📢 WhatsApp Pricing Update: What’s Changing on July 1, 2025
WhatsApp is rolling out major updates to its pricing structure for businesses using the WhatsApp Business API. Since November 1, 2024, service conversations have been free, and starting in 2025, new changes include per-message pricing for template messages and broader international authentication rates.
If your business uses the WhatsApp Business API, take note. In this article, we break down what’s changing, what stays free, and how these updates may impact your messaging strategy.
Here’s a breakdown of the changes:
WhatsApp now charges businesses on a per-message basis—only for messages that are successfully delivered to users. The pricing is determined by:
- The recipient’s location, based on the country calling code of the user’s phone number.
- The message category, which falls into one of three types: marketing, utility, or authentication.
Rates may vary depending on the combination of market and message category.
To help businesses get the most out of the platform, WhatsApp offers several value-driven pricing benefits:
- No charge for sending free-form messages or utility template messages in direct response to users.
- Volume tiers that allow businesses to unlock better rates as their usage grows.
- Free entry points, such as when users start a conversation from an ad that clicks to WhatsApp or via a Facebook Page button, helping businesses reach users at no additional cost.
Effective July 1, 2025
All pricing details, including volume tier thresholds and country-based rates, are available directly via WhatsApp’s official website and documentation.
How it works
Charges apply for each template message a business sends to a user. For instance, if your business sends 1 marketing message and 1 utility message, you will be charged once for each category.
What this means
This pricing approach aligns with other popular communication channels, where each message incurs a cost, making WhatsApp’s model consistent and predictable for business planning.
Effective July 1, 2025
No Cost for Utility and Free-Form Messages Within the Service Window
How it works
When the 24-hour customer service window is active, businesses can reply using both free-form messages and utility template messages—without incurring any charges.
What this means
This gives businesses greater flexibility and control in how they engage with users, enabling more personalized and timely responses at no additional cost.
The customer service window is a 24-hour timer that begins as soon as a user sends a message—and it resets every time the user sends another one. While the window is open, businesses can reply at no cost using free-form messages or utility template messages. This allows for real-time, natural conversations without worrying about message fees, ensuring your business stays responsive and customer-friendly.
Effective July 1, 2025
How it works
As businesses grow and send more utility and authentication messages, they are automatically placed into higher volume tiers—specific to the market and message category.
What this means
The more your business scales, the more cost-efficient your messaging becomes. By increasing message volume, you can unlock lower rates and drive greater value through WhatsApp as your engagement grows.
llustrative example of whatsapp pricing
Effective November 1, 2024
No Charge for Responding with Free-Form Messages
How it works
Businesses can reply to users using free-form messages within the 24-hour customer service window—completely free of charge. This 24-hour window resets every time a user sends a message, allowing businesses to stay responsive without added costs.
What this means
Your brand can stay connected with customers on WhatsApp, including through AI-powered conversational experiences, without worrying about response fees—making real-time engagement both seamless and cost-effective.
The customer service window is a 24-hour timer that begins when a user sends a message—and it resets with every new message from the user. During this open window, businesses can respond at no charge using free-form messages or utility template messages.
Free-form messages refer to any message that isn’t sent using a pre-approved template, allowing for more natural, real-time interactions between businesses and customers—without additional costs.
Effective June 1, 2023
How it works
When a user starts a conversation by clicking on a WhatsApp ad or a Facebook Page action button, and the business replies within 24 hours, it triggers a 72-hour free entry point window. During this period, businesses can send template messages without being charged.
What this means
These entry points offer a cost-effective way to re-engage with users—helping businesses drive more value from their ad spend and customer interactions on WhatsApp.
Action Steps
- Audit your current template usage by type and frequency
- Optimize your timing to take advantage of free windows
- Educate your support and marketing teams about the changes
- Plan your budget around the new per-message pricing
For full details, refer to Meta’s Pricing updates here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/updates-to-pricing
💬 Final Thoughts
These updates give businesses more transparency and flexibility, but they also require careful planning. By understanding what’s changing and how to navigate it, you can continue delivering great customer experiences without unexpected costs.
Need help navigating these updates? Reach out anytime, we’re here to guide you through it and make the most out of your WhatsApp strategy.
