New Per-Message Pricing

Meta is introducing a significant change to its WhatsApp Business Platform pricing structure, which will impact how businesses are billed for messaging.

These updates take effect on July 1, 2025, and will influence your messaging costs when using BizMagnets.

WhatsApp's New Per-Message Pricing

WhatsApp is fundamentally changing its billing model from the current per-conversation approach to a new per-message pricing model.

This means that starting July 1, 2025, you will be charged for every message delivered to your customers. The cost per message will depend on:

1. Message Category: Each message will be categorized as either Marketing, Utility, or Authentication, and each category will have a distinct price.

2. Recipient’s Country Code: Pricing may vary significantly based on the country where your customer is located.

Crucially, if you send multiple different message types within a single interaction or to the same customer, each individual message will be billed separately based on its category.

What Remains Free?

1. 24-Hour Customer Service Window

When a customer sends a message to your business, a 24-hour free window is activated.

During this period, you can send unlimited free-form messages (e.g., text replies, canned responses, bot replies) and Utility template messages without charge.

Important: Each new message from the customer resets this 24-hour window.

2. Free Entry Point Conversations (72-Hour Window)

If a customer initiates contact with your business through a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad or a Facebook Page button, you qualify for an extended 72-hour free window.

Within this 72-hour period, you can send any message type (including all template messages) at no cost.

Conditions:

• You must respond to the user's first message within 24 hours of them sending it.

• The 72-hour free window begins after you send your initial response.

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Here’s what’s changing, what remains the same, and how it affects your business:

• New Pricing Model – Transitioning from conversation-based billing to per-message pricing.

• What Stays the Same – Free inbound messages (customer replies within 24 hours).

• Impact on Your Business – More transparent and flexible billing based on actual message volume.

Example:

• Monday 9 AM

  • Customer: "Help! My login isn't working" (free inbound message)

  • You: Send Authentication template (one-time passcode) → Free (within 24h window)

• Monday 2 PM

  • You: Follow-up text "Did the OTP work?" → Free

  • Customer: "Yes, thanks!" (resets 24h window)

• Tuesday 3 PM (25 hours later)

  • You: Marketing template "Try our premium features!" → Charged (outside 24h window)

• Wednesday 10 AM

  • Customer clicks your Facebook ad → 72h free window opens

  • You: Send 3 Marketing templates → All Free (within new 72h window)

Total Charges: Only 1 Marketing message (sent Tuesday) was billed. All other messages were free within their respective response windows.

WhatsApp Business Message Pricing Breakdown

Message Type	Within 24-Hour Window	Outside 24-Hour Window
Free-form messages (text, canned, bot)	Free	Not allowed
Utility templates	Free	Charged
Marketing templates	Charged	Charged
Authentication templates	Charged	Charged
72-hour ad window messages	Free	Not allowed