Meta is changing how it charges for messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Two changes are important:

Utility templates sent within the 24-hour customer service window are also billable effective October 1, 2026.

Service-message rates vary by market. Check the Wati pricing page for the applicable rates for your region.

This article explains what is changing, which message types are affected, how service messages are billed, and how you can prepare.

Effective October 1, 2026, Meta charges for service messages sent within the 24-hour customer service window.

A service message is a free-form, non-template reply sent during an open customer service window. This can include replies sent by:

Service messages have been free since November 2024. Effective October 1, 2026, each service message is charged per message.

For example, these can be service messages:

Utility templates sent within the 24-hour customer service window are billable effective October 1, 2026.

Utility templates were free within the window from July 2025 through September 2026. Before that period, they were charged according to Meta's applicable utility template rates.

Effective September 21, 2026, conversations started through Click-to-Message ads receive a 7-day free entry-point window for message delivery.

This applies to conversations started through supported Click-to-Message entry points, including Click-to-WhatsApp ads and Facebook call-to-action buttons.

The longer entry-point window does not change separate charges that may apply to Meta Business Agent usage.

The October 1, 2026 change affects service messages and utility templates sent within the 24-hour customer service window.

Authentication templates and Meta Business Agent messages use separate billing models.

The October 1, 2026 pricing change affects service messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform.

A service message is:

Each service message is charged separately effective October 1, 2026.

Meta Business Agent messages use a separate billing model. They are not charged as service messages.

Authentication templates also continue to use their existing billing model.

No. The pricing changes described in this article apply to the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), including businesses using the API through Business Service Providers (BSPs) and On-Premises API implementations.

The consumer WhatsApp app and WhatsApp Business app used without the API are not affected.

Effective September 21, 2026, conversations started through Click-to-Message ads receive a 7-day free entry-point window for message delivery.

This gives businesses more time to respond to customers who start a conversation through these entry points.

The free entry-point window does not remove separate charges for Meta Business Agent usage. Meta Business Agent messages continue to use token-based billing.

These are separate billing categories. A message is not charged both as a service message and as a Meta Business Agent message.

Effective October 1, 2026, service messages are charged per message.

The service-message rate is the same as the applicable utility template rate in your market.

Service messages do not have volume-based pricing tiers. The applicable per-message rate remains the same regardless of how many service messages you send.

Rates can vary by country or region. Check the applicable rate for your market on the Wati pricing page.

Yes. Meta provides 1,000 free service conversations per month for each WhatsApp Business Account.

This allowance applies to service messages only. It does not extend to:

Once the applicable free allowance is used, service messages are charged according to the applicable service-message rate.

No. The pricing change applies to messages sent by the business. Messages that customers send to the business are not charged as service messages.

No volume-based discount applies to service messages.

Service messages use a flat per-message rate rather than volume tiers. Sending more service messages does not reduce the applicable rate.

Because each billable message can contribute to your messaging costs, reducing unnecessary back-and-forth can help control costs.

Effective October 1, 2026, every billable service message contributes to your messaging costs.

For example, if an agent sends six free-form replies while resolving a delivery question, those replies are free under the previous pricing model but are billable service messages under the pricing effective October 1, 2026, subject to the applicable free service-conversation allowance.

The more billable service-message replies your team sends, the greater the potential impact on your messaging costs.

This is particularly relevant for conversations that involve many short back-and-forth replies.

Commerce businesses may see two related changes.

Order, payment, and shipping updates sent as utility templates within an active 24-hour customer service window were free between July 2025 and September 2026. These utility templates are billable effective October 1, 2026.

At the same time, free-form replies sent during the same customer conversation are billable as service messages effective October 1, 2026.

Businesses that handle high volumes of order, payment, or shipping conversations should therefore review both their template usage and free-form support messaging.

Combine related information into one clear response instead of sending several fragmented messages.

For example, provide the order status, expected delivery date, and next steps in one response where possible.

Fewer service-message replies can help reduce messaging costs.

Use WhatsApp Flows to collect structured information such as a customer's name, address, or preferences in a single interactive experience instead of collecting the same information through multiple messages.

Use the appropriate approved template for structured communications such as order updates, one-time passwords (OTPs), and status alerts.

Keep in mind that Utility and Authentication templates have their own applicable charges.

Effective September 21, 2026, conversations started through Click-to-Message ads receive a 7-day free entry-point window for message delivery.

Review your acquisition and support journeys to identify conversations that can benefit from this longer window.

Use AI to handle common and repetitive questions where appropriate.

Resolving routine conversations with fewer human-agent interactions can help reduce the number of billable service messages generated during support conversations.

Service messages are billable per message effective October 1, 2026, when sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform within the 24-hour customer service window.

A service message is a free-form, non-template reply sent within the 24-hour customer service window. It can be sent by a human agent, Wati chatbot, Astra, or third-party AI tool.

No. Customers' inbound messages are not charged as service messages. The pricing change applies to messages sent by the business.

Yes. Meta provides 1,000 free service conversations per month for each WhatsApp Business Account. The allowance applies only to service messages and does not apply to utility, marketing, or authentication templates.

Service messages are charged per message effective October 1, 2026. The applicable rate is the same as the utility template rate in your market, and service messages do not receive volume-based discounts.

The free entry-point window for conversations started through Click-to-Message ads is 7 days effective September 21, 2026.

No. Meta Business Agent uses token-based billing, while service messages are charged per message. A message is not charged under both billing models.