A WhatsApp group is one chat about one topic, with up to 1024 members. A community is a container for several groups, up to 100 of them and 2,000 members in total as of October 2026, with an announcement group where only admins can post.
WhatsApp's own description sums it up: groups are a great way to chat with people about a specific topic, while communities can have multiple groups, each with its own topic. If you've only got one conversation to run, you don't need a community.
The quick test: one topic or several
Ask how many separate conversations your people need. One topic, one group. Several topics that share the same people, and a community starts to make sense. WhatsApp's own examples are a school, a neighbourhood, a nonprofit or a local club, all places where one big chat would get noisy fast.
For a business, picture a membership with one group for beginners, one for advanced members and one for events, plus a single place to post news to everyone. That's the shape a community is built for. A customer support chat or a small mastermind is one group.
Group and community limits side by side
| Group | Community | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | One chat on one topic | Several groups, each with its own topic |
| Members | Up to 1024 | Up to 2,000, counting every sub-group and the announcement group |
| Groups inside it | Not applicable | Up to 100 |
| Admins | Group admins add and remove members, and can let members add people | Up to 20 community admins; the creator can't be removed |
| Posting to everyone | Members chat in the group itself | Announcement group: every member is in it, only admins can post |
| Name | Not covered on these pages | Up to 100 characters |
The 2,000 figure is the one that surprises people. It isn't per group. WhatsApp says the limit includes the total number of members in the sub-groups and announcement groups within the community, and once it's full you can't add new members. Anyone who can't be added has to wait until someone leaves.
What the announcement group is for
Every new community gets Community Announcements automatically. All members are part of it, but only admins can send messages there. As an admin you use it to reach everyone with important updates, and you control which groups are added to the community. Members can still organise smaller discussion groups on what matters to them.
WhatsApp's own best practice list for communities is short and sensible:
- Use the community description to explain what the community is for.
- Think about your audience when deciding whether to bring in existing groups or create new ones.
- Use the announcement group to share community information with every member.
- Set up an admin-only group so community and group admins can talk to each other.
Admins, and the one person you can't remove
A community can have up to 20 admins, and only a community admin can make another member an admin. The original creator can't be removed and stays an admin unless they disable the community. Any other admin can step down whenever they like. To make someone an admin from a computer:
- Open Communities.
- Click the community name, then View members.
- Scroll to the list of members.
- Click the member you'd like to make an admin, then Make Admin, then OK.
This matters for whose phone number creates the community. If a member of staff sets up your customer community on their own WhatsApp, they stay its creator, so agree up front who owns it, and use WhatsApp's ownership transfer option if that needs to change.
The WhatsApp Business app catch
You can't currently create a community on the WhatsApp Business app. WhatsApp's note gives two exceptions: you can still own one on the Business app if ownership was transferred to you from someone using the consumer app, or if you created it on the consumer app and then registered that number as a business. For the Business app route in more detail, see how to create a community in WhatsApp Business.
Group details to know before you invite customers
Groups have quirks of their own. When a new member is added, their profile name may be visible to other members, which is worth telling customers before you add them. Admins can let other members add people too. And if you add too many members to groups, you might see an error message and need to wait 24 hours before adding more members or creating more groups.
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If a group has hit its cap, here's what to do when a WhatsApp group is full. If what you want is one-way broadcasting with no member chat at all, a channel is a different tool again, and this comparison of a WhatsApp channel and a community covers it.
Which I'd choose for a business
I'd start with one group, and skip a community until you've got several topics that need their own space or you're getting close to 1024 members in a single chat. A single group is simpler to run, and WhatsApp lets you include existing groups when you build a community later.
When you do move to a community, plan the groups before you invite anyone, write the description first, and keep the announcement group for news only. That way the people who only want updates get them without the chatter.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a WhatsApp community and a group?
A group is a single chat on one topic. A community holds multiple groups, each with its own topic, plus an announcement group where only admins can post.
How many members can a WhatsApp community have?
Up to 2,000 members, counting everyone in the sub-groups and the announcement group, as of October 2026.
How many people can be in a WhatsApp group?
Groups can have up to 1024 members.
How many groups can a WhatsApp community have?
Up to 100 groups.
Can I create a community on WhatsApp Business?
Not currently. You can own one on the Business app if ownership was transferred to you from the consumer app, or if you created it on the consumer app and then registered that number as a business.
