Channels overview
How WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and webchat connect to Enscale, and what each one can do.
A channel is a way customers reach you. Enscale supports four, and every one of them feeds the same inbox, the same contact records, and the same automation engine.
What each channel supports
| Webchat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inbox conversations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workflow actions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI agents | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Broadcast campaigns | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Comment automation | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Ad-click triggers | ✓ (CTWA) | ✓ | ✓ (CTM) | — |
| Requires Meta account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Requires approved templates | ✓ | — | — | — |
Broadcasts are WhatsApp-only. It's the only channel where Meta permits templated outbound messaging to a list.
Which to connect first
WhatsApp, if you plan to use campaigns or most automations. It takes longest to set up — Meta Business verification and template approval both involve waiting on Meta — so starting it early is worthwhile.
Webchat, if you just want to see Enscale working. No Meta account, no approvals, live in about five minutes.
| Channel | Setup guide | Time |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp setup | 10–15 min + Meta approval | |
| Instagram setup | ~5 min | |
| Facebook setup | ~5 min | |
| Webchat | Webchat widget | ~5 min |
Channel limits
Your plan caps the total number of connected channels across all types — five channels means five connections in any mix, not five of each.
| Plan | Channels |
|---|---|
| Free | 1 |
| Starter | 5 |
| Growth | 10 |
| Pro | 15 |
| Scale | 25 |
Two WhatsApp numbers and one Instagram account is three channels.
Channel status
Each connected channel shows a status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | Connected and working. |
| Disconnected | The connection was removed or revoked at the provider. |
| Error | Connected but failing — usually an expired token or a permission change. |
Channel problems are always-on notifications: you cannot mute them, because a silently broken channel means customers messaging into a void. See Notifications.
The 24-hour service window
Every Meta channel enforces this, and it shapes how you design automations.
You can send a free-form message to a customer only within 24 hours of their last message to you. Outside that window, WhatsApp requires an approved template; Instagram and Facebook restrict messaging in comparable ways.
Webchat has no such window — it's your own surface.
See the service window rule for how this affects workflow design.
Consent
WhatsApp outbound needs explicit opt-in. Enscale records where each consent came from, so you can prove it:
| Source | What it means |
|---|---|
| Storefront popup | Opted in through a popup form. |
| Storefront stock notify | Opted in when joining a back-in-stock waitlist. |
| Customer keyword | Replied START / SUBSCRIBE on WhatsApp. |
| AI conversation | An AI agent captured consent in conversation. |
| Staff manual | A team member recorded it. |
| Workflow | A Set WhatsApp Consent node recorded it. |
| Broadcast CSV upload | Consent came with an imported list. |
Customers opt out by replying STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT, or OPT OUT. Enscale handles these automatically and fires the WhatsApp Opt-Out workflow trigger. Opted-out contacts are excluded from all outbound WhatsApp messaging.
Costs
Enscale doesn't charge per channel or per message. Meta does, for WhatsApp, billed directly to your WhatsApp Business account.
See Meta template charges and Billing.