WhatsApp Business API pricing in India (2026): the complete breakdown
Quick answer
WhatsApp Business API pricing in India for 2026 is charged by Meta per message under the new per-message model: marketing messages cost about ₹0.78, utility ₹0.13, authentication ₹0.11, and service messages are free within a 24-hour customer window. Business Solution Providers add a platform fee on top; ChatShree passes Meta rates through at cost.
The official WhatsApp Business API is the only compliant way to run marketing, support and transactional messaging on WhatsApp at scale. In July 2025 Meta moved from conversation-based billing to a per-message model, which changes how Indian teams should budget for 2026.
India rate card (July 2026)
Meta publishes per-message rates by country and template category. Current India rates:
- Marketing messages — ₹0.78 per message
- Utility messages — ₹0.13 per message
- Authentication messages — ₹0.11 per message
- Service messages — free within a 24-hour customer service window
What counts as each category
Marketing covers promotions, product announcements and abandoned-cart nudges. Utility covers order confirmations, delivery updates and appointment reminders tied to an existing transaction. Authentication is for one-time passwords. Service is any reply you send within 24 hours of a customer message.
Free service conversations
Meta grants every business 1,000 free service conversations per month across all its phone numbers. This is not the same as free messages: it's 1,000 unique 24-hour windows where you can reply as often as you want, free of charge.
BSP platform costs
A Business Solution Provider is required to access the Cloud API in production. ChatShree plans include shared inbox, CRM, automations and templates:
- Starter — ₹1,999/month · 2 agents · 10,000 AI tokens
- Growth — ₹4,999/month · 5 agents · 100,000 AI tokens
- Scale — ₹8,999/month · 10 agents · 200,000 AI tokens
Meta charges are passed through at cost on every plan.
A worked example
A D2C brand sends 10,000 marketing messages and 4,000 order-update utility messages in a month, and replies to 3,500 customer conversations. Their monthly cost is roughly 10,000 × ₹0.78 + 4,000 × ₹0.13 + ₹0 for service = ₹8,320 in Meta charges, plus the ₹4,999 Growth plan. Total: ₹13,319.
How to keep the bill down
Prefer utility over marketing wherever the message is transactional. Consolidate marketing broadcasts into fewer, better-targeted sends. Use quick service replies inside the free 24-hour window instead of firing a new template.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost in India in 2026?
Meta charges per message: about ₹0.78 for marketing, ₹0.13 for utility, ₹0.11 for authentication, and ₹0 for service messages sent within a 24-hour customer service window. Your Business Solution Provider adds a platform subscription — ChatShree starts at ₹1,999/month with no markup on Meta charges.
What is the difference between the old conversation model and the new per-message model?
Until mid-2025 Meta billed per 24-hour conversation window. From 1 July 2025 India moved to per-message pricing: every marketing, utility and authentication message is billed individually. Service messages inside an active customer-initiated 24-hour window remain free.
Are there any free WhatsApp Business API messages?
Yes. Service messages sent within 24 hours of a customer-initiated conversation are free, and Meta grants 1,000 free service conversations per business per month. Marketing, utility and authentication templates are always paid.
Do I pay Meta directly or through my BSP?
You pay your Business Solution Provider (BSP), who settles with Meta. ChatShree bills Meta charges at cost with a transparent monthly statement — you see exactly what Meta charged and what ChatShree added.
What extra costs should I budget for beyond messages?
Budget for: BSP subscription (from ₹1,999/month with ChatShree), one-time Green Tick verification (optional, free through Meta), phone number hosting, and additional agent seats or channels as your team grows.
Does WhatsApp API pricing change by country?
Yes. Meta publishes per-country rate cards. India rates are among the lowest globally. Rates are reviewed periodically; the numbers in this article reflect Meta's published India rate card as of July 2026.