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# 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:

1. The company sends a Marketing template.
2. The user replies with a question.
3. An agent sends a reply during the 24-hour customer service window.
4. 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.

|| This article will be updated once Meta announces the final rates in September 2026.