- How Jan Koum and Brian Acton started WhatsApp
- WhatsApp key dates from 2009 onwards
- From texting app to encrypted calling: WhatsApp grows up
- Facebook, Meta and the WhatsApp purchase
- WhatsApp Business and Channels for small firms
- Putting WhatsApp's history to work in your customer messaging
- Frequently asked questions
WhatsApp came out on 3 May 2009, a few months after Jan Koum incorporated WhatsApp Inc. on 24 February 2009. Facebook announced it was buying WhatsApp on 19 February 2014, the WhatsApp Business app arrived on 18 January 2018 and Channels went global on 13 September 2023.
Last checked October 2026.
WhatsApp is so woven into family groups, school chats and customer messages that it's hard to picture life before it. Yet it's younger than you might think, and it started out on very different phones from the ones we use now. I've gathered the dates on this page from Wikipedia and from WhatsApp's own blog, so each one has a source behind it.
For small businesses, the timeline also explains why WhatsApp now has a separate Business app and broadcast-style Channels, and why customers increasingly expect to message you there.
How Jan Koum and Brian Acton started WhatsApp
Jan Koum and Brian Acton founded the app. Wikipedia records that Koum incorporated WhatsApp Inc. in California on 24 February 2009. A few months later, on 3 May 2009, the app had its first release, which is the date most people mean when they ask when WhatsApp came out.
It didn't land everywhere at once. Wikipedia lists the app on BlackBerry App World in June 2009 and version 2.0 for the iPhone in August 2009. Android came later, in 2010, though the article gives both August 2010 and September 2010 in different places, so I'd treat 2010 as the safe answer for Android.
If you like comparing app birthdays, my piece on when Snapchat was released shows how close together many of these apps arrived.
WhatsApp key dates from 2009 onwards
Every row below comes from Wikipedia's WhatsApp article or from the WhatsApp blog. Where the sources disagree on a day, I've given the month only.
| Date | WhatsApp milestone |
|---|---|
| 24 February 2009 | WhatsApp Inc. is incorporated in California |
| 3 May 2009 | First release of WhatsApp |
| June 2009 | WhatsApp appears on BlackBerry App World |
| August 2009 | WhatsApp 2.0 for iPhone |
| 2010 | WhatsApp reaches Android |
| 19 February 2014 | Facebook announces it's buying WhatsApp |
| 18 November 2014 | Partnership with Open Whisper Systems on encryption is announced |
| 21 January 2015 | WhatsApp Web launches |
| 18 January 2016 | WhatsApp drops its yearly subscription and becomes free |
| 5 April 2016 | WhatsApp completes end-to-end encryption |
| 24 February 2017 | WhatsApp Status launches |
| 18 January 2018 | The WhatsApp Business app is introduced |
| June 2023 | Channels first launches in a small group of countries |
| 13 September 2023 | WhatsApp Channels goes global |
From texting app to encrypted calling: WhatsApp grows up
In its early years, WhatsApp was a way to send messages over the internet instead of by SMS. Over time it added much more. Wikipedia says voice calls arrived in 2015, though it gives slightly different months in different sections, so I'll stick to the year.
Privacy became a big part of the story. WhatsApp announced a partnership with Open Whisper Systems on 18 November 2014, and on 5 April 2016 it announced that end-to-end encryption was complete. That's the reason WhatsApp can say it can't read your messages.
WhatsApp also stopped being a phone-only tool. WhatsApp Web launched on 21 January 2015, letting people reply from a computer. And on 18 January 2016, WhatsApp dropped the yearly subscription it had introduced on 16 July 2013, so the app became free to use.
On 24 February 2017, Status arrived: photos, videos and text that disappear after a day, much like Stories on other apps. If you post Status updates, you'll know they're one of the quickest ways to stay in front of contacts, and my guide to what the most used WhatsApp emojis mean helps with the tone of replies.
Facebook, Meta and the WhatsApp purchase
Facebook announced it was buying WhatsApp on 19 February 2014. WhatsApp kept its own app and brand, and Facebook, Inc. later renamed itself Meta Platforms on 28 October 2021, so WhatsApp now sits in the same family as Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
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For everyday users, the main visible effect over the years has been a steady stream of new features and closer links between Meta's apps, such as business tools that connect to Facebook Pages.
WhatsApp Business and Channels for small firms
WhatsApp's blog introduced the WhatsApp Business app on 18 January 2018. It launched first as a free Android app for small businesses, with business profiles, quick replies, greeting messages and away messages. The blog said people could keep using the ordinary WhatsApp app as usual and still message businesses.
Channels came next. WhatsApp first offered Channels in a small set of countries in June 2023, then announced on 13 September 2023 that Channels was going global. A channel is a one-way broadcast: you post updates, followers read them, and followers can't see each other. If you're curious what you can see as a channel owner, I explain who can see views on a WhatsApp channel in a separate guide.
Putting WhatsApp's history to work in your customer messaging
Looking at the dates together, WhatsApp has moved from a simple messaging app to a place where people expect to reach businesses directly. Here's how I'd use that:
- Use the Business app, not your personal number. It's been around since 2018 and gives you a profile, away messages and quick replies.
- Set a greeting and an away message. Customers know WhatsApp as a chat app, so they expect a fast reply. An away message buys you time politely.
- Post Status updates now and then. They disappear after a day, so they suit offers, opening hours and quick news.
- Try a Channel for one-way news. Since 2023, Channels have given you a broadcast option that keeps followers' details private from each other.
- Respect privacy. End-to-end encryption is part of why people trust WhatsApp. Only message people who've asked to hear from you.
You don't need every feature. A tidy Business profile and quick replies will do more for you than a busy Channel nobody reads.
Frequently asked questions
When was WhatsApp founded?
Jan Koum incorporated WhatsApp Inc. in California on 24 February 2009, with Brian Acton as co-founder. The first release followed on 3 May 2009.
When did WhatsApp become free?
WhatsApp dropped its yearly subscription on 18 January 2016, so the app became free to use from then.
When did Facebook buy WhatsApp?
Facebook announced it was buying WhatsApp on 19 February 2014.
When did the WhatsApp Business app come out?
WhatsApp introduced the Business app on 18 January 2018, starting as a free Android app for small businesses.
When did WhatsApp Channels launch?
Channels first launched in a few countries in June 2023 and WhatsApp announced it was going global on 13 September 2023.
When did WhatsApp Web launch?
WhatsApp Web launched on 21 January 2015, letting people use WhatsApp from a computer browser.
