WhatsApp Business API pricing changed again on 1 October 2026. Here is exactly what Meta charges for each message sent to an Indian number, what is still free, what your provider adds on top, and a calculator to estimate your own monthly bill.
India rates at a glance
| Message category | Price per message | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | ₹0.8631 | Offers, launches, festival greetings, newsletters |
| Utility | ₹0.115 | Order updates, reminders, payment links, booking confirmations |
| Authentication | ₹0.115 | One-time passwords (OTPs) |
| Service | ₹0.115 after 1,000 free a month | Your free-form replies inside the 24-hour window |
Meta list prices for messages delivered to Indian (+91) numbers, effective 1 October 2026, before 18% GST. Checked 4 October 2026.
The headline: a marketing message costs about 7.5 times as much as a utility or service message. What you send matters far more than how many messages you send.
How WhatsApp charges now: per message
Since 1 July 2025, Meta charges for each message a business sends, instead of per 24-hour conversation. Three things decide the price:
- The category of the message: marketing, utility, authentication or service.
- The recipient’s country code. Messages to +91 numbers use the India rates above.
- Delivery. You only pay when the message is actually delivered.
Messages that customers send to you are always free, and Meta only changes prices on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October.
The message categories, in plain words
- Marketing: anything promotional, from a sale announcement to a “we miss you” message. Sent as an approved template.
- Utility: updates about something the customer already did or asked for, such as an order, a booking or an invoice. Also a template.
- Authentication: one-time passwords for logging in or confirming an action.
- Service: the normal replies you type to a customer while their 24-hour window is open.
- Meta Business Agent: replies written by Meta’s own AI agent, charged by usage since 1 August 2026. Most businesses won’t see this unless they switch the agent on.
What changed on 1 October 2026
Two things that used to be free are now charged, and a free allowance was added:
- Service replies: free from November 2024 until 30 September 2026. Now each WhatsApp number gets the first 1,000 a month free, then pays ₹0.115 per reply.
- Utility templates inside the 24-hour window: free from July 2025 until 30 September 2026. Now charged at the normal utility rate.
- India rates themselves did not change on 1 October. The marketing rate last rose on 1 January 2026.
What is still free
- Every message a customer sends to you.
- The first 1,000 service replies each month, for every WhatsApp number you run.
- Conversations started from a click-to-WhatsApp ad: if you reply within 24 hours, your messages to that customer are free for 72 hours, templates included.
- The WhatsApp Business app, which has no per-message charges at all.
Estimate your monthly cost
Drag the sliders to match your business. The example bill at the top of this article is the default.
Estimate of Meta’s list prices for messages to Indian numbers. Provider subscriptions and mark-ups are extra. Volume discounts only start above 25 million utility or 750,000 authentication messages a month.
Provider fees on top of Meta’s price
Most businesses use the API through a provider that gives them an inbox, templates and automation. Providers usually add two things on top of Meta’s charges:
- a monthly subscription, often around ₹1,500 to ₹3,800 for small-business plans;
- a mark-up on each message, commonly 10% to 26% above Meta’s list price.
So a provider quoting ₹1.09 for a marketing message is charging Meta’s ₹0.8631 plus its own margin. Always compare the full monthly cost, not only the per-message number.
GST and INR billing
Meta’s invoices to Indian businesses add 18% GST to the list prices, so a ₹0.8631 marketing message really costs about ₹1.02. Meta also began billing Indian businesses in rupees in January 2026, and accounts still billed in another currency must move to INR by 31 December 2026 to keep sending messages.
How to keep your bill low
- Send transactional messages, such as reminders and confirmations, as utility templates, not marketing.
- Reply while the customer’s window is open, and use your 1,000 free service replies per number.
- Send fewer, better-targeted marketing messages. WhatsApp also limits how many marketing messages each person receives.
- Use click-to-WhatsApp ads for campaigns, so the follow-up messages fall inside a free window.
- Check your provider’s mark-up before you sign, and compare the full monthly cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is the WhatsApp Business API free?
No. Meta charges per delivered message, based on its category. The free WhatsApp Business app has no message charges, and each API number gets 1,000 free service replies a month.
Are messages that customers send me charged?
No. Messages from customers to your business are never charged. Only the messages your business sends are.
Do I pay for messages that are not delivered?
No. Meta only charges for messages that are delivered to the customer’s phone.
Is GST added to WhatsApp charges in India?
Yes. Meta’s invoices to Indian businesses add 18% GST on top of the list rates.
Can I still reply for free inside the 24-hour window?
Partly. Since 1 October 2026, each WhatsApp number gets its first 1,000 service replies a month free; after that, each costs ₹0.115 plus GST. Utility templates sent inside the window are now charged too.