WhatsApp pricing — what Meta charges for
Which messages Meta charges for, which are free, and where you see the charges. Meta bills you directly, separately from your Vatli plan.
Applies to: Every WhatsApp Business API accountBilled by: Meta, to the payment method in your WhatsApp Business Account
Meta charges for WhatsApp Business messages per delivered template message. The price depends on the template category and the country of the customer’s phone number.
What’s charged and what’s free
| Message | Charged? |
|---|---|
| Marketing templates | Charged per delivered message |
| Utility templates | Charged, but free when sent inside an open 24-hour window |
| Authentication templates | Charged per delivered message |
| Service messages — any reply inside the 24-hour window | Free |
| Messages inside a 72-hour free entry point (customer came from a click-to-WhatsApp ad or Page button) | Free |
Rates are in Meta’s official pricing table and change from time to time. Check developers.facebook.com → WhatsApp → Pricing for current rates in your country.
Who bills you
- Meta bills template messages to the payment method in your WhatsApp Business Account. See Add a payment method in Meta.
- Vatli bills your plan separately. See Plans and limits.
See your spend in Vatli
Reports → WhatsApp Business Insights shows Free delivered, Paid delivered and Approx. Meta charges for the period. It’s an estimate — your Meta invoice is the final figure. See Reports.
Keep costs down
- Choose the right category. Order updates, reminders and account alerts are Utility, not Marketing. See Template categories.
- Reply quickly. Replies inside the 24-hour window are free.
- Use click-to-WhatsApp ads for acquisition — the first 72 hours are free.
- Clean invalid numbers from your lists — messages that fail aren’t charged, but they hurt your quality rating.