WhatsApp Transcription Bot 'Eliezer' Relocates After Meta Price Hike

The popular WhatsApp transcription bot 'Eliezer,' developed by the volunteer initiative ivrit.ai, has been forced to relocate its services and has seen an 8-fold drop in users following a change in Meta's pricing policy. Previously, a free 24-hour service window allowed unlimited communication with businesses on WhatsApp. However, as of October 1st, Meta transitioned to a per-message payment model for service messages, significantly impacting services like 'Eliezer' that rely on the WhatsApp Business API.

This policy change has drastically increased the operational costs for 'Eliezer,' from approximately $1 per month to an estimated $5,000 per month. To avoid these exorbitant fees, the project has moved its transcription delivery to Telegram and a dedicated app. Founder Yair Lipschitz described Meta's actions as "monopolistic behavior" and noted the "heartbreaking" responses from users, particularly those with hearing impairments who found the bot to be an accessible tool.

Despite the challenges, ivrit.ai continues to operate voluntarily and without profit. The initiative aims to improve AI's Hebrew language capabilities and has built extensive Hebrew audio databases. 'Eliezer' was launched in April 2025 and, at its peak, handled around 10,000 hours of audio transcription monthly for approximately 20,000 daily users. The service now operates with usage limits, including up to 10 messages per hour and a total of 20 minutes of transcription per hour, with individual recordings capped at 10 minutes.

Lipschitz explained that while the new system is less convenient, the fact that around 2,500 users actively continue to use 'Eliezer' demonstrates its value. He also pointed out that the built-in transcription feature on iPhones is significantly less accurate than 'Eliezer,' and that Android users in Israel, who form a majority, do not have this native feature. The project is funded by community donations, with Lipschitz emphasizing that the funds are used solely for service operation and expansion, not personal gain.