How do WhatsApp messaging limits work?

The messaging limit is the number of unique contacts you can message on your own initiative within a rolling 24-hour period. It increases progressively as your account proves itself to Meta.

Good to know: messages sent within an open service window, when a customer has messaged you first, do not count toward this limit. Only messages you initiate are counted.

One limit shared across all your numbers

Meta now calculates the limit at the business portfolio level, no longer number by number. All numbers attached to the same portfolio share the same daily capacity.

If you manage several brands or several numbers in one portfolio, a large send on one of them can use up the capacity available to the others. Conversely, a number added to an established portfolio immediately benefits from the current limit.

The tiers

A newly created portfolio starts at 250 unique contacts per 24 hours. The successive tiers are:

• 2,000 unique contacts / 24 h

• 10,000 unique contacts / 24 h

• 100,000 unique contacts / 24 h

• Unlimited

Leaving the starting tier

To move from 250 to 2,000, the most direct path is to complete the verification of your business portfolio on Meta. Once this step is done, Meta reviews the quality of your messages before approving the increase, then notifies you by email.

If the request is declined, Meta indicates what to do next. It usually involves sending 2,000 delivered messages to unique contacts over a rolling 30-day period, with good-quality templates.

Automatic progression

Once the 2,000 tier is reached, the next increases are automatic. Two conditions must be met:

1. Satisfactory message quality across all your numbers and templates.

2. Having used at least half of your current limit over the last 7 days.

When these criteria are met, Meta raises your limit by one tier within 6 hours. Since the evaluation is frequent, an active and healthy account can move up several tiers in a short time.

Example: going from 2,000 to 10,000

With a limit of 2,000, you need to reach at least 1,000 unique contacts over 7 days while keeping good account quality. The same logic applies to go from 10,000 to 100,000, with a target of 5,000 unique contacts.

The role of account quality

Quality drives the whole progression. Degraded quality freezes your current tier: you cannot move up until it returns to a satisfactory level. If it stays low, Meta can also reduce your limit.

Increasing volume never compensates for poor quality: sending more to a low-engagement audience produces the opposite of the intended effect.

Where to check your limit

Your current limit is shown in Meta's WhatsApp Manager, under Account tools then Messaging limits.

Need help?

If you hit your limit during a campaign, or if your tier does not increase despite regular volume, contact our team via the chat in your Kanal interface.