Meta has introduced new charges for certain service and utility messages on the WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026.
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform in India will see changes to messaging charges from October 1, 2026, with Meta introducing fees for certain messages that were previously not separately charged.
The changes apply to businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform through direct integration or solution providers. They do not introduce charges for ordinary WhatsApp users.
1,000 Service Messages Free Each Month
Under the revised pricing structure, each business phone number in India receives 1,000 free service messages every month.
Service messages are non-template replies sent during the 24-hour customer service window that begins when a customer contacts a business on WhatsApp.
Once the monthly free allowance is exhausted, additional service messages are charged at ₹0.115per delivered message in India, before applicable taxes and third-party fees.
The 1,000-message allowance applies to service messages and does not mean that all business messages receive the same free allowance.
Utility Messages Now Carry a Charge
A major change from October 1 is the treatment of utility messages sent during an active 24-hour customer service window.
These messages can include transactional communications such as order confirmations, shipping information and delivery updates.
In India, the utility-message rate is ₹0.115 per delivered message, before applicable taxes and third-party fees. Unlike the service-message category, the 1,000-message monthly free allowance does not apply to utility messages sent within the customer service window.
Authentication Messages
Authentication messages are also priced at ₹0.115 per delivered message in India, according to the published pricing information cited in the current reports.
These messages are used for authentication-related communication rather than general customer-service conversations.
Marketing Message Rate Remains Separate
Marketing messages continue to have a separate pricing structure.
The published India rate for marketing messages is ₹0.8631 per delivered message, before applicable taxes and third-party fees.
This category covers business-initiated promotional communication and is separate from service and utility messaging.
What Happens to the 24-Hour Customer Service Window?
The 24-hour customer service window has not been removed.
It begins when a customer sends a message to a business and allows the business to send non-template service responses during that period.
The change from October 1 is that certain messages sent within this window are no longer automatically free. In particular, utility messages sent during the open window are now chargeable, while service messages receive the 1,000-per-month free allowance before charges begin.
Businesses Need a Payment Method
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform through direct integration or a solution provider are required to have a payment method configured.
Meta has stated that service messages will not be delivered once the new charging system applies if the required payment method has not been configured.
For businesses that rely on WhatsApp for customer communication, this makes payment configuration an important operational requirement.
Customers Are Not Being Charged
The pricing change is directed at businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform.
It does not mean that consumers will receive a WhatsApp bill for contacting businesses or receiving business messages. Regular WhatsApp users continue to use the service without these business messaging charges.
72-Hour Free Entry Point Window Continues
A separate free messaging window continues for conversations initiated through qualifying Click-to-WhatsApp advertisements and Facebook Page call-to-action buttons.
Messages delivered within the applicable 72-hour free entry point window remain free from messaging charges. However, separate charges can apply when Meta Business Agent handles the conversation.
What Indian Businesses Should Check
The October 1 changes make it important for businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform to understand which message category they are using.
Companies should distinguish between service, utility, authentication and marketing messages, as each category has different pricing treatment.
For businesses operating at high messaging volumes, the distinction between these categories will determine which communications fall within the free service allowance and which attract per-message charges.
The revised structure therefore changes how businesses using WhatsApp Business Platform in India need to account for messaging activity from October 1, 2026.
