WhatsApp Business Platform to Charge for Service Messages Starting October 1

WhatsApp is implementing a significant pricing change for its Business Platform, effective October 1. Meta will begin charging businesses for service messages sent to customers, a change that impacts businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform. Previously, businesses could send unlimited free replies within a 24-hour customer service window. Under the new policy, each business phone number will receive 1,000 free delivered service messages per month. Any service message beyond the 1,001st will incur a fee. This monthly quota resets and does not carry over.

In Israel, the expected rate for a service message is approximately $0.0053, or about 1.6 agorot based on an exchange rate of 3 shekels to the dollar. This new charge could lead to increased costs for customer service centers and chatbots that handle thousands of conversations monthly, as even short, separate replies may now accumulate charges.

Additionally, 'utility' messages, such as order confirmations, shipping updates, and reminders, will now be charged from the first message, even if sent within the 24-hour service window. These messages are not included in the 1,000 free service messages. Customer-initiated messages to businesses will remain free. A 72-hour free window, applicable in certain cases when a customer initiates a conversation via an ad or a Facebook page button, will continue to be honored according to Meta's rules.

This pricing adjustment specifically targets businesses connected to Meta's business platform via API, including service centers, CRM systems, and bots. It does not affect individual users or businesses solely using the standard WhatsApp Business app.