How much do WhatsApp conversations cost?

On WhatsApp, you are billed per message sent, no longer per conversation, since July 1, 2025. The rate depends on two factors: the message category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication or Service) and the recipient's country, determined by their phone number's country code.

Two rules complete this principle:

• Only messages that are actually delivered are billed.

• Incoming messages are free: you never pay to receive.

Since October 1, 2026: service messages (free-form replies within the 24-hour window) are billed beyond 1,000 messages per month per number, and Utility templates sent within this window are billed from the first one. This Meta rule applies to every business using WhatsApp, whatever its provider.

Rates by market

Prices billed by Kanal, in euros, per delivered message:

In this grid, the Service rate is the same as the Utility rate of the same market. These rates may change, in particular when Meta updates its own rate card.

Message categories

Marketing

Promotions, product launches, abandoned cart reminders, win-back, seasonal campaigns. Any commercial communication falls into this category and requires the contact's opt-in. A Marketing template is billed, including within an open service window (the only exception is the free window of Click-to-WhatsApp ads, described below).

Utility

Order confirmations, shipping updates, return notifications, subscription reminders. These messages must be tied to a concrete customer action and cannot contain any promotional content. A Utility template is billed from the first message, whether sent within the service window or outside it.

Authentication

Templates used to verify a user's identity, for example to send a one-time code. This category is rarely used by e-commerce stores and is not included in the grid above.

Service

The free-form messages (text, images, audio, documents) you send in reply to a customer, without a template. They can only be sent within an open service window. Every outgoing message is billed beyond the free allowance: an exchange with four messages from you generates four separate charges.

The 24-hour service window

As soon as a customer sends you a message, a 24-hour window opens. It resets with every new message from the customer. During this window, you can write to them freely, without a template. Once the window closes, only a template lets you get back in touch.

What is billed within the window:

1,000 free service messages every month

Meta offers 1,000 service messages per month per number. Billing starts from the 1,001st delivered service message. This allowance follows three rules:

• It is tied to each number: every WhatsApp number has its own allowance of 1,000 messages.

• It is reset on the 1st of each month.

• It is not carried over: unused messages are lost at the end of the month.

Note: this allowance only covers service messages. Utility templates sent within the window are billed from the first one, with no free allowance. AI Agent replies (0.05 € each) are not covered by the 1,000 free messages either.

The free window for Click-to-WhatsApp ads (up to 7 days)

According to Meta's documentation, when a customer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, using the WhatsApp app on Android or iOS, and you reply within the 24-hour window, a free entry point window opens from the time of your reply. It can stay open for up to 7 days.

While this window is open, Meta does not charge for any message: marketing, utility, authentication or service. Only Click-to-WhatsApp ads open this window.

What is billed on Kanal

Three uses generate billed messages within the service window:

• Your replies from the Inbox, when your team chats with a customer.

• AI Agent replies: each reply is billed 0.05 €, deducted from your message balance, on accounts billed by Kanal. These 0.05 € are not covered by the 1,000 free service messages: every AI reply is billed from the first one.

• Your utility automations (order confirmation, shipping update) when they trigger while a conversation is already open.

Special case: the United States

Meta does not deliver Marketing templates to United States numbers (+1). Utility messages and service messages remain possible. Canada, which shares the +1 country code, is not affected.

Public bodies and non-profits

Meta has an exception until December 31, 2027: for public bodies and non-profit organizations that Meta has identified as eligible, service messages remain free beyond the allowance of 1,000 messages per month. Eligibility is determined by Meta (Meta's documentation).

Optimizing your costs

• Categorize your templates correctly. An order confirmation or a shipping update belongs to the Utility category, not Marketing.

• Segment your sends. Target by engagement or purchase history rather than sending to your entire base.

• Group your information. Every message is billed: favor one complete message over several short consecutive messages. Review your flows to spot chains of successive messages.

• Set up your AI Agent to answer in one message. A complete answer from the first exchange avoids back-and-forth, each message being billed beyond the allowance.

• Track your service message volume. As long as you stay under 1,000 per month per number, your service replies cost nothing.

• Leverage the free window of Click-to-WhatsApp ads. If you run Click-to-WhatsApp ads, reply within 24 hours: the messages sent afterwards stay free as long as the window is open, for up to 7 days.

How am I billed?

Message fees are separate from your Kanal subscription. Kanal pays the fees to Meta and bills you for each delivered message at the price shown in the grid, deducting it from your message balance. This balance is topped up automatically by card: see Managing your billing threshold and Auto-refill.