The WhatsApp Business Platform is streamlining its pricing structure to be more transparent and cost-effective for businesses. This update simplifies billing, encourages better customer experiences, and reflects the value delivered to businesses and users.
Here’s a breakdown of the fundamental changes:
Free Service Conversations:
- Effective Date: November 1, 2024
- Change: WhatsApp has removed the 1,000-conversation limit for free service conversations. This means businesses can now effortlessly respond to unlimited customer inquiries without facing additional charges as long as the customer initiates the conversation and opens the 24-hour customer service window. Previously, businesses were limited to 1,000 free service conversations monthly, and any support interactions beyond that incurred additional charges. This update empowers companies to scale their customer support operations without worrying about hitting conversation limits.
Free Utility Templates Within a Customer Service Window:
- Effective Date: July 1, 2025
- Change: Meta is making utility templates within a 24-hour service window free to encourage proactive and valuable customer communication. Businesses can send essential updates like order confirmations, appointment reminders, or alerts without additional cost. This is particularly beneficial for e-commerce, logistics, and healthcare industries that rely heavily on timely notifications. For example, a logistics company can use a chatbot to give customers real-time order tracking updates via free utility templates.
Per-Message Pricing:
- Effective Date: Businesses will be transitioned to per-message pricing from July 1, 2025
- What it means: Meta is simplifying its pricing for WhatsApp Business Platform. Starting July 1, 2025, businesses will be charged per template message rather than 24-hour conversation. Each pre-approved message you send (marketing, utility, or authentication) will incur a fee. Previously, sending a template message opened a 24-hour conversation window, allowing for unlimited free-form messages within that period. This could lead to confusion as multiple active windows with different ending times overlap. The new per-message pricing model eliminates this complexity and offers a more straightforward billing structure.
Free Entry Point Conversations:
Businesses can respond with any message type for free within 24 hours of receiving a message from a user via a Click to WhatsApp Ad or Facebook Page Call-to-Action button.
Expansion of Authentication-International Rates:
- Effective Date: February 1, 2025
- Change: Authentication-international rates, which apply to specific message types sent to certain countries, will be expanded to include seven additional markets as below:
- Egypt
- Malaysia
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- United Arab Emirates
Commencing on April 1, 2025, individuals in the per-message pricing Phase 1 group will experience a change in the eligibility threshold for authentication-international rates. This change entails a shift from the number of authentication conversations opened to the number of authentication messages sent as the determining factor. This modification will apply across all nine markets that have authentication-international rates.
What does this mean for businesses?
Key points to remember:
- Free service conversations: Expand support efforts without cost.
- Per-template message pricing: Use template messages strategically to manage expenses.
- Maximise customer service window: Encourage support agents to utilise the 24-hour window effectively.
- Craft impactful templates: Marketing teams should focus on creating engaging and effective templates.
- Adjust budget for authentication rates: Factor in updated rates for secure messaging actions.
- Follow Omnichat: Stay informed about WhatsApp updates and optimise your messaging strategy.
Stay ahead of the curve with Omnichat. As WhatsApp evolves, businesses that adapt quickly will gain a competitive advantage. By staying informed on the latest updates, you can optimise your messaging strategy to deliver efficient and cost-effective customer service. Follow Omnichat for expert insights and strategies to help you stay ahead of the curve.
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