Connect n8n to WhatsApp

Unlike Zapier (tasks) or Make (operations), n8n self-hosted has no per-execution pricing. You pay only for your server. A basic VPS at Rs. 500 to 2,000 per month handles most WhatsApp automation workloads. For teams with developers and high volumes, this is significantly cheaper than Zapier or Make at scale.

There is no dedicated WA.Expert node in n8n's library. Use the HTTP Request node to call the WA.Expert API directly. This is available in all n8n plans including self-hosted.

n8n Cloud (managed hosting by n8n) starts at ~€20/month if you prefer not to manage a server.

# Install Docker on your VPS first, then:
docker run -it --rm \
  --name n8n \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
  docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

# Access n8n at http://YOUR-VPS-IP:5678

# Or use npm:
npm install n8n -g
n8n start

n8n documentation: docs.n8n.io

Method:  POST
URL:     https://api.wa.expert/v1/send

Authentication: None
(add the API key manually in Headers)

Headers:
  Name:  API-KEY
  Value: YOUR_WAEXPERT_API_KEY

  Name:  Content-Type
  Value: application/json

Body: JSON
{{
  "to":       "{{{{ $json.phone }}}}",
  "type":     "template",
  "template": {{
    "name":     "order_confirmation",
    "language": {{"code": "en"}},
    "components": [
      {{
        "type": "body",
        "parameters": [
          {{"type": "text", "text": "{{{{ $json.customer_name }}}}"}},
          {{"type": "text", "text": "{{{{ $json.order_id }}}}"}}
        ]
      }}
    ]
  }}
}}

n8n expression syntax: {{{{ $json.fieldname }}}}
This maps data from the previous (trigger) node.

In n8n, reference data from previous nodes using {{{{ $json.fieldname }}}} or {{{{ $json['fieldname'] }}}}. Click the expression icon (equals sign) next to any field in the HTTP node to open the expression editor, which shows available fields from all previous nodes.

// Code node (JavaScript) before the HTTP Request node

const order = $input.first().json;

// Choose template based on order value
let templateName;
if (order.total > 5000) {{
  templateName = "premium_order_confirmation";
}} else {{
  templateName = "standard_order_confirmation";
}}

return [{{
  json: {{
    ...order,
    template_name: templateName,
    phone: order.phone.startsWith('+') ? order.phone : '+91' + order.phone
  }}
}}];

n8n gives you two webhook URLs: a test URL (for building and testing) and a production URL (active when the workflow is published). WA.Expert must point to the production URL when the workflow is live. n8n only allows one active webhook per workflow at a time.

POST https://your-n8n-instance.com/webhook/YOUR_WEBHOOK_ID
Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{{
  "customer_name":    "{{customer_name}}",
  "customer_phone":   "{{customer_phone}}",
  "customer_message": "{{customer_message}}"
}}

n8n receives this, processes through nodes:
  Webhook -> IF (check keyword) -> Google Sheets (log)
                               -> Slack (alert team)