---
title: "Deploy WAHA [Updated Sep'26]"
description: "WhatsApp HTTP API. No per-message fees. Replaces Twilio."
category: "Automation"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/waha-api
---

# Deploy WAHA [Updated Sep'26]

WhatsApp HTTP API. No per-message fees. Replaces Twilio.

**[Deploy WAHA [Updated Sep'26] on Railway](https://railway.com/template/waha-api)**

Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/waha-api/manifest.json

- **Creator:** SilverBanana
- **Category:** Automation
- **Total deploys:** 54

## Template content

### WAHA https://raw.githubusercontent.com/devlikeapro/waha/refs/heads/core/logo.png

- **Image:** devlikeapro/waha
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host WAHA on Railway

With **6,600+ GitHub stars** and 1,500+ forks, WAHA (WhatsApp HTTP API) is the most-deployed open-source REST API for WhatsApp automation. Run it on Railway for under $5/month — compared to Twilio's $0.005 per message plus Meta template fees that scale to hundreds of dollars at volume.

> **Important:** WAHA runs on top of WhatsApp Web and is not affiliated with or endorsed by WhatsApp/Meta. WhatsApp does not permit unofficial clients. Use at your own risk; accounts can be restricted. For business-critical workloads, consider the official [WhatsApp Business API](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp).

## What This Template Deploys

| Service | Image | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| WAHA | devlikeapro/waha | WhatsApp HTTP REST API + Dashboard + Swagger UI |

## About Hosting WAHA

Hosted WhatsApp API providers charge per message or per session. Twilio's WhatsApp integration starts at **$0.005 per message** (plus Meta's per-template fee of up to $0.0499 per message) — a single campaign to 10,000 contacts can cost $500+ in API fees alone. WAHA is free and open source with no message limits, no per-session fees, and no license expiration.

Railway runs WAHA as a persistent Docker container with automatic restarts, environment variable management, and a generated HTTPS domain — no VPS configuration, no Nginx setup required.

Estimated Railway cost: **$2–$5/month** on the Starter plan for a single WhatsApp session.

## Deploy WAHA on Railway in Under 5 Minutes

1. Click **Deploy on Railway** and create or log into your Railway account
2. Set `WAHA_API_KEY` to a strong random string (required — protects your API endpoints)
3. Set `WAHA_DASHBOARD_USERNAME` and `WAHA_DASHBOARD_PASSWORD` for dashboard access
4. Railway generates a public HTTPS domain — set this as `WAHA_PUBLIC_URL` in your env vars
5. Open `/dashboard` on your Railway domain, connect with your API key, and scan the QR code with your WhatsApp app
6. Send your first message via `POST /api/sendText` using the Swagger UI at `/swagger`

## Common Use Cases

Users search for WAHA to solve problems like:

- "how to send WhatsApp messages via REST API"
- "self-hosted WhatsApp API free alternative to Twilio"
- "WhatsApp automation without WhatsApp Business API fees"
- "n8n WhatsApp integration self-hosted"
- "WhatsApp chatbot open source docker"
- "send WhatsApp notifications from my app"

## Configuration

| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `WAHA_API_KEY` | Yes | API key for all REST endpoints. Always set this in production. |
| `WAHA_DASHBOARD_USERNAME` | Recommended | Username for the web dashboard login |
| `WAHA_DASHBOARD_PASSWORD` | Recommended | Password for the web dashboard login |
| `WAHA_PUBLIC_URL` | Recommended | Your Railway public domain (e.g. `https://yourapp.up.railway.app`) — required for media URLs to resolve correctly |
| `WHATSAPP_DEFAULT_ENGINE` | No | Engine to use: `WEBJS` (default, browser-based) or `NOWEB` (lighter, websocket-based) |
| `WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL` | No | Webhook URL to receive incoming message events |
| `WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS` | No | Events to forward to the webhook (e.g. `message,session.status`) |
| `WHATSAPP_RESTART_ALL_SESSIONS` | No | Set to `True` to restore all sessions on container restart |
| `TZ` | No | Container timezone (default: UTC). Example: `Asia/Kolkata` |

## WAHA vs. Alternatives

| Feature | WAHA (self-hosted) | Twilio WhatsApp API | Official WhatsApp Cloud API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per message | Free | $0.005 + Meta fees | Meta fees only |
| Monthly minimum | ~$2–5 (Railway hosting) | None, but costs scale fast | None |
| Setup time | < 5 minutes | Hours (WABA approval) | Days (Meta review) |
| Message limits | None | Per-tier limits | Per-tier limits |
| Multiple sessions | Yes (WAHA Plus) | No | No |
| WhatsApp approval required | No | Yes | Yes |
| Account ban risk | Yes (unofficial) | No | No |
| Open source | Yes | No | No |

## Dependencies for WAHA Hosting

- **Docker** — WAHA is distributed as a Docker image; Railway handles the runtime automatically
- **A WhatsApp account** — personal or business number to scan the QR code and activate the session
- **A webhook receiver** (optional) — any HTTPS endpoint (n8n, Chatwoot, your app server) to receive incoming message events

### Deployment Dependencies

- WAHA Docker image: https://hub.docker.com/r/devlikeapro/waha
- WAHA documentation: https://waha.devlike.pro/docs/overview/introduction/
- GitHub repository: https://github.com/devlikeapro/waha
- n8n integration guide: https://waha.devlike.pro/docs/integrations/n8n
- Chatwoot integration guide: https://waha.devlike.pro/docs/integrations/chatwoot

### Implementation Details

WAHA runs on port 3000 by default. Railway auto-assigns a public HTTPS domain. The dashboard is at `/dashboard` and Swagger UI at `/swagger`. Sessions persist across restarts when `WHATSAPP_RESTART_ALL_SESSIONS=True` is set. The WEBJS engine runs a headless Chromium instance; for lower memory usage switch to the NOWEB engine via `WHATSAPP_DEFAULT_ENGINE=NOWEB`.

## FAQ

**Is WAHA free to use?**
Yes. WAHA is 100% open source (Apache-2.0) with no message limits, no session caps, and no subscription fees. You pay only for Railway hosting (~$2–5/month).

**Will my WhatsApp account get banned?**
Possibly. WAHA uses WhatsApp Web under the hood, which WhatsApp/Meta does not officially support for automation. Risk depends on message volume, patterns, and Meta's detection algorithms. For production business use, consider the official WhatsApp Business API instead.

**What's the difference between WAHA and WAHA Plus?**
The free `devlikeapro/waha` image supports a single WhatsApp session with the WEBJS and NOWEB engines. WAHA Plus (requires a Patreon subscription key) adds multiple simultaneous sessions, the GOWS engine, and media storage features.

**Which engine should I use on Railway?**
Start with `NOWEB` (`WHATSAPP_DEFAULT_ENGINE=NOWEB`) — it uses significantly less memory than `WEBJS` (which runs headless Chromium), making it better suited for Railway's Starter tier.

**How do I receive incoming WhatsApp messages?**
Set `WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL` to any publicly reachable HTTPS endpoint (e.g., an n8n webhook, a Chatwoot instance, or your app server) and set `WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=message` to forward incoming messages as HTTP POST requests.

**Can I integrate WAHA with n8n or Chatwoot?**
Yes. WAHA has official integration guides for both. Deploy an n8n instance on Railway alongside WAHA and connect them using WAHA's webhook events — no additional middleware needed.

## Why Deploy WAHA on Railway?

Twilio charges $0.005 per WhatsApp message plus Meta template fees — a 10,000-message campaign costs $50–$550 in API fees alone. WAHA eliminates per-message costs entirely. Railway gives you a persistent container with HTTPS and auto-restarts for under $5/month, with no Nginx configuration or VPS management required.

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