WhatsApp Pricing Explained
How Meta's per-message pricing works — template categories, the 24-hour customer service window, the 72-hour free entry point, and how to keep costs low.
Since July 2025, Meta charges per delivered template message, not per conversation. Whether a message costs money depends on two things: what kind of message it is, and whether the customer recently messaged you.
The 24-hour customer service window#
When a customer sends you a message, a 24-hour customer service window opens (it resets every time they message again). Inside that window you can reply with normal messages — text, images, buttons, voice notes — without a template.
Once 24 hours pass with no message from the customer, the window closes. To restart the chat you must send an approved template.
Template categories#
| Category | Used for | Charged? |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, promotions, announcements, re-engagement | Always charged |
| Utility | Order updates, booking confirmations, payment reminders tied to something the customer did | Charged outside an open window* |
| Authentication | One-time passwords (OTP) | Charged outside an open window* |
Normal (non-template) replies inside the window are free under Meta's published rules*.
The 72-hour free entry point#
When a customer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook Page call-to-action button (on the mobile app) and you reply within 24 hours, Meta opens a 72-hour free window. Every message you send in that window — including templates — is free. This makes Click-to-WhatsApp ads one of the cheapest ways to start conversations.
Ways to keep costs low#
- Reply fast. Free replies are only possible inside the 24-hour window.
- Pick the right category. A genuine order update is Utility, not Marketing — and it's cheaper.
- Don't broadcast to everyone. Use labels to send marketing only to people who'll care.
- Use Click-to-WhatsApp ads to open free 72-hour windows.
*Meta can change prices and free-message rules on the 1st day of any quarter (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct). For example, changes to how service replies and in-window utility templates are billed have been announced for October 2026. Always check the live rates on Meta's official pricing page and your bill in Meta Business Suite before planning a large campaign.