Run Surveys Inside WhatsApp, on Your Own Number
A WhatsApp survey tool built on Meta's Cloud API: native in-chat surveys, your own WhatsApp Business Account, Meta's rates and no messaging markup.
SurveyAnalytica turns any survey into a native WhatsApp Flow that opens inside the chat, or sends it as a link when you want the full web experience. You connect your own WhatsApp Business Account through Meta's Embedded Signup, templates are created from the platform, campaigns queue at WhatsApp-safe rates, and every answer and reply lands in the same analytics and shared inbox as your other channels.
Two ways to deliver a survey on WhatsApp
Every WhatsApp collector in the Share tab offers the same choice the product shows you: keep the respondent inside the chat, or send them to the full web survey. Both go out from your own number with an approved template.
Native Flow
The survey is rendered inside WhatsApp as an interactive form. No browser, no page load, no sign-in.
- Opens from a Start survey button on your template message
- Each survey page becomes a Flow screen; answers are submitted from the last screen
- Runs in the WhatsApp app the respondent already has open
- Best for short, high-response surveys: CSAT, NPS, confirmations, quick qualification
Survey Link
A template message with a URL button that opens the full survey in the browser, with every question type, theme and rule the web renderer supports.
- Right for long questionnaires, rich media, signatures, payments and appointment booking
- Opens on your survey domain with your theme, end pages and logic intact
- Same campaign queue, same delivery statuses, same analytics
- Add a second collector with the other method any time; both report into the same survey
Native surveys inside WhatsApp
WhatsApp Flows are Meta's in-chat forms. SurveyAnalytica compiles your survey into one automatically, so a WhatsApp questionnaire is built in the same designer as every other survey, not in a separate tool.
What the respondent sees
A template message arrives from your business number with a Start survey button. Tapping it slides a form up over the chat: your questions, one screen per survey page, a Continue button between screens and Submit at the end. The respondent never leaves WhatsApp.
Built from the survey you already have
Pages become Flow screens and questions become native Flow components. Sync the survey to a phone number from the Share tab and the Flow is created in your WhatsApp Business Account; edit the survey and re-sync to update it.
Sections and repeatable sections
Questions inside a section compile like any other question on the page. A repeatable section is unrolled into a fixed set of up to 3 instances; anything beyond that is left out and flagged in the Flow preview before you publish. Pages drawn from a question bank are skipped, so use Survey Link for those surveys.
Logic that runs in the chat
Show-page, hide-page and end-survey rules are evaluated on the platform between screens, so respondents only see the pages that apply to them.
Encrypted data exchange
Answers travel through Meta's encrypted channel. For surveys with page rules, each screen is exchanged with the platform through Meta's encrypted data exchange (RSA-OAEP with AES-GCM), so the next page is decided on the platform; otherwise the completed submission is delivered in one encrypted webhook.
Preview, publish, retire
Preview the compiled Flow in the app before anyone sees it, publish it to a number, and deprecate or delete it when the survey closes. The publish state stays in sync per number.
Question types that compile to native components
Single choice, multiple choice, dropdown, yes/no, NPS, rating, scale and slider become native selection controls; text, phone, date and time become inputs; photo and file uploads use the phone's picker. Matrix questions become one row per statement, ranking captures the top choice, and the compiler lists which questions were simplified before you send.
Good to know
- Signature, payment and product-card questions have no Flow equivalent; use the Survey Link method for those surveys.
- Video-response questions are not supported in Flows; use Survey Link.
- Flows allow one photo or file question per page (a second one on the same page is left out and flagged in the Flow preview), with up to 5 files per question and 25 MB per file.
- Appointment questions compile to a date and a time field only, with no booking; use Survey Link for booking.
- Rules that show or hide individual questions or options are not supported inside Flows and are flagged in the Flow preview; page-level rules are supported.
- Questions inside sections are included; a repeatable section is unrolled to at most 3 instances (more are left out and flagged in the Flow preview); question-bank pages are not supported in a Flow.
- Starting the Flow needs an approved message template and a verified number on your account; Meta Business verification is needed before higher messaging limits apply.
What teams run on WhatsApp
Short surveys sent where customers already are get answered faster than email. These are the ones customers start with, each with a starting template.
Post-delivery CSAT
After delivery, send the CSAT survey as a native Flow. When the rating is 3 or lower, the starting workflow creates a task for the team and messages the customer with an approved WhatsApp template.
Start from template: WhatsApp CSAT: Low-Score TaskNPS on WhatsApp
Ask the 0–10 question and a follow-up in a native Flow, on a schedule or after a milestone. The starting workflow sends promoters (9–10) a review request on WhatsApp, and for detractors (0–6) opens a callback task and sends an acknowledgement.
