Developers· 1 min read
WhatsApp OTP vs SMS OTP: which is better for your app?
Authentication templates with a copy-code button are reliable and often cheaper than SMS. Here is the comparison.
Login codes are traditionally sent by SMS. With WhatsApp authentication templates, you can send the same one-time password on WhatsApp, where most Indian users already spend their day.
Why businesses switch
- Delivery shows read receipts, so you know the code arrived.
- A copy-code button makes entering the code quicker.
- No DLT template registration as with SMS in India.
- Pricing is often competitive with SMS, depending on volume and route.
When to keep SMS
Some users do not have WhatsApp or are offline. The best setup sends on WhatsApp first and falls back to SMS if the message is not delivered within a few seconds.
How to send with Wapify
Create an Authentication template in the Templates page. Once approved, send it from your server with a single API call that includes the code as otp_code.