Meta has announced that effective November 1, 2024, service conversations will become free, making free-tier conversations unlimited instead of being capped at 1,000. The development follows the earlier revision to Utility and Marketing conversation pricing on WhatsApp. The new Utility pricing was rolled out on August 1, while updated Marketing pricing became effective on October 1, 2024.
Moreover, starting April 1, 2025, utility templates will become free within the 24-hour customer service window, while template messages will be charged on a per-message basis instead of per conversation.
Rates for utility conversations (OTPs, order and delivery updates, payment reminders, and more) had been earlier reduced as according to Meta: “We are lowering rates to be competitive with alternative channels and encourage businesses to bring more end-to-end post-purchase customer journeys to WhatsApp.”
Meta’s communication regarding the updated Marketing conversation rates adds that: “We are updating rates in specific markets as part of more frequent updates to rates to reflect demand and the value marketing messages deliver.”
WhatsApp had earlier announced new authentication and international authentication rates only for businesses in India and Indonesia. However, starting February 1, 2025, the authentication-international rates are being expanded to seven more markets in the APAC and EMEA regions.
According to WhatsApp, the updated pricing reflects the value of the bundled features included with its authentication solution and aims to align with industry standards. The new features, "Customizable message validity period" and "Zero-tap capability", are designed to not only improve the user experience but also allow businesses to effectively manage authentication costs while improving conversion rates.
WhatsApp Business Pricing (in USD):
| Category | Marketing | Utility | Service | Authentication | Authentication-International |
| India | 0.0107 | 0.0014 | 0.004 | 0.0014 | 0.028 |
| Indonesia | 0.0411 | 0.02 | 0.019 | 0.0300 | 0.136 |
Authentication Templates
Authentication templates allow businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes (OTP). Businesses sending OTPs and verification code to users with +91 phone numbers (India) and +62 phone numbers must use an authentication template. The templates consist of optional add-ons such as security disclaimers (eg: “For your security, do not share this code.”) and expiry warnings (eg: “This code expires in 10 minutes.”)
Best Practices for Using Authentication Templates
- Before sending OTP or verification code, confirm the WhatsApp phone number of the user.
- Clearly inform the user that the password/code will be sent to their WhatsApp phone number.
- When the user inputs the password/code into your app, or your app receives the pass/code as part of the one-tap autofill button flow, clearly inform the user that the app has captured it.
Conclusion
While Service conversations are free, the customer service window needs to be open between a WhatsApp user and the business in order for the business to send a non-template message. Additionally, the per-message pricing will be rolled out in two phases (April 1 and July 1, 2025). The WhatsApp Business Platform's pricing model caters to diverse business needs through a conversation-based approach. The pricing structure ensures businesses can strategically manage their communication efforts while optimizing costs and leveraging WhatsApp for various customer interactions.
Related: The State of WhatsApp Marketing Report 2024 - Strategies, Use Cases, Best Practices & More
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