Changes to WhatsApp Business Platform Pricing from October 2026
Changes to WhatsApp Business Platform Pricing from October 2026
Meta has announced changes to the way certain messages are charged on the WhatsApp Business Platform. As of 1 October 2026, certain messages sent during the customer service window, known as the Customer Service Window, will no longer be free of charge.
In this article, we explain the main changes, when they will come into effect, and the potential impact on businesses using WhatsApp.
What is the Customer Service Window?
When a person sends a message to a WhatsApp Business account, a 24-hour customer service window is opened. If the person contacts the business again after the window has expired, a new window is opened.
During this period, the business can respond to the incoming message. Until now, some replies sent in this context were free of charge. From 1 October 2026, certain messages will become chargeable.
What changes after 1 October 2026?
1. Non-template replies will become chargeable
Until this date, free-form messages, sent without using an approved template, were free when sent by a person or a third-party artificial intelligence solution during the customer service window.
From 1 October 2026, each of these messages will incur a charge.
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Billing unit | Each message |
Applicable rate | The same rate used for Utility or Authentication messages, depending on the market |
Volume tiers | Not applicable |
2. Utility templates sent during the customer service window will become chargeable
Currently, a Utility template sent during a customer service window initiated by a user's message is free of charge. This may include, for example, an order confirmation or a delivery status update.
From 1 October 2026, these templates will become chargeable.
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Billing unit | Each message |
Applicable rate | Standard Utility rate |
Volume tiers | Still apply |
What will remain free?
- Messages received from users will remain free of charge.
- Messages sent during the free 72-hour window will remain free when the conversation is initiated through a Click to WhatsApp ad or a call-to-action button on Facebook. Message delivery during this specific period will continue under the current conditions.
Practical example
Imagine the following customer journey:
- The company sends a Marketing template.
- The user replies with a question.
- An agent sends a reply during the 24-hour customer service window.
- The company then sends an order confirmation using a Utility template, still within the same window.
Scenario | Before October 2026 | From October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
Marketing template | Charged | Charged |
Agent reply | Free | Charged |
Order confirmation via Utility template | Free | Charged |
Total charged messages | 1 | 3 |
When will the final rates be announced?
Meta is expected to publish the rates applicable from 1 October 2026 by 1 September 2026.
This article will be updated once the official rates are announced.
What does this change mean for our customers?
All processes involving customer support replies through WhatsApp may incur a per-message charge. This applies to support teams, chatbots, human agents, and artificial intelligence systems responding during the 24-hour customer service window.
We recommend taking the following actions:
- Analyse the number of free-form replies and Utility templates sent during the customer service window over the past few months.
- Use this data to estimate the potential financial impact.
- Monitor Meta's announcement of the official rates in September 2026.
- Contact our team to assess the impact of these changes on your account.
Updated on: 27/08/2026
Thank you!