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What does the WhatsApp Business Platform cost?

File:Meta Platforms Inc. logo.svg - Wikipedia Unlike the WhatsApp Business App, the WhatsApp Business Platform is not free because of its range of features and its focus on data protection and GDPR compliance. Meta charges for the messages your business sends. Chatarmin passes these Meta costs on to you on your monthly Chatarmin invoice. For current rates by country, see Meta’s official WhatsApp Business Platform pricing. For the changes coming in 2026, see Meta’s Upcoming WhatsApp Pricing Changes (2026).

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How Meta charges for messages

Since July 1, 2025, Meta charges per delivered message, not per conversation. The price of each message depends on:
  • The message category: Marketing, Utility, Authentication or Service
  • The recipient’s country
Meta sets these rates and can change them. Always check Meta’s pricing page for the current rate tables.

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🟡 Template messages (Marketing, Utility, Authentication)

Templates are pre-approved messages your business uses to start a conversation, for example shipping notifications or promotional messages.

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Key Details:

  • Pre-approved templates are required to message a customer outside the 24-hour customer service window
  • You can send templates through:
    • Automated flows
    • Chat replies (if outside the 24h window)
    • Promo campaigns
  • Every delivered template message is charged, including follow-ups in the same category
  • Before sending, all templates must be created and approved in the Templates section
  • When the 24h window is closed, you’ll see this indicator in the chat view:
Chatarmin help center image

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🟢 Service messages (replies within the 24-hour window)

Service messages are the non-template replies you send while the customer’s 24-hour customer service window is open. The window opens when a customer messages you, for example: “Where is my order?”
You can find all details about the 24-hour window here.

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Key Details:

  • Within this window, your business can reply using text, images and more
  • No templates are needed for replies within this window
  • Messages can be sent manually through the chat or automatically within a flow (via the “Send Message” step)
  • During an open window, you’ll see this indicator in your chat view:
Chatarmin help center image
Service messages become billable again on October 1, 2026. Until then, Meta does not charge for them. From October 1, 2026, each business phone number gets 1,000 free Service messages per month. After that, Meta charges per delivered Service message at market-based rates that match its Utility and Authentication rates. On the same date, Utility templates sent inside an open 24-hour window also become billable. See Meta’s Upcoming WhatsApp Pricing Changes (2026) for details.

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Free Entry Point Window (72h)

If a customer starts a conversation from a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad or a Facebook Page call-to-action button, Meta opens a 72-hour free entry point window. Within this timeframe:
  • All messages are free, including template messages and free-form messages
  • You must respond within 24 hours of the customer’s first message to open the 72-hour window
This makes it a good fit for retargeting ad campaigns and lead generation.

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💳 How Chatarmin bills Meta costs

New Chatarmin customers are set up on Chatarmin’s Meta credit line. This means:
  • Your Meta message costs appear on your monthly Stripe invoice from Chatarmin
  • You do not pay Meta separately
  • You do not need to open Meta Business Manager to find invoices for your message costs
Chatarmin passes Meta’s rates through on this invoice. When Meta changes its prices, such as the Service and Utility changes on October 1, 2026, those changes show up as Meta costs on your Chatarmin invoice, not as a separate Meta invoice. If you are not sure how your account is billed, please contact our support team.