Start from template: WhatsApp NPS RoutingAppointment and service feedback
Confirm the visit with a reminder template, then collect the rating once the appointment closes. Clinics, salons, workshops and field service.
Start from template: Appointment ReminderEvent invitations and RSVPs
Invite from one contact list with an approved template whose button opens the event page in the browser, then send a reminder on the day.
Start from template: Event InvitationLead qualification
Send a short qualification survey as a native Flow to capture budget, timeline and location. The starting workflow adds each respondent to a contact list and alerts your team in Slack.
Start from template: WhatsApp Lead QualificationWin-back and re-activation
Reach lapsed customers with an approved template that carries an offer and a link.
Start from template: Win-Back ReactivationWorkflow triggers
Message lifecycle events
received, sent, delivered, opened, replied and failed events on WhatsApp conversations start workflows via the unified message trigger.
Campaign events
sent / delivered / opened / clicked / replied events per campaign message.
Survey responses from WhatsApp Flows
A completed Flow is saved as a survey response, so any workflow with a Survey response trigger on that survey runs with the answers and the contact.
Template lifecycle webhooks
Template approval, rejection (with reason), quality and category updates keep your template library current automatically.
Workflow actions
Template sends at safe rates
Per-record variable substitution, queued per phone number at WhatsApp-safe throughput (20 msg/s).
Programmatic template creation
Create and edit templates from the platform, including Meta's pre-approved library templates, instead of hand-filing each one in Business Manager.
Native WhatsApp Flows
Surveys compile to in-chat WhatsApp Flows with encrypted data exchange; respondents answer without leaving the thread.
Two-way replies
Free-form replies inside the 24-hour window, from workflows or the shared inbox.
How data flows
Campaigns stream contact lists with per-number rate-limited queues, automatic variable mapping from contact fields, media headers, and scheduling. Delivery statuses (including bounces and complaints) update campaign counters and message timelines. What WhatsApp actually costs: Meta bills your WhatsApp Business Account at its published rates for business-initiated template messages, and free-form replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window follow Meta's service-conversation rules. SurveyAnalytica meters workflow executions under your plan and adds no per-message WhatsApp fee.
Connection: Meta Embedded Signup: a guided Facebook login connects your WhatsApp Business Account and verified phone number; the token is upgraded to long-lived and refreshed. Requirements to be upfront about: a verified phone number, display-name approval, and Meta Business verification, which is needed before higher messaging limits apply and which Embedded Signup walks you through.
Worked example: Post-delivery CSAT that respects the template rules
Trigger: an order-fulfilled event arrives (Shopify webhook or your own).
Action: send an approved utility template asking for a rating, created programmatically for this survey.
The customer taps into a native WhatsApp Flow and answers in-chat; the completed Flow is saved as a survey response, which runs the Survey response workflow on that survey.
A low rating opens a task and the conversation continues in the shared inbox inside the 24-hour window.
Ready-made flow templates
Install a shipped template and adapt it — no build-from-scratch required.
Setting it up
1.
Have your Meta Business verified, or start it now (it is needed before higher messaging limits apply), and have a phone number you can dedicate to WhatsApp.
2.
Run Embedded Signup from Account → Integrations: it connects your WhatsApp Business Account and number in one guided login, and the token is kept long-lived.
3.
Build the survey in the designer as usual, publish it, then open the Share tab, add a WhatsApp collector and choose Native Flow or Survey Link.
4.
Pick or create the message template (Meta's library templates included); approval status syncs back automatically.
5.
Choose the contact list, map template variables to contact fields, send a test to yourself, then launch or schedule.
6.
Watch deliveries, replies and answers arrive in the campaign counters, the shared inbox and analytics. A completed Flow is saved as a survey response, so any workflow with a Survey response trigger on that survey runs with the answers and the contact.
What a WhatsApp survey costs
Two separate bills, and only one of them is ours.
- Meta bills your WhatsApp Business Account at its published rates for business-initiated template messages in your market; the charge appears on your Meta invoice, not ours.
- SurveyAnalytica meters workflow executions under your plan and adds no per-message WhatsApp fee.
- There are no bundled credits to buy and no reseller margin; the number, the account and the billing relationship with Meta stay yours.
- Free-form replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window follow Meta's service-conversation rules; SurveyAnalytica adds no fee for them.
Requirements and rules, stated upfront
WhatsApp is a permissioned channel. These are the things Meta expects before a survey goes out, and how the platform helps you meet them.
Meta Business verification
Business verification is needed before higher messaging limits apply. Embedded Signup walks you through it.
A verified phone number and display name
The number is registered to your WhatsApp Business Account with an approved display name; it cannot be in use on the consumer WhatsApp app at the same time.
