WhatsApp pricing from October 2026
What Meta charges for WhatsApp messages and how the 1,000 free service messages per business phone number each month work.
From October 1, 2026, Meta changes WhatsApp Business Platform pricing. The final rules include a free allowance: The first 1,000 delivered service messages per business phone number each month remain free.
Your meetergo plan and WhatsApp add-on price do not change. Meta bills you directly for messages, with no markup from meetergo.
Which messages are affected?
| Message type | Through September 30, 2026 | From October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Service messages: free-form replies in an open 24-hour window | Free | First 1,000 per business phone number each month free, then charged at the utility rate |
| Utility templates inside an open 24-hour window | Free | Charged at the utility rate, without the service allowance |
| Utility templates outside the 24-hour window | Charged | Still charged |
| Marketing and authentication templates | Charged | Still charged |
The existing free 72-hour entry point window exemption remains. It can open after a customer messages you through a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or your Facebook Page's WhatsApp button, provided you reply within 24 hours. All message types remain free during this window.
The 1,000 free messages apply only to service messages. A booking confirmation or reminder sent as a utility template does not use this allowance and does not become free through it.
How does the allowance work?
- Each business phone number receives 1,000 free delivered service messages every month.
- Meta charges the applicable utility rate starting with the 1,001st message.
- Unused allowances expire at month end. They cannot be transferred to another number or rolled over to the next month.
- Usage on the WhatsApp Business Platform counts for that number, including other API providers.
- The change and monthly boundaries follow your WhatsApp Business Account's timezone.
Example: One number sends 1,200 service messages and 100 utility templates in a month. Without other exemptions, 1,000 service messages are free. The remaining 200 service messages and all 100 templates are charged.
What are the rates?
Meta sets rates by recipient country and, where applicable, volume tier. From October, the confirmed German base rate is €0.0456 per utility, authentication or charged service message. Marketing messages cost €0.1131 at the German base rate. Other recipient countries have different prices.
Find the rate cards in Meta's official pricing overview. These details were verified on September 7, 2026.
Where can I see my usage?
Open WhatsApp usage and costs in meetergo. The view counts messages sent through meetergo. Costs are estimates using German base rates and UTC calendar months. Recipient countries, volume discounts, other API providers and your WhatsApp account's timezone can cause differences. Your Meta invoice is authoritative.
The pricing change does not extend the 24-hour window: Free-form replies are still only possible within 24 hours of a customer's message. After that, you need an approved template. See Connect WhatsApp directly.
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