, the template is not approved on that channel, or the variable count does not match the template.
- Variables are empty: you mapped {{1.data.name}} or {{1.body.name}}; with Payload Type json, fields sit at the top level, so use {{1.name}}.
- Zapier's Catch Hook gets nothing: outbound Broadchat webhooks need an https URL and an active webhook; check the toggle next to it.
Read the webhooks integration for every payload Broadchat sends and receives, and the opt-in best practices before messaging leads.
Set it up
Create the receiving workflow in Broadchat
Open Automations → Workflow, click Create Workflow and add the Webhook app's Custom Webhook trigger. Enter a Webhook Title, click + Generate Hook and copy the Webhook URL. Click Capture Incoming Webhook so the next request is stored as a sample.
Build the zap's trigger
In Zapier, create a zap and choose the trigger app, for example Facebook Lead Ads (New Lead), Google Forms (New Form Response) or Calendly (Invitee Created). Connect your account and test the trigger so Zapier has a sample record.
Add Webhooks by Zapier as the action
Add an action step, choose Webhooks by Zapier and the POST event. Paste the Broadchat Webhook URL as the URL, set Payload Type to json, and add Data fields such as name, phone and campaign mapped from the trigger. Leave the other options at their defaults.
Test the step
Click Test step in Zapier. Broadchat replies with accepted: true and the captured sample appears under Show Received Data in the workflow.
Send the WhatsApp template
In the Broadchat workflow, add Send Template Message (V2). Pick the channel and template, set WhatsApp Number to {{1.phone}} and map the template variables to {{1.name}} and the other fields. Save, switch the workflow to Active and publish the zap.
Send Broadchat events to Zapier (optional)
For the other direction, start a zap with Webhooks by Zapier → Catch Hook, copy its URL, and add it as a webhook in Broadchat: on a channel's Webhooks tab, in Ecommerce → Trigger, in Payments → Automations or on a chat widget's Webhook page.
What you can do
WhatsApp messages from thousands of apps
Any app with a Zapier trigger, such as lead forms, booking tools, CRMs and spreadsheets, can start a Broadchat workflow that sends an approved template to the right number.
Instant lead follow-up
New leads from Facebook Lead Ads or a Google Form can receive a WhatsApp acknowledgement as soon as the zap runs, while your team is notified.
Broadchat events into other tools
Incoming WhatsApp messages, delivery statuses, orders and payments can be caught by Zapier and passed to Slack, a CRM, Google Sheets or email.
Logic on both sides
Use Zapier filters and formatters before the request, and Broadchat workflow filters, delays and CRM steps after it, for example to tag contacts by campaign.
Limitations to know
- There is no Broadchat app in Zapier's app directory. Everything goes through Webhooks by Zapier, so you map fields by hand and there are no ready-made Broadchat triggers or actions to pick.
- Broadchat's inbound webhook URL has no signature check; keep it private inside your zap and regenerate it if it is exposed.
- Outbound Broadchat webhooks are sent once without retries. If a Zapier hook is paused or erroring, those events are lost.
- Each zap run counts toward your Zapier task allowance, and each workflow step counts toward your Broadchat task allowance.
- Zapier and Broadchat cannot make a contact opt in. Only message people whose form or ad clearly asked for consent to be contacted on WhatsApp.
Sources
- Send webhooks in Zaps — Zapier Help Center, checked 12 October 2026
- Trigger Zaps from webhooks — Zapier Help Center, checked 12 October 2026
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy — WhatsApp, checked 12 October 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a Broadchat app on Zapier?
No. Broadchat connects to Zapier through Webhooks by Zapier: a POST action to send data to a Broadchat workflow, and a Catch Hook trigger to receive events from Broadchat. Webhooks by Zapier needs a paid Zapier plan.
Can I send a WhatsApp message to every Facebook lead automatically?
Yes, with a zap from Facebook Lead Ads to a Broadchat workflow that sends an approved template. The lead form should clearly ask for consent to be contacted on WhatsApp.
Can I use Make, Pabbly Connect or n8n instead of Zapier?
The same approach works with any tool that can send an HTTP POST request with JSON to the Broadchat Webhook URL and receive webhooks from Broadchat. The menu names differ in each tool.
How fast is the WhatsApp message after a form is submitted?
It depends mainly on how quickly Zapier runs the zap, which varies by trigger app and Zapier plan. Once Broadchat receives the request, the workflow starts straight away.