Changes to WhatsApp Business Platform pricing starting October 1, 2026
Meta will update the WhatsApp Business Platform pricing model. Learn how the 1,000 free service messages per number will work, how the 24- and 72-hour windows apply, the updated rates, and what you should review in your account to avoid service disruptions.
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This is critical. If your WhatsApp Business account does not yet have a payment method configured in your Meta business portfolio, add and verify one before the new charges begin to apply.
Meta will update the pricing model for WhatsApp Business Platform. The most important change is that service messages will no longer be unlimited and free.
Each WhatsApp Business number will include 1,000 free service messages per month. After they are used, subsequent service messages delivered by the business will incur a Meta charge.
What is changing?
Service messages 1,000 free Per WhatsApp Business number, each month. From delivered service message 1,001 onward, the corresponding rate applies. | Utility within 24 h Now charged Utility templates sent while a service window is open will no longer be free. | Click to WhatsApp 72 h free Eligible conversations keep the 72-hour Free Entry Point benefit. |
| Message type | Current situation | New model |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming customer message | No charge | Remains free of charge |
| Service Free-form text within 24 h | No charge within the service window | 1,000 free per number/month; after that, charged per delivered message |
| Utility | May be free while a service window is open | Will also be charged within the 24-hour window |
| Authentication | Charged | Remains charged |
| Marketing | Charged | Remains charged, with an updated Meta rate for Mexico |
What is a service message?
It is a free-form text response sent by the business while a 24-hour customer service window is open. It may be sent by an agent, an automation, a chatbot, or an AI assistant.
Customer, 10:00: “Hi, can you share some information with me?”
Business, 10:02: “Of course, happy to help.”
How do the 1,000 free messages work?
The benefit covers 1,000 service messages per WhatsApp Business number, per month. It does not mean 1,000 conversations or 1,000 customers.
The 24-hour service window remains in place
When a customer sends a message, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Each new message from the customer resets that window.
| 10:00 | The customer writes. The window initially remains open until 10:00 the next day. |
| 18:00 | The customer writes again. The window resets and now remains open until 18:00 the next day. |
If the window closes and the customer does not write again, the business must use a Meta-approved template to start a new contact.
What happens with conversations that come from ads?
Eligible conversations that originate from Click to WhatsApp Ads keep the 72-hour free benefit once the Free Entry Point is activated.
The 72-hour window and the 24-hour service window are separate rules. If the customer writes again after the 72-hour benefit ends, a new 24-hour service window opens and normal messaging rules apply.
Reference rates for Mexico
| Category | Reference rate |
|---|---|
| Service after the first 1,000 | USD $0.0085 per message |
| Utility | USD $0.0085 per message |
| Authentication | USD $0.0085 per message |
| Marketing | USD $0.0397 per message |
Rates are defined by Meta and may vary depending on the recipient market, message type, and future policy updates.
Usage example
If one number delivers 3,000 service messages during the month:
1,000 included 2,000 billable 2,000 × USD $0.0085 = USD $17.00What should you review?
We recommend completing this validation in advance, especially for accounts that have so far operated mainly with free service messages.