SokoDesk vs WhatsApp Catalog
WhatsApp Business Catalog is free but limited. SokoDesk goes further: printable shop QR Code, invoices, debt tracking, reports. Honest comparison.
Our honest positioning
WhatsApp Business Catalog is excellent to start: free, integrated, simple. But as soon as you want to collect a Mobile Money payment, track a debt, generate an invoice or analyze your sales, it shows its limits. SokoDesk is designed as the upper layer that brings everything missing — without leaving WhatsApp, since the order button stays integrated there.
| Feature |
S
SokoDesk
|
W
WhatsApp Catalog
|
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to 3,500 FCFA/month | Free |
| Online store | Dedicated storefront /shop/your-shop | Catalog integrated to WhatsApp profile |
| Shop QR Code | 600×600 px printable QR code in one click | Not available |
| PDF invoices | Automatic generation with logo | Not available |
| Order tracking | Status, history, tracking link | Manual via WhatsApp |
| Customer debt tracking | Customer base + balances due + reminders | Not available |
| Stock and variants | Auto inventory, sizes, colors | Basic stock, no variants |
| Reports and analytics | Revenue, average basket, top products | None |
| Multi-channel sharing | Single link for WhatsApp, FB, IG, QR code | Limited to WhatsApp profile |
| Google SEO | Yes, optimized pages | No |
| Logo/colors customization | Full | Limited to WhatsApp profile |
| Multi-user team | Up to 20 members with roles | No |
| Customer support | WhatsApp + email in French | English help center |
| "Order" button | Pre-filled WhatsApp message with product+price | Generic button |
| Product limit | 5 to 40 depending on plan | 500 maximum |
| Suited to African context | Yes: FCFA, Mobile Money, French | Partially |
When to use which?
No wrong answer — it all depends on your business.
Choose WhatsApp Catalog if...
- You are starting out and have fewer than 10 products
- All your customers pay you cash on delivery
- You don't need formal invoices
- You sell direct B2C without debts or credit
- You have an Android smartphone and the WhatsApp Business app
Choose SokoDesk if...
- You want to collect via Mobile Money (MTN, Orange, Wave)
- You track customer debts and partial payments
- You generate professional PDF invoices
- You want to analyze your sales and star products
- You sell on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in addition to WhatsApp
- You have more than 5 products and variants
- You work in a team and want roles
Already on WhatsApp Catalog?
No worries: SokoDesk does not replace WhatsApp, it adds to it. Your customers continue to contact you on WhatsApp as before. The only difference is that they will be able to see your entire shop in one link, and you will collect via Mobile Money automatically.
To migrate, simply create your SokoDesk account, add your products (or ask us for bulk import), then put your shop link in your WhatsApp status and Business profile description.
Migrate to SokoDeskMigration checklist
- Create your SokoDesk account (free, 5 min)
- Add your logo and colors
- Import your products (or ask for CSV import)
- Connect your Mobile Money number
- Copy your shop link
- Put the link in your WhatsApp status and Business profile
- Announce the news to your customers!
Estimated total time: 15 to 30 minutes depending on your number of products