WhatsApp Business API: Conversation-Based Pricing Model
Free Conversations
- Each WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) receives 1,000 free conversations per month.
- These free conversations can be either business-initiated or user-initiated, allowing businesses to start building their messaging strategy without incurring costs.
How the Pricing Model Works
- Conversation Categories:
- User-Initiated Conversations: These occur when a business replies to a user within the 24-hour customer service window after receiving a message. This type of conversation is considered user-initiated and is priced accordingly.
- Business-Initiated Conversations: These occur when a business sends a message to a user outside of the 24-hour customer service window. Initiating a business-initiated conversation requires the use of a message template and is priced differently from user-initiated conversations.
- 24-Hour Sessions:
- Conversations are measured in 24-hour sessions, starting from the delivery of the first message by the business. This can be either a business-initiated message or a reply to a user message within the 24-hour window.
- It is important to note that these sessions are distinct from the 24-hour Customer Care Window.
- Pricing Details:
- Charges for conversations are determined by the user’s phone number (country code), with rates varying by market (country or region). For specific pricing, businesses can refer to Meta’s rates for user-initiated and business-initiated conversations in different regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are user-initiated and business-initiated conversations detailed on the invoice?
- Yes, invoices will specify whether conversations were user-initiated or business-initiated.
- If I have multiple interactions with the same customer within the 1,000 free conversations, do I pay for each?
- The 1,000 free conversations cover any conversations initiated within the month, regardless of whether they involve repeat interactions with the same customer.
- How are the 1,000 free conversations applied each month?
- No charges are applied for the first 1,000 conversations each month.
- Does meta incur charges if a business receives spam messages?
- Charges for user-initiated conversations only apply if the business replies. Ignoring spam messages will not incur costs.
- If a business receives a message but does not reply, will there be a charge?
- No charges apply if the business does not respond to the message.
- If a business replies after 24 hours using a template, is it charged for both user-initiated and business-initiated messages?
- The 24-hour session begins when the business replies, so it will be charged as a user-initiated message.
- When does the 24-hour window reset?
- The 24-hour window is fixed and restarts with each message sent by the business. Messages sent beyond this window will be charged as a new conversation.
- Can businesses check conversation costs mid-month?
- Currently, there is no way to monitor costs in real-time; invoices with detailed costs are provided monthly.
- Do auto-replies trigger charges for user-initiated conversations?
- Yes, auto-replies count as a business response and will incur charges as a user-initiated conversation.
Please refer this link for more information by meta.
