The news
Until now, the replies a business sent within 24 hours of a customer's message on the WhatsApp Business Platform cost nothing. Since 1 October 2026, Meta charges for these service messages once a business phone number has sent 1,000 of them in a month. Free messages you do not use are not carried over to the next month.
The price per message is the same as for utility messages in each country, and Meta has also started charging for utility messages sent inside the 24-hour window. Messages from customers stay free, and so do conversations that start from a click-to-WhatsApp ad, for up to seven days.
The change is for the WhatsApp Business Platform, the version businesses connect to a CRM, a help desk or a chatbot.
What it means for you
- If your team or a chatbot answers customers on WhatsApp from a CRM or help desk, check how many replies you send per phone number each month. Above 1,000, every reply now has a price.
- Many short replies cost more than one clear answer, so a reply that answers everything at once saves money.
- Order and delivery updates you send inside the 24-hour window are now charged too.
What to do now
- Ask your WhatsApp provider how many service messages you send per number each month.
- Check that your WhatsApp Business account has a payment method, so your replies keep being delivered.
- Write replies that settle the question in one message whenever you can.
How Didset can help
The CRMs we build connect to WhatsApp, so every reply your team sends is in one place and easy to keep track of.
Talk to us about it
