WhatsApp to Start Charging for Business Messages

Meta is preparing to make a fundamental change to how it charges companies for customer conversations on WhatsApp, starting today, October 1, by imposing fees on service messages that have so far been free. The change will apply to companies using the WhatsApp Business Platform in India and other markets.

Under the new system, service message fees will be charged per message, at rates aligned with current utility and authentication message prices in each market. Meta has set a deadline of today (September 30) for companies to add a payment method to their accounts. Companies using a solution provider or direct integration that do not have a registered payment method by that date may stop receiving service message deliveries once the new fees take effect.

Meta has already been charging companies for several types of WhatsApp messages, including marketing, utility, and authentication templates. However, some customer service messages remained free. Since November 1, 2024, non-template service messages have been free, and utility messages sent within the 24-hour active customer service window have been free since July 1, 2025. This changes on October 1, when Meta will begin charging for service messages as well as utility messages sent in response to customers.

Service messages are non-template replies sent by a human customer service agent or an external AI system, and they can only be sent during the 24-hour customer service window, meaning companies cannot use this category to initiate a new conversation.

Regarding WhatsApp Business message costs in India, the exact price will depend on the market. Meta states that service message pricing will align with the rates charged for utility and authentication messages in each country. In India, Meta Business Account holders use Indian Rupees as the billing currency. For global Business Account pricing, Meta converts the applicable dollar rate to Indian Rupees using the daily exchange rate at the time of message delivery.

AI-powered conversations have already moved to a paid model on WhatsApp. Since August 1, Meta has been charging for messages handled by Meta Business Agent using a token-based system. Each charge covers both AI processing and message delivery. Meta’s global price is $2 per million tokens. According to the company, a typical message consumes approximately 20,000 to 25,000 tokens, translating to about 4–5 cents per message. More complex interactions may consume more tokens, resulting in higher costs.

Key changes for companies starting October 1:

* Service message fees: Non-template replies sent by human customer service agents or external AI systems will become paid, at rates aligned with utility and authentication messages in each market.

* Separate pricing model for Meta Business Agent: Messages generated by Meta Business Agent are subject to a token-based pricing system, with a global rate of $2 per million tokens, completely separate from the new service message pricing.

* Payment deadline: Companies must add a payment method by September 30, or service message deliveries may cease starting October 1.

Following the launch of the new pricing system, non-template messages sent by businesses will fall under the “Service” category or the “Meta Business Agent” category. If the response comes from a human customer service agent or an external AI system, it will be treated as a service message and billed accordingly. However, if the “Meta Business Agent” generates the reply, the message will be subject to a separate token-based pricing model.

This shift is part of Meta’s broader strategy to monetize its WhatsApp Business platform, which has become a key communication channel between businesses and customers in emerging markets, particularly in India, the world’s largest WhatsApp market. Analysts expect the decision to prompt companies to reassess their strategies on the platform, with some potentially reducing the volume of non-template messages or relying more heavily on pre-paid templates.