WhatsApp Business Platform introduces per‑message fees for Indian firms

WhatsApp Business Platform will start charging Indian businesses ₹0.115 for each service message delivered after a monthly free allowance of 1,000 messages per phone number, effective 1 October. The new rates apply to businesses using the platform through solution providers or direct integration and are part of a global pricing revision that varies by market. In India, utility messages such as order confirmations and delivery updates become billable even within the 24‑hour customer‑service window, and authentication messages carry the same ₹0.115 charge. Marketing messages are priced higher at ₹0.8631 per delivered message, and the published rates do not include taxes or third‑party fees. Meta’s documentation states there will be no volume‑based discounts for service messages. Companies that do not upload a payment method by 30 September 2026 risk being blocked from sending service messages from 1 October, according to a warning posted on Meta’s blog. The change does not affect personal WhatsApp users. Meta also announced an AI‑powered Business Agent, charging $2 for every million tokens processed, meaning a separate AI usage fee applies even when a conversation starts from a paid ad. Businesses can still keep some messages free if the chat originates from an ad, but any AI token use will be billed.

Context

WhatsApp Business lets companies send order updates, support replies and promotional texts directly to customers. The new charges turn previously free interactions into a recurring expense, which can affect budgeting for small firms that rely heavily on chat support. Meta’s pricing varies by country, so Indian businesses now face a distinct cost structure compared to peers elsewhere.