Until now, replying to a customer on WhatsApp inside the 24-hour window cost nothing. From 1 October 2026, Meta will charge a small fee per reply, with a monthly free allowance. This guide explains what is changing, who it affects, what it costs, and the one thing to do before the date.
- From 1 October 2026, Meta charges for every reply your business sends on WhatsApp inside the 24-hour customer window. Until now these replies were free.
- The fee is small. In India it is ₹0.115 per reply. The first 1,000 replies per phone number each month are free.
- What you must do: make sure your WhatsApp Business Account has a payment method attached in Meta before 1 October. Without one, replies stop going out once you cross the free limit.
- Sendiee adds nothing on top. Meta bills you directly, exactly as it does today for campaigns.
What is changing
WhatsApp has two kinds of messages a business can send.
The first kind is a template message. This is what you use for campaigns, order updates and OTPs. You send it to someone who has not messaged you recently. These have always been paid, and nothing about campaign pricing changes on 1 October.
The second kind is a reply. When a customer messages you, WhatsApp opens a 24-hour window. Inside that window you can reply freely, in any format, without a template. Meta calls these “service messages”. Your AI chatbot’s answers, your team’s replies from the inbox, automatic follow-ups, and order confirmations sent inside that window all fall into this group.
Until 30 September 2026, these replies are free. From 1 October 2026, Meta charges for them.
| Message | Until 30 Sept 2026 | From 1 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Customer messages you | Free | Free |
| Your replies inside the 24-hour window | Free | Paid, after 1,000 free per month per number |
| Order updates and other utility templates sent inside the window | Free | Paid, at the normal utility rate |
| Campaign and promotional templates | Paid | Paid, no change |
| OTP and authentication templates | Paid | Paid, no change |
| Replies to leads from Click-to-WhatsApp ads, first 72 hours | Free | Free, no change |
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
Who is affected
You are affected if you use a WhatsApp number connected through the WhatsApp Business Platform, also called the API. Every Sendiee WhatsApp account is on the platform, so this applies to all our WhatsApp users, whether you reply with the AI chatbot, from Teambox, or through automations.
You are affected most if your number handles a lot of inbound conversations. Support desks, AI chatbots answering product questions, and stores sending order updates inside live chats will see the biggest change.
You are not affected if you only use Sendiee for Instagram or Messenger. Meta does not charge for those messages, and nothing changes there.
Also not affected: the free WhatsApp Business app on your phone. This change is only for the platform.
What it will cost
Meta charges per reply, at the same rate it already charges for utility templates in your country. There is no volume discount on replies.
For an Indian number:
To put that in perspective, a single campaign message in India costs about ₹0.86. One reply costs less than a seventh of that.
Rates differ by country, and Meta bills in the currency of your WhatsApp Business Account. The full country-by-country list is on Meta’s rate cards effective 1 October 2026.
A few details worth knowing
- Only delivered replies count. If a message fails, you are not charged.
- The 1,000 free replies reset every month and do not carry over.
- Leads who message you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook page button get a 72-hour free window. Everything you send them in those 72 hours is free, as long as you reply within the first 24 hours. An instant AI reply takes care of that automatically.
The one thing to do before 1 October: add a payment method
Many businesses have never added a payment method to their WhatsApp Business Account, because replies were free and they never ran campaigns. From 1 October, once your number crosses the 1,000 free replies, Meta will not deliver further replies until a payment method is on file. Your chatbot will look like it stopped working.
Please check this now, even if you think it is already done.
How to check and add a payment method
In Sendiee: Dashboard→Channels→WhatsApp→Meta billing
- Open your WhatsApp channel in Sendiee
Log in to Sendiee and go to Dashboard, then Channels, then WhatsApp.
- Click Meta billing
The Meta billing button opens Meta’s payment settings for your WhatsApp Business Account in a new tab.
- Check the Payment methods section
Look for a card or a monthly invoicing account listed against your WhatsApp Business Account.
- Add a payment method if none is listed
Click Add payment method and follow Meta’s steps. A credit or debit card is the quickest option. Larger businesses can apply for monthly invoicing.
Open your WhatsApp channel in Sendiee
You can also reach the same screen directly in Meta Business Settings under Billing and payments → Payment methods.
Tips
- Add the payment method before 1 October so there is no gap.
- Once a payment method is attached, the account’s currency and time zone are locked. Indian businesses should make sure the account is set to INR before adding the card.
- If your business already has an invoicing arrangement with Meta for ads, add the WhatsApp account to that same arrangement instead of applying for a new one.
What Sendiee is doing
- No markup. Meta bills you directly for WhatsApp messages. Your Sendiee subscription and AI wallet are not changing because of this update.
- Reply meter. Your WhatsApp channel page will show how many replies each number has used this month against the free 1,000.
- Cost in reports. Reply costs will appear in your reports alongside campaign costs, so you always know what to expect on Meta’s invoice.
- Fewer, better replies. We are tuning the AI chatbot to answer in one message where it used to send two, and reviewing automatic follow-ups so nothing low-value goes out on your bill.
- Reminders. If we detect a number without a payment method, we will show a banner in your dashboard.
Other updates Meta announced recently
- Account structure. Meta is splitting the WhatsApp Business Account into two parts: one that holds your phone number and profile, and one that holds templates and billing. The practical benefit is that a number connected to another provider can be connected to Sendiee too, without moving it. Sendiee handles this behind the scenes. Meta’s explanation.
- Max price for campaigns. Meta is rolling out a way to set a maximum price you are willing to pay per campaign message, similar to ad bidding. We will add this to the campaign composer when it becomes broadly available.
- Direct Send. A beta that lets businesses send order updates without a pre-approved template. We have requested access and will add it when Meta opens it up.
- Meta Business Agent. Meta’s own AI assistant for WhatsApp, billed per token at roughly ₹4 per message based on Meta’s published rates. Sendiee’s AI chatbot continues to work as before and remains the more economical option. Meta’s overview.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sendiee charge me extra for this?
No. The fee goes to Meta, on the same invoice as your campaign messages. Sendiee’s subscription and AI wallet pricing are unchanged.
Do incoming messages from customers cost anything?
No. Only the replies your business sends are charged. Messages from customers are always free.
Does every answer from my AI chatbot count as a reply?
Yes. Each message the chatbot sends is one reply. So are messages your team sends from Teambox, automatic follow-ups, and order updates sent inside a live chat.
I only run campaigns. Does anything change for me?
Campaign pricing does not change on 1 October 2026. If customers reply to your campaign and you answer them, those answers count as replies and use your free allowance first.
What happens if I do nothing?
Your first 1,000 replies each month per phone number still go out. After that, Meta holds delivery until a payment method is attached to your WhatsApp Business Account.
Is the AI wallet in Sendiee the same thing?
No. The AI wallet pays for the AI model that writes the answer. Meta’s fee pays for delivering the message on WhatsApp. They are separate charges from separate companies.
Does this apply to Instagram and Messenger?
No. Meