Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated during the company's messaging event that WhatsApp is providing free cloud-based API services in an effort to entice more companies to use the app.

Facebook-owned Meta has released new commerce and business-focused services on numerous platforms, including the messaging app, which has increasingly courted corporate users.

"Any business or developer can simply use our service, build directly on top of WhatsApp to tailor their experience and speed up their response time to consumers by utilising our secure WhatsApp Cloud API hosted by Meta," Zuckerberg stated at Meta's "Conversations" event.

WhatsApp already offers an API, or application programming interface, that allows companies to link their systems to the service and engage in customer support conversations, generating cash for Meta. Businesses will not be allowed to message individuals on WhatsApp unless they have asked to be contacted, according to Meta, which purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion in a blockbuster 2014 acquisition.

WhatsApp also said on Thursday that it plans to provide optional paid capabilities as part of a new premium service for users of its dedicated business app for small enterprises.

Options to manage conversations across up to 10 devices and customizable click-to-chat links that businesses may put on their websites and share with clients are among the features that are still being developed.

According to WABetaInfo, the new WhatsApp Premium membership plan will allow clients of the WhatsApp Business app to connect up to 10 devices using the same WhatsApp number. Users will also be able to rename each of these devices individually so that they can be recognised easily. This number has now been reduced to four devices across all WhatsApp applications on various platforms.