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Answers · updated 22 September 2026

How does WhatsApp Business API pricing work?

The short answer

WhatsApp Business API pricing has two parts: a one-time setup and build (quoted per project with us) and Meta's own fees. Since 1 July 2025, Meta charges per delivered template message, at a rate set by the message category — marketing, utility, or authentication — and the recipient's country. Replies inside the 24-hour customer service window are free, and so are utility templates sent inside it.

Setup vs running cost

You pay once to set up and build the flows. After that, Meta bills each delivered template message: a booking confirmation or reminder is a utility template, a promotion is a marketing template. Anything you send in the 24 hours after a customer messages you — including utility templates — is free.

Why use the official API

Grey-market bulk senders are cheaper but get numbers banned. The official API protects the number that is your customer relationship, which is worth paying Meta's per-message fees for.

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