Choosing a tool
Desktop vs Cloud WhatsApp Sender: Which Should You Pick?
Compare a Windows desktop WhatsApp sender with a cloud-based one: uptime, devices, team use and cost. Find out which fits how you work.
By the Beta Sender team · · 2 min read
Both kinds of WhatsApp sender let you message many contacts. The difference is where the software runs, and that changes almost everything else.
How each one works
A desktop sender is a program you install on your own computer. It runs only while the computer is on, and it works from that machine. Beta Sender Desktop is made for Windows.
A cloud sender runs on the provider’s servers, and you use it through a web browser. It keeps working when your computer or phone is switched off. Beta Sender Cloud runs 24x7 and works on any device with a browser.
Comparison
| Desktop (Windows) | Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your Windows PC | Provider’s servers |
| Runs when your PC is off | No | Yes |
| Works on Mac, Android, iPhone | No, Windows only | Yes, in a browser |
| Best for | One person or a small team on a Windows PC | Teams, remote work, always-on campaigns |
| Pricing style | Yearly plans | Monthly or yearly |
Choose Desktop if you…
- work from one Windows computer and are fine keeping it on while a campaign runs
- want the lower-cost option
- like having everything in one Windows window: contacts, message, attachments and auto reply
Within Desktop, Pro works with one WhatsApp account. Plus adds multi-device (more than one WhatsApp account), account rotation and templates.
Choose Cloud if you…
- want campaigns to continue when your computer is off
- use a Mac, Linux, Android or iPhone, or switch between devices
- have several people on your team who need access
- want a chatbot and autoresponder for common questions
What they have in common
Both send through your own WhatsApp account, so the same safe-sending habits apply to both. No sender can promise that WhatsApp will never restrict an account. If you send at high volume or your messages are business-critical, look at the Official WhatsApp API.
See current prices on the pricing page, or read the help guide on choosing the right product.