WhatsApp pricing changed on October 1, 2026: service messages are no longer free
Replies inside the 24-hour customer service window now count after a monthly free allowance, and utility templates in the window are billed. What to check and how to keep costs down.
Since November 2024, free-form replies inside WhatsApp’s 24-hour customer service window had been free. From October 1, 2026, Meta changed that. If your team answers a lot of customer questions on WhatsApp, this is the most important pricing change since the move to per-message pricing.
What changed
- Service messages (non-template replies inside the 24-hour window) are now billed per delivered message.
- Each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages per calendar month. Billing starts with message 1,001. The allowance doesn’t roll over and isn’t shared between numbers.
- Utility templates sent inside the service window — free since July 2025 — are now billed too.
- The rate follows the customer’s country and matches the utility/authentication rate for that market.
- Conversations that start from Click-to-WhatsApp ads or Facebook Page call-to-action buttons keep their 72-hour free entry window.
Meta asked businesses to have a valid payment method on their WhatsApp Business Account. Without one, delivery of service messages can stop once you pass the free allowance.
Five ways to keep costs predictable
- Answer in fewer, better messages. One complete reply beats four fragments — every delivered message now counts.
- Use quick replies with full answers to common questions (hours, pricing, delivery times).
- Send rich content once: a product card, a document or a WhatsApp Flow instead of long back-and-forth.
- Route conversations to the right person first time, so customers aren’t passed between agents.
- Use Click-to-WhatsApp ads for acquisition where it makes sense — their entry window is still free.
Your ThreadWave plan price doesn’t change: Meta bills WhatsApp usage directly to your Meta business account. ThreadWave’s analytics show message volume per day and per teammate, so you can see where volume comes from.