WhatsApp introduces per‑message billing for business messaging

Under the updated scheme, companies will be charged for each template message sent, categorized into marketing, utility, and authentication

by e4m Staff
Published: Jul 2, 2025 12:54 PM | 2 min read

Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform has switched to a per‑message billing model on July 1, 2025, replacing its previous flat‑fee conversation pricing. Under the updated scheme, companies will be charged for each template message sent, categorized into marketing, utility, and authentication types.

Marketing templates now cost ₹0.78 per message, whereas utility and authentication templates are priced at ₹0.11 each, with volume-based discounts reducing rates to as low as ₹0.08 for high-volume senders.

Previously, businesses paid ₹0.78 for all marketing messages sent within a 24‑hour conversational window, regardless of volume. WhatsApp’s new model removes that blanket rate, ensuring that each marketing message carries its own fee . Service-initiated and utility messages sent within user-initiated windows remain free, incentivizing customer-started interactions. Beyond that window, standard charges apply.

WhatsApp has also introduced tiered pricing for utility and authentication templates: businesses sending up to 25 million messages per month pay ₹0.115 per message; those exceeding 300 million messages see the rate drop to ₹0.08 . These volume discounts align WhatsApp with alternative channels like SMS and RCS and aim to boost predictability and transparency in billing.

Industry experts say the change could prompt some companies to reassess their messaging strategies. With multiple marketing templates now adding cumulatively to costs, brands may reduce campaign frequency or shift certain communications back to SMS or Google’s RCS.

As India remains WhatsApp’s largest market and messaging volumes continue to grow, businesses will need to adapt quickly. For many, this means refining messaging practices and optimizing usage of free service windows and high-volume discounts under the new billing model.

On the other hand, utility-heavy communications—such as order updates or OTPs—could become more cost-effective than SMS, especially given volume discounts and the lower ₹0.11 rate compared to typical SMS costs in the ₹0.12–₹0.15 range.

Nikila Srinivasan, Meta’s vice-president for business messaging, described the update as a simplification of pricing that brings better predictability to business budgeting . Aggregators caution businesses that shifting volumes to WhatsApp may initially increase costs, but strategic use of messaging categories and volume tiers can yield savings over time.