An approved template for every business-initiated message
Survey invitations are business-initiated, so they need an approved template. Create it from the platform, including Meta's library templates, and approval or rejection with the reason syncs back.
Opt-in before you send
Meta's policy requires that recipients agreed to hear from you on WhatsApp. Keep the opt-in and its source with the contact so campaigns only go to people who asked.
The 24-hour window
Free-form replies are allowed for 24 hours after the customer's last message; outside it you send an approved template.
Plan availability
WhatsApp campaigns, native Flows and workflow actions are on the Professional and Enterprise plans.
WhatsApp poll, survey link or native Flow?
A WhatsApp poll is a one-question vote inside a chat. A questionnaire needs more than that. Here is how the three options compare.
| WhatsApp poll | Survey link on WhatsApp | Native Flow (SurveyAnalytica) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs inside the chat | Yes | No, opens the browser | Yes |
| Questions per survey | One | Unlimited | Multi-screen, one survey page per screen |
| Question types | Single or multiple choice, one question | All | Choice, rating, NPS, scale, text, date, phone, uploads |
| Logic and branching | None | All rules | Page-level rules |
| Who can answer | Anyone in that chat | Anyone with the link | The contact you messaged |
| Sent from | Your personal chat | Your business number | Your business number |
| Identified responses | Names visible in the chat | Optional | Tied to the contact record |
| Analytics and workflows | None | Full | Full, same as the survey link |
| Cost | Free | Meta template rate | Meta template rate |
Help articles and further reading
Step-by-step guides in the help center, and the two articles readers ask for most.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a survey on WhatsApp?
Build the survey in the designer, publish it, open the Share tab and add a WhatsApp collector. Choose Native Flow to have it compiled into an in-chat form, or Survey Link to send a template with a button that opens the web survey. Pick the template and the contact list, send a test to yourself, then launch or schedule.
Can people answer without leaving WhatsApp?
Yes. With the Native Flow method the survey compiles to a WhatsApp Flow that opens in-thread, with encrypted data exchange back to the platform. The respondent taps Start survey on your message, answers screen by screen and submits, all inside the chat.
Which question types work inside WhatsApp?
Single and multiple choice, dropdown, yes/no, NPS, rating, scale, slider, short and long text, phone, date, date and time, photo and file upload. Matrix questions become one row per statement and ranking keeps the top choice. Signature, payment and product-card questions need the Survey Link method.
Is a WhatsApp poll the same as a WhatsApp survey?
No. A poll is a single-question vote inside a chat, with no logic, no analytics and voters' names visible to everyone in the chat. A survey on WhatsApp is sent from your business number to individual contacts, can span several screens with rules, and every answer is tied to the contact and reported in analytics.
What do WhatsApp surveys actually cost?
Meta bills your WhatsApp Business Account at its published rates for business-initiated template messages; sends use your own access token against the Cloud API. Free-form replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window follow Meta's service-conversation rules. SurveyAnalytica meters workflow executions under your plan and adds no per-message WhatsApp fee. Compare that with bundled-credit vendors, where the messaging margin is theirs.
Do I need a BSP (Business Solution Provider)?
No. Onboarding uses Meta's Embedded Signup straight onto your own WABA, and delivery goes to the Cloud API directly. You keep ownership of the number, the account and the billing relationship with Meta.
Do I need the WhatsApp Business app or the API?
The Cloud API. The free WhatsApp Business app cannot send Flows or run campaigns from a platform. Embedded Signup creates or connects the WhatsApp Business Account the API needs, and the number then works from SurveyAnalytica and the shared inbox rather than from the phone app.
Doesn't every survey need an approved template?
Business-initiated messages do; that is WhatsApp's rule, and it is the painful part on most tools. SurveyAnalytica creates and edits templates programmatically (including Meta's library templates) and tracks approval, rejection reasons and quality via webhooks, so per-survey templates stay manageable.
Where do the answers go?
Into the same survey as any other collector: responses, analytics dashboards and exports. A completed Flow is saved as a survey response, so any workflow with a Survey response trigger on that survey runs with the answers and the contact. Delivery, read and reply statuses update the campaign counters and the message timeline in Conversations.
Can I run WhatsApp surveys in India?
Yes. Meta's Cloud API is open to Indian businesses: you need a number dedicated to WhatsApp, Business verification is needed before higher messaging limits apply, and Meta bills your account at its published rates for India. SurveyAnalytica's interface is available in Hindi and six other languages, and surveys can be written in any language.
What are the honest requirements?
A verified phone number, display-name approval, template approval for business-initiated messages, the 24-hour customer-service window for free-form replies, and Meta Business verification before higher messaging limits apply. Plan-wise, WhatsApp campaigns and actions are on Professional and Enterprise.