Starting July 1, 2025, Meta is rolling out a new pricing structure for WhatsApp Business API. This change directly affects how businesses are charged for using the platform as a key sales, support, or automation channel.
At Chat Center, we break down the key takeaways for enterprise teams.
From conversation-based to message-based pricing
WhatsApp will no longer charge by conversation window for business-initiated messages. Instead, each template message will incur an individual fee.
Important
Utility templates sent within the 24-hour service window will remain free of charge.
New volume-based pricing
Meta will introduce tiered pricing: the more messages you send monthly, the lower the cost per message for utility and authentication templates.
Automatic template recategorization
WhatsApp may automatically reclassify your templates if they don’t match the official categories (marketing, utility, authentication).
Watch out
Your bill may increase if a template is moved to a more expensive category.
No changes to service conversations
User-initiated conversations will still be charged per 24-hour window. If no reply is sent, no charges apply.
Unlimited free service conversations
Since November 2024, all service conversations within the 24h window are free and unlimited. This does not apply to templates.
Free windows through organic entry points
When a customer messages from an ad or Facebook page, a 72-hour free conversation window is activated.
During those 72 hours:
- All message types (including templates) are free.
- No new paid conversations are triggered.
- If the 24h window closes, templates remain free but free text is blocked.
How does this impact your conversational strategy?
This shift demands smarter use of templates and automation. At Chat Center, we help enterprise teams redesign their strategy to stay efficient, scalable, and aligned with Meta’s new model.
