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WhatsApp Business Platform to Charge for Customer Service Messages from October 1
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News18•01-10-2026, 13:22
WhatsApp Business Platform to Charge for Customer Service Messages from October 1
- •Meta is introducing charges for certain customer service messages on the WhatsApp Business Platform starting October 1, impacting businesses in India and other markets.
- •Businesses will receive a limited number of free service messages monthly, after which they will be charged on a per-message basis.
- •Non-template service messages, including free-form replies from human agents or third-party AI systems within the 24-hour customer service window, will no longer be entirely free.
- •In India, businesses get 1,000 free service messages per business phone number monthly; subsequent messages will cost Rs 0.115 each.
- •AI-generated messages via a Meta Business Agent are subject to a separate token-based pricing system, costing approximately 4-5 cents per typical message globally.
Key Questions Answered
Meta is introducing charges for certain customer service messages that were previously free starting October 1, 2026, on the WhatsApp Business Platform. Businesses will receive a limited monthly quota of free service messages, after which they will be billed on a per-message basis.
Businesses in India receive 1,000 free service messages per business phone number every month. Once this monthly quota is exhausted, each additional service message will be charged at a rate of Rs 0.115.
Meta required all businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform to add a valid payment method to their accounts by September 30, 2026. Accounts that failed to add payment details risked having their service messages stop being delivered starting October 1.
