Most tradies already run their business through WhatsApp. The question is which app, and whether it is worth separating work from home.
3 November 2026 · 5 min read
For most tradies the free WhatsApp Business app is worth it once customers message you regularly: it adds a business profile, quick replies, labels and away messages, and keeps work separate from family chats if you give it its own number. If you only get the odd customer message, personal WhatsApp is fine. Either way, GraftG works with both.
Personal WhatsApp is for friends and family. WhatsApp Business is the same app with tools for dealing with customers, and it is free. The main reason to switch is not the features, it is the separation: a work number you can mute at 7pm, and a profile that shows customers your business name, hours and area rather than a photo from your holiday.
A business profile with your trade, address or area, opening hours and website. Quick replies, so “can you send a photo of the problem?” is two taps rather than a paragraph. Labels, to mark chats as new enquiry, quoted or booked. Greeting and away messages for when you are on a job. A catalogue, if you sell fixed-price services. None of it is essential, but quick replies alone save a surprising amount of thumb work.
One phone number can only be on one WhatsApp app at a time. If you want to keep your existing number for work, you can move it to WhatsApp Business and keep your chat history, then put a new number on personal WhatsApp. Many phones take two SIMs or an eSIM, so both apps can run on one handset. If customers already have your mobile, keeping that one for work saves you telling everyone a new number.
You will also see the WhatsApp Business Platform, sometimes called the API. That is for software and larger firms sending messages at scale, not for running your own customer chats. GraftG runs on it behind the scenes, so you do not need to touch it: you just text GraftG’s number from your own WhatsApp.
GraftG works whether you text it from personal WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business, as long as it is the number you linked. One thing to watch: if your Business app sends automatic greeting or away messages, set them to skip GraftG’s number, or GraftG will pause for six hours so two automated systems do not message each other all day. Text HELP to switch replies back on. More on running your business on WhatsApp and sending invoices over WhatsApp.
Yes. The WhatsApp Business app is free to download and use for chatting with customers. Paid messaging is part of the separate WhatsApp Business Platform, which is aimed at software and larger businesses.
Yes, as long as each uses a different phone number. A dual-SIM or eSIM phone can run both, one for work and one for personal chats.
Yes. GraftG works from personal WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business, as long as you text it from the number you linked. Set any automatic away or greeting messages to skip GraftG’s number so replies are not paused.
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