Is WhatsApp Business API free?

Understand WhatsApp Business API pricing, conversation charges, and provider fees.

The WhatsApp Business API is not free. Meta charges per conversation, and most providers charge hosting or platform fees. Costs stay predictable when you understand conversation categories and monitor engagement.

Key takeaways

Meta bills per 24-hour conversation window, not per message.

Prices vary by country and conversation type: marketing, utility, authentication, and service.

Providers may add hosting, inbox, or automation fees—factor these into your budget.

How Meta pricing works

Each conversation category has a different rate. A conversation starts when you send a template (marketing/utility/auth) or when a user messages you (service).

Ways to control spend:

Use clear opt-in to reduce blocks and avoid wasted sends.
Segment audiences and send value-focused templates.
Track which templates trigger the most conversions per cost.

Provider and platform fees

Beyond Meta charges, providers may bill for hosting, storage, inbox seats, or automation features. Review pricing tiers to avoid surprises.

Reducing total cost of ownership

Use a single provider for WhatsApp, billing, and calling to consolidate tooling.
Automate FAQs to reduce agent load and shorten conversations.
Monitor quality to keep deliverability high and avoid template rejections.

FAQs

Is there any free trial for WhatsApp Business API?

Some providers offer free trial credits or a short onboarding period. Meta still bills per conversation, but providers may absorb small amounts to help you test.

Do I pay for failed or rejected templates?

You do not pay Meta for rejected templates, but you also cannot send them. Choose clear wording and sample values to avoid rejections.

Can I limit spend per day?

Yes. Set sending limits, throttle campaigns, and use alerts in your platform. BotMax AI includes guardrails to cap daily or hourly sends.