WhatsApp historically supported Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) and above. But in , WhatsApp announced it would stop supporting Android versions older than 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) . Jelly Bean (4.1.x–4.3.x) remained supported until a later cutoff.
or newer. Most budget smartphones from the last 5–6 years will meet this requirement easily. android 4.2 2 jelly bean whatsapp
While you might find websites offering "Legacy APKs" or "WhatsApp Mods" that claim to work on Jelly Bean, we strongly advise against using them for several reasons: Security Risks: WhatsApp historically supported Android 2