GuidesGroups
WhatsApp Community vs Group: which should your business use?
What each one does, their limits and privacy, how to create a community, and which suits customers, clients and teams.
In short: a group is one conversation where everyone can talk, with up to 1,024 members. A community links up to 100 groups under one name, with an announcement group only admins can post in, and up to 2,000 members in total. Use a group for one client or project, a community for many related groups that need shared announcements, and a channel for one-way updates to as many customers as you like. You can’t create a community in the WhatsApp Business app yet.
Group, community or channel
| Group | Community | Channel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | One chat where everyone can talk | Up to 100 groups under one name, plus an announcement group | One-way updates to followers |
| Size | Up to 1,024 members | Up to 2,000 members across all its groups | Any size |
| Who posts | Every member (admins can change this in Group permissions) | Admins send announcements; members talk in the groups | Admins only |
| Can people reply? | Yes | Yes, to announcements, and in the groups | No: they can react and vote in polls |
| Privacy | Every member can see the member list | Announcement members see only the count; admins see who | Followers don’t see your phone number, name or picture |
| In WhatsApp Business | Yes | Can’t create one there yet | Yes |
Which one should you use?
- A group per client or project. Agencies, consultants and service teams often run one group for each client, with the client’s people and their own. Everyone sees the whole conversation.
- A community for many related groups. A school with a group per class, a franchise with a group per branch, or a residents’ association with a group per building, all needing the same announcements.
- A channel for updates to customers. Offers, opening hours, new products: one message to everyone who follows you, without anyone seeing each other or your number.
Groups and communities show members to each other in different ways. Before adding customers, decide whether they should see who else is there: in a group they can, in a community’s announcements they only see a count.
How to create a community
Use the regular WhatsApp app (see the next section for WhatsApp Business).
On Android
- Go to the Chats tab and tap the new chat button.
- Tap New community, then Get started.
- Enter the community name (up to 100 characters). Add a description so members know what it’s for, and an icon if you like.
- Tap the check mark to create it.
On iPhone
- Go to the Chats tab and tap ⊕.
- Tap New Community, then Get Started.
- Enter the community name, a description and an icon.
- Tap Create.
WhatsApp creates the announcement group for you. You can then create new groups inside the community or add groups you already have.
Communities and WhatsApp Business
You can’t currently create a community in the WhatsApp Business app. You can still take part in communities you’ve joined, and a business account can own a community if it was created in the regular WhatsApp app on that number, or if ownership was transferred to it.
If your business number is already on WhatsApp Business, the simplest route is to create the community from a regular WhatsApp account and transfer ownership to the business number. Groups and channels can be created in WhatsApp Business as normal.
Running client groups as a team
A group per client works well until several people on your side share the work. Then questions in the group sit unanswered because everyone assumes someone else has it.
For teams
Every client group, answered by the right person
ConvoDock puts your client groups and one-to-one chats from every WhatsApp number into one shared inbox for your team.
- Every message shows who sent it, so you can see which of the client’s people is asking.
- An owner on each group, so the client always has someone responsible for the reply.
- The Waiting Board shows which groups are waiting for your team and for how long.
- Tag people in the group from the shared inbox, and leave internal notes the client never sees.
Free for 7 days. No card needed.
Sources, checked on 19 October 2026: WhatsApp Help Center, How to create and invite into a group, How to see group members, About communities, How to create a community, About community announcements, About communities on the WhatsApp Business app and About channels on the WhatsApp Business app. ConvoDock details are from the app as it works today.
Questions about WhatsApp communities and groups
Anything else? Email hello@convodock.app and a person will answer.
What’s the difference between a WhatsApp group and a community?
A group is one chat where everyone can talk, with up to 1,024 members. A community brings up to 100 related groups together under one name, with an announcement group where only admins post, and up to 2,000 members in total.
Can I create a community in WhatsApp Business?
Not at the moment. WhatsApp says communities can’t currently be created in the WhatsApp Business app. You can create one in the regular WhatsApp app, and a WhatsApp Business account can own a community that was created on WhatsApp or transferred to it.
How many people can join a WhatsApp group or community?
A group can have up to 1,024 members. A community can link up to 100 groups and have up to 2,000 members in total, counting its groups and its announcement group.
Can community members see each other?
In the community’s announcement group, members only see how many people are in it; admins can see who they are. Inside each group of the community, that group’s members can see its member list, as in any WhatsApp group.
Should a business use a group or a channel for customer updates?
Use a channel for one-way updates to many customers: followers can react and vote in polls but can’t reply, and they don’t see your phone number. Use a group when you need a conversation, such as one group per client.
Can my team manage client groups together?
Yes, with a shared inbox. In ConvoDock, client groups sit next to your one-to-one chats for every number, every message shows who sent it, each group has an owner, and the Waiting Board shows which groups are waiting for your team.
Run every client group as a team.
Client groups from every number in one shared inbox, with an owner on each and a board of who is still waiting. Free for 7 days.