What is a WhatsApp catalog? (And what it cannot do)
A plain explanation of the WhatsApp catalog — where it appears, how many products it holds, image requirements, and the gaps a catalogue link fills for growing shops.
What is a WhatsApp catalog? It is the product list built into the WhatsApp Business app. It appears on your business profile and can be opened from a chat, letting customers browse items and add them to an order message. It is genuinely useful, and it is also more limited than most sellers expect.
Where customers see it
- On your WhatsApp Business profile, under the catalog button.
- Inside a chat, as an attachment option.
- In the order message a customer builds from selected items.
The requirements
You need the WhatsApp Business app and a business phone number. Each number supports one catalog. Product images should be square, at least 640×640 pixels, with 1080×1080 recommended, and under 5 MB in JPG or PNG format. See the image size guide for the full details.
The limits that matter as you grow
| Limit | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| 500 items per catalog | Large ranges need a different structure |
| One catalog per number | Separate brands or shops need separate numbers |
| Basic product fields | No rich variants or custom spec tables |
| No checkout | Payment still happens in chat or on delivery |
| No analytics | You cannot see which products were viewed |
| Lives only in WhatsApp | Not indexable by search engines |
| No custom domain or theme | Your shop looks like WhatsApp, not your brand |
What it cannot do
It cannot take a payment, calculate delivery by zone, apply a coupon, show tax separately, or tell you which product page was opened. It cannot be shared as a link in an Instagram bio. And it cannot rank in Google, because it is not a web page. For a shop taking ten orders a week, none of that may matter. For a shop trying to grow, each gap becomes a manual task.
Native catalog versus catalogue link
| Job | WhatsApp catalog | Catalogue link |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing products | Yes | Yes |
| Product variants and rich details | Limited | Yes |
| Payment and delivery fees | No | Configured by you |
| Shareable outside WhatsApp | No | Yes |
| Search engine visibility | No | Yes |
| Custom theme and branding | No | Yes |
| Analytics | No | Yes |
| Product limit | 500 | Depends on plan |
Use both, for different jobs
The native catalog is convenient when a customer is already in a chat and wants to add a second item. A catalogue link is better for introductions: Instagram bio, status, QR codes, Google, and anywhere you cannot assume the person has your number saved. Many shops keep the native catalog small and current, then use the link as the main shopfront.
Common catalogue problems
If items do not appear, images fail to upload, or the catalog looks empty to customers, the cause is usually image specifications, app version or a sync delay. The troubleshooting guide walks through the fixes in order.
For the head-to-head comparison, read WhatsApp Business catalog vs a catalog link. For the product limit specifically, see the 500-item limit. Then create a catalogue link that can live in your bio, your status and your Google profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WhatsApp catalog?
It is a product list built inside the WhatsApp Business app. Customers can open it from your business profile or a chat, browse items and add them to a message. It is not a website and it does not process payments.
How many products can a WhatsApp catalog hold?
Up to 500 items, and each business phone number can have one catalog. Shops with larger ranges need a catalogue link or a way to split products across categories and collections.
Is a WhatsApp catalog the same as a catalogue link?
No. The native catalog lives inside WhatsApp and is tied to one number. A catalogue link is a web page you can share anywhere, customise with a theme, and update independently — then hand the finished order to WhatsApp.