# Shared WhatsApp Inbox for Teams

> What a shared WhatsApp inbox is, how one number serves many logins, and how Chirpoo handles assignment, notes, snooze and alerts for small teams.

By Smaran Challapalli. Updated for 2026, 26 Oct 2026. First published 9 Sep 2026.
Canonical: https://chirpoo.com/guides/shared-whatsapp-inbox/

A shared WhatsApp inbox is one business number that several people answer from their own logins, with every chat visible to the team. [Chirpoo](https://chirpoo.com/) is a hosted shared inbox on the official WhatsApp Cloud API. It costs ₹999 a month, excluding 18% GST, and includes 5 team logins and one number.

## What is a shared WhatsApp inbox?

It is a single list of customer chats that more than one person can open, answer and hand over. The number is the business's. The people are the team.

Without one, a team shares a phone, or shares a screen on a laptop, or forwards screenshots in a group. Each of those fails the same way: nobody knows who answered, who is answering and who has not been answered at all.

A shared inbox fixes that with a few plain ideas. Each person signs in with their own login. Each chat can be assigned to one person. Notes can be left inside a chat that the customer never sees. A chat can be snoozed until later or marked unread so it stays on top. And the whole list can be searched.

It runs on the WhatsApp Business Platform (the Cloud API). Meta provides the connection and charges for messages; the inbox is the tool on top. That is why a shared inbox is a feature of tools like Chirpoo, not of the WhatsApp Business app on your phone. The difference is covered in [WhatsApp Business App vs WhatsApp Business API](https://chirpoo.com/guides/whatsapp-business-app-vs-api/).

## How does one number serve many logins in Chirpoo?

The number connects to Meta's platform once. Chirpoo receives every incoming message from Meta and shows it in the workspace. Each team member signs in to the same workspace with an email code at the Chirpoo login page, so the customer sees one number and your team sees one inbox.

The customer does not see a login name. They see your business name and number.

Five logins are included in Chirpoo. An extra login is ₹250 a month, excluding 18% GST. You can also run more than one WhatsApp number in the same workspace and choose which number a reply goes out from. An extra number is ₹250 a month, excluding 18% GST.

One technical rule worth knowing: Meta applies messaging limits at the level of your Meta business portfolio, not per login, so adding people to Chirpoo does not raise or lower your limit. Message charges are billed by Meta, not by Chirpoo. The pricing side is in [WhatsApp pricing in India](https://chirpoo.com/guides/whatsapp-pricing-india/).

## How do assignment, notes and snooze work?

Three small features carry most of the benefit.

**Assignment.** Open a chat and assign it to a colleague. It leaves your list and appears in theirs. This is how a front desk passes a question to a trainer, or a support person passes a refund to the owner. Nobody has to ask "is anyone on this?".

**Internal notes.** A note sits in the chat thread, marked as internal, and is never sent to the customer. Use it for context: "paid by UPI, waiting for receipt" or "prefers Hindi". The next person reads the note before replying.

**Snooze and mark unread.** Snooze hides a chat until a time you pick, then it comes back. Mark unread keeps a chat visible when you cannot answer yet. Between them, the inbox becomes a to-do list rather than a pile.

Quick replies save typing for the answers you give every day: timings, address, fees. Chirpoo also supports keyboard shortcuts for people who work on a laptop all day, and media in both directions. See [run a WhatsApp inbox with a team](https://chirpoo.com/blog/run-whatsapp-inbox-with-a-team/) for a working routine.

## Why does the reply-window chip matter?

Every WhatsApp chat has a 24-hour customer service window. It opens when the customer messages you and lasts 24 hours from their last message. Per [Meta's send-messages documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/send-messages) (checked 26 Oct 2026):

> When the window closes, you can only send pre-approved template messages.
>
> Source: [Meta, Send messages](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/send-messages)


If a team member types a free-text reply after the window has closed, Meta refuses it. In a shared inbox with several people, it is easy to lose track of which chats are still open.

Chirpoo shows the window on every chat as a chip: how much time is left, or that it has closed. So nobody on the team has to work out the 24 hours by hand. Replies you send inside the window are service messages, and Meta gives each number 1,000 of those free every month, per its [pricing page](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing) (checked 26 Oct 2026). Read more in [the 24-hour window explained](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-24-hour-window-explained/).

## How do search, push alerts and roles fit in?

**Search.** Search helps you find an old chat without scrolling. Contacts in Chirpoo are one per phone number, so a customer who writes from the same number twice is one person with one history, with tags attached.

**Push alerts on the phone.** A shared inbox is only useful if people hear when a customer chirps. Install Chirpoo on the phone as an app from the browser (a PWA; on iPhone, add it to the Home Screen first) and alerts arrive like any other app. There is no store app, and Chirpoo does not claim one. See [WhatsApp inbox push notifications on the phone](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-inbox-push-notifications-phone/).

**Logins.** Each of the 5 included people has their own login, so nobody shares a phone or a password. Give one to everyone who answers customers.

**Tags and consent.** Tags group contacts for broadcasts. Consent for marketing is tracked on each contact. See [WhatsApp contact tags and segments](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-contact-tags-segments/).

## Which shared inbox tool works best for small teams?

Ask these questions of any tool, including Chirpoo.

| Question | Why it matters | Chirpoo |
|---|---|---|
| Who bills you for Meta's messages, and at what markup? | A markup grows with volume | Meta bills you directly; Chirpoo adds nothing per message |
| How many logins and numbers are included? | Per-seat fees add up for a team | 5 logins and one number in ₹999 a month, excluding 18% GST |
| Are automations and broadcasts included, or an add-on? | Gated features change the real price | Inbox, flows, broadcasts, templates and AI agent are all in the plan |
| Does the chat show the 24-hour window? | Avoids refused replies | Yes, on every chat |
| What happens to your data if you leave? | Lock-in | Your number stays yours; chats readable through the API until you close the workspace; full export on request |
| Is the code open? | Lets you check and self-host | Built on WhaLeads, Apache-2.0 |

Chirpoo runs on the open-source WhaLeads code ([github.com/WhaBuzz/whaleads](https://github.com/WhaBuzz/whaleads), Apache-2.0), and on the WhaBuzz gateway, which is a Meta Tech Provider. If you want to compare against a specific vendor, start with [Chirpoo vs WATI](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-wati/) or [Chirpoo vs Interakt](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-interakt/), and see the full [comparison hub](https://chirpoo.com/compare/). For a roundup, read [best WhatsApp inbox tools in India](https://chirpoo.com/blog/best-whatsapp-inbox-tools-india/).

## How do you set up a shared inbox for a small team?

1. **Sign in** to Chirpoo with an email code. The 14-day trial has every feature and needs no card.
2. **Connect your number** through Meta's sign-up pop-up, and add a payment method to your Meta account.
3. **Invite your team.** Five logins are included.
4. **Set quick replies** for your five most common questions.
5. **Agree three rules.** Who owns new chats, how long before a chat is reassigned, and who writes internal notes.
6. **Switch on push alerts** on the phones.
7. **Add a second number** if you run two brands or two locations. See [multiple WhatsApp numbers in one inbox](https://chirpoo.com/blog/multiple-whatsapp-numbers-one-inbox/).

Speed matters more than polish. Slow replies lose leads, as [WhatsApp reply time and missed leads](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-reply-time-missed-leads/) explains. Automations can answer the first message while a human picks up the second, see [WhatsApp automation](https://chirpoo.com/guides/whatsapp-automation/).

Connect one number, invite two colleagues and run a normal day through Chirpoo. [Start free](https://app.chirpoo.com/login) for 14 days with every feature and no card, and use the first afternoon to assign, note and snooze a few real chats.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can several people reply from one WhatsApp number?

Yes, through the WhatsApp Business Platform with a shared inbox tool. Chirpoo gives each person their own login to one workspace, shows every chat to the team and lets you assign chats. The customer sees one business number. Five logins are included in ₹999 a month, excluding 18% GST.

### Does the customer know which team member replied?

No login name is shown to the customer. They see your business name and number, the same as before. Internal notes stay inside Chirpoo and are never sent to the customer, so your team can leave context for each other safely.

### How many logins does Chirpoo include?

Five team logins and one WhatsApp number are included in the ₹999 a month plan, excluding 18% GST. Each extra login is ₹250 a month and each extra number is ₹250 a month, both excluding 18% GST. Chirpoo Commerce at ₹1,499 has the same inclusions.

### Will I get alerts on my phone?

Yes. Install Chirpoo on your phone from the browser, as a PWA, and push alerts arrive for new messages. On iPhone, add it to the Home Screen first. Chirpoo does not have an app in the iOS or Android stores.

### What is the 24-hour reply window chip?

It is a label on each chat showing how much of Meta's 24-hour customer service window remains. After the window closes, you can only send an approved template. The chip stops your team typing replies that Meta would refuse.

## Related guides and posts

- [WhatsApp for Agencies Running a Few Client Numbers](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-for-agencies-multiple-clients/)
- [Best WhatsApp Inbox Tools for Small Teams in India](https://chirpoo.com/blog/best-whatsapp-inbox-tools-india/)
- [Slow WhatsApp Replies Cost You Leads: How to Fix It](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-reply-time-missed-leads/)
- [Two WhatsApp Numbers in One Inbox: Sales and Support](https://chirpoo.com/blog/multiple-whatsapp-numbers-one-inbox/)
- [WhatsApp Inbox Push Alerts on Your Phone](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-inbox-push-notifications-phone/)
- [How to Run a WhatsApp Inbox With a Team of 3 to 5](https://chirpoo.com/blog/run-whatsapp-inbox-with-a-team/)
- [The WhatsApp 24-Hour Window, Explained for Owners](https://chirpoo.com/blog/whatsapp-24-hour-window-explained/)
- [Chirpoo vs WATI: Plan Fees, User Caps and Rates](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-wati/)
- [Chirpoo vs Interakt: Price and Shopify Tools](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-interakt/)
- [Chirpoo vs DoubleTick: Public Price or Demo](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-doubletick/)
- [Chirpoo vs WhatsApp Business App for Teams](https://chirpoo.com/compare/chirpoo-vs-whatsapp-business-app/)

[Start free](https://app.chirpoo.com/login): 14 days, every feature, no card.