Understanding WhatsApp Conversation Pricing

WhatsApp Conversation Pricing Explained

WhatsApp charges per conversation, not per message. Understanding this pricing model helps you optimize costs as you scale.

What Is a Conversation?

A conversation is a 24-hour messaging window between your business and a contact. All messages within that 24-hour period count as one conversation, regardless of how many messages are sent.

Conversation Types

| Type | Initiated By | Examples | Free Tier | |------|-------------|----------|----------| | Marketing | Business | Promotions, offers, newsletters | None | | Utility | Business | Order updates, shipping alerts | None | | Authentication | Business | OTPs, login verification | None | | Service | User | Customer support, queries | 1,000/month free |

Current Rates (India, INR)

| Conversation Type | Cost per Conversation | |-------------------|----------------------| | Marketing | ₹0.76 | | Utility | ₹0.30 | | Authentication | ₹0.30 | | Service | Free (first 1,000/month) |

Rates vary by country. Check Meta's official pricing page for your region.

Free Tier Details

•The first 1,000 service conversations per month are free

•This resets on the 1st of each month

•Marketing, utility, and authentication conversations are never free

How HelpKit Bills WhatsApp Charges

HelpKit passes through Meta's conversation charges at cost. You'll see a separate line item for WhatsApp API usage on your monthly invoice. HelpKit does not mark up these charges.

Optimization Tips

•Respond within 24 hours to keep service conversations free

•Batch your updates — send multiple messages in one session instead of multiple sessions

•Use Utility templates for transactional messages instead of Marketing (60% cheaper)

•Monitor your conversation usage in Analytics → WhatsApp Costs

Checking Your Usage

Go to Analytics → Billing Usage to see a real-time breakdown of conversation types and costs for the current month.