> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chatsyncs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp API Glossary (WABA, Phone Number ID, BSP)

> Definitions of the key WhatsApp Business API terms — WABA, Phone Number ID, WABA ID, and BSP. Use when a customer asks what any of these terms mean, or is confused by the jargon in the Meta developer dashboard.

The core vocabulary of the WhatsApp Business API. These terms appear everywhere in the
Meta dashboard and in API calls — you need to understand them before you can do anything
else.

## The terms

**WABA — WhatsApp Business Account**
The top-level container for a business on WhatsApp. It holds the business profile, message
templates, and phone numbers. It lives inside the business's Meta Business Portfolio. Every
business that uses the WhatsApp API has one (or more) WABAs.

**Phone Number ID**
A unique numerical identifier Meta assigns to each phone number registered on the WhatsApp
API — including test numbers. You use this ID in every API call to specify which number
should send or receive a message. Find it in the Meta developer dashboard under API Setup.

**WABA ID (WhatsApp Business Account ID)**
The unique ID for the entire WhatsApp Business Account. Used to manage global settings,
webhooks, and templates across all phone numbers in that account. Different from the Phone
Number ID — the WABA ID identifies the *account*, the Phone Number ID identifies one
specific *number* inside it.

**BSP — Business Solution Provider**
An official Meta partner (e.g. Twilio, Infobip, Sinch, Wati, AiSensy) that resells access to
the WhatsApp Business API. BSPs used to be required, but with the
[Cloud API](/meta-api/concepts/cloud-vs-on-premise) you can connect directly to Meta without
going through a BSP. BSPs are optional today — they add value through extra tooling, not
because Meta requires them.

## Where to find your IDs

<Frame caption="The Meta API Setup screen showing the Phone Number ID and WhatsApp Business Account ID side by side.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/chatsyncs/9KTO5p9xBuKseWPL/images/meta-api/concepts/whatsapp-api-glossary/phone-number-id-and-waba-id.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=9KTO5p9xBuKseWPL&q=85&s=29b32779d9944401d33dd3caccdeefb5" alt="Phone Number ID and WABA ID in the dashboard" width="1454" height="438" data-path="images/meta-api/concepts/whatsapp-api-glossary/phone-number-id-and-waba-id.png" />
</Frame>

## Frequently asked

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is a WABA?">
    WABA stands for WhatsApp Business Account. It is the account that holds your business
    profile, phone numbers, and message templates on Meta's platform.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is a Phone Number ID?">
    A unique number Meta gives to each phone number registered on the WhatsApp API. You put
    it in your API calls so Meta knows which number to send from. Find it in the Meta
    developer dashboard → API Setup.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is a WABA ID?">
    The ID of the entire WhatsApp Business Account — used to manage templates and webhooks
    globally. Not the same as a Phone Number ID.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need a BSP to use the WhatsApp API?">
    No. With the Cloud API you connect directly to Meta. BSPs are optional — some businesses
    use them for extra features, but they are not required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the difference between Phone Number ID and WABA ID?">
    Phone Number ID identifies one specific number inside your account. WABA ID identifies
    the whole account. You use Phone Number ID in message sends; you use WABA ID for
    account-level settings and templates.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>