WhatsApp Business catalog vs a shareable catalog link
WhatsApp Business has a built-in catalog. Compare it with a shareable catalog link and decide which turns more chats into orders for your shop.
WhatsApp Business ships with a catalog: up to 500 items with photos and prices, visible from your profile. It is genuinely useful. But it is not the same thing as a shareable catalog link, and knowing the difference tells you when to use each.
What the built-in WhatsApp catalog does well
- Lives inside WhatsApp, so there is nothing new to learn.
- Shows alongside your profile to anyone who opens the chat.
- Lets customers add items and send them as a message.
Where it stops
- It only exists inside WhatsApp. You cannot share it on Instagram, print it, or get it indexed by Google.
- Limited presentation. Little control over layout, branding and storytelling.
- No categories in the way customers expect, and no themes to match your trade.
- Order messages are thin. You often still end up asking for size, colour and address.
What a shareable catalog link adds
| Capability | WhatsApp catalog | Catalog link (MyShp) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Inside WhatsApp only | Any browser, any app, any channel |
| Findable on Google | No | Yes |
| Themes & branding | Minimal | Dozens, light and dark |
| Categories | Basic | Arranged like your shop |
| Order detail | Single message | Structured, with fields you choose |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Which should you use?
Use both. Keep the WhatsApp Business catalog for people already in your chat, and use a MyShp catalog link as your public storefront — the one you put on Instagram, your status, packaging and Google. They serve different moments: discovery versus conversation.
See the full picture in the WhatsApp selling playbook, or start a free catalog and compare for yourself.