Decision rule
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Everyone may see everything, max 4 people | Linked devices (free) |
| Owner + field workers who should not see everything | InBetween |
| Support desk, several agents at once, reporting | Business API platform (Trengo, Superchat, Bird) |
Three ways to share a WhatsApp Business account
| Linked devices | Business API team inbox | InBetween forwarding | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Stays in the app | Moves to the API | Stays in the app |
| Who sees what | Every device sees every chat | Per conversation, by role | Each employee only sees the customers forwarded to them |
| Customer phone numbers | Visible to everyone | Usually visible to agents | Hidden by default (Customer 1, Customer 2) |
| Employee works in | WhatsApp Web, desktop or a second phone | A web inbox | Their own WhatsApp |
| Cost | Free | Monthly fee plus Meta message fees | Free Basic plan, Pro €87, Pro+ €142 per month |
How to share a WhatsApp Business account with linked devices
This is the free option built into WhatsApp. It works well when the people sharing the account trust each other with every chat.
- On the main phone, open WhatsApp Business and go to Settings, then Linked devices.
- Tap Link a device and unlock with your PIN or fingerprint.
- On the employee's computer, open WhatsApp Web or the desktop app and scan the QR code with the main phone. A second phone can also be linked as a companion device.
- Repeat for up to 4 linked devices in total.
- Remove a device under Linked devices when someone leaves. Check this list regularly.
The limits: everyone sees every chat, including private ones on that number, and all customer phone numbers. Two people can answer the same customer at the same time without knowing it. There is no assignment, so a message is either picked up by everyone or by no one. See giving a coworker WhatsApp access safely for the details.
Can you share a WhatsApp account? What a shared WhatsApp account really is
Yes. WhatsApp does not have a joint account with several logins and separate passwords. When people say they share a WhatsApp account, they mean one phone number used on more than one device. The main phone stays the owner of the account, and up to 4 linked devices (computers or a second phone) mirror it. This works the same in regular WhatsApp and in WhatsApp Business.
That has two consequences. First, every linked device is a full copy: there are no roles, no read-only mode and no way to share only some chats. Second, if the main phone is logged out or the number is moved to another phone, the linked devices are logged out too. For a household that is usually fine. For a business with employees, it means you share everything or nothing, which is why the forwarding and team inbox options below exist.
WhatsApp Business shared account vs a shared WhatsApp inbox
A shared account means several devices log into the same number. A shared WhatsApp inbox is software on top of the Business API where messages land in one web interface, can be assigned to agents and get statuses like open or closed. That is the right tool for a support desk, but it usually means moving your number to the API and paying per conversation. Read more in WhatsApp team inbox options.
Can you hide phone numbers when sharing WhatsApp Business?
Your business number is always visible to customers; that is the number they message. What many owners want to hide is the other direction: customer phone numbers from employees, so a coworker who leaves does not take your customer list. WhatsApp Business has no setting for that, and linked devices show every number. InBetween hides customer numbers by default: the employee sees Customer 1 or Customer 2, replies in their own WhatsApp, and the reply goes back to the customer from your business number.
Why small businesses get stuck
The business number usually started on the owner's phone. Over time it ends up on the website, invoices, the van and the Google profile. Customers message it with questions only a technician or mechanic can answer, so the owner becomes a switchboard: read, call the coworker, wait, type the answer back.
Handing out the phone or adding a linked device solves the speed problem but exposes every private and business chat. A team inbox solves both, but costs more and usually means migrating to the Business API. Forwarding sits in between: only the customer messages move, and the number stays where it is.
How it works, in 3 steps
- Create an account at app.in-between.tech with your email address and a password. No card needed.
- Connect WhatsApp: scan the QR code or enter the pairing code, exactly like WhatsApp Web. Your phone keeps working as normal.
- Enter your coworker's number. From then on every customer message reaches your coworker. When they reply, the answer goes back to the customer from your business number.
Photos, locations, voice notes and documents come along. With Pause you stop forwarding temporarily, for example in the evening. Messages wait until you switch it back on.
Forward customer messages automatically. Replies go back from your number.
Try free for 30 daysFrequently asked questions
Can I share a WhatsApp Business account with my employees for free?
Yes, with linked devices: up to 4 extra devices on the same number, at no cost. Everyone then sees every chat and every customer number. InBetween also has a free Basic plan (25 customer messages per month) after the 30-day Pro+ trial.
Can my coworker see customer phone numbers?
Not by default. Your coworker sees "Customer 1", "Customer 2" and so on. You can choose to show numbers in the dashboard.
Can I change who receives the messages?
Yes. Switch the coworker in the dashboard at any time, or press Pause to stop forwarding temporarily.
Do I need a new WhatsApp number?
No. You connect your existing WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business number, the same way you would connect WhatsApp Web. Customers keep messaging the number they already know.