In a major update set to impact businesses globally, WhatsApp has announced changes to its pricing model for the WhatsApp Business Platform, which will take effect from July 1, 2025. The new structure introduces per-message billing, revised message categories, and market-specific volume-based discounts—aligning the platform with pricing practices commonly used by other major communication services.
Per-Message Billing to Replace Session-Based Charges
Under the new model, businesses will be charged per message sent, based on the type of communication—marketing, utility, or authentication. This is a departure from the current session-based pricing, where businesses were charged for interactions within 24-hour chat windows.
“This update aligns our pricing structure with other leading communication platforms that already operate on a per-message basis,” said a WhatsApp spokesperson. For example, a business that sends both a utility and a marketing message will now be billed separately for each.
Free Replies Within the Customer Service Window
Despite the shift to per-message billing, WhatsApp confirmed that customer-initiated conversations will remain free within a 24-hour customer service window. This window refreshes every time a user sends a new message, allowing businesses to respond with no added costs.
“This gives businesses more flexibility and choice when responding to customers, without worrying about added fees,” the company said in its announcement.
Volume-Based Discounts to Encourage Growth
To further support scalability, WhatsApp will introduce volume-based pricing for utility and authentication messages. These discounts will be tiered based on the number of messages sent and tailored to specific markets.
“For instance, a business sending high volumes of authentication messages in India will have a different pricing tier compared to a company sending utility messages in Brazil,” WhatsApp explained. “The more messages you send, the more you save.”
Key Changes for Businesses
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Per-message pricing ensures more predictable billing.
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Free responses continue within the 24-hour customer service window.
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Scalable volume discounts help larger businesses reduce costs.
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Category- and market-specific pricing tailors the model to business needs across regions.
As the July rollout approaches, WhatsApp encourages businesses using its platform to review the upcoming changes and adjust their messaging strategies accordingly.
A full breakdown of pricing categories, regional tiers, and volume discounts is available on the official WhatsApp Business Platform website.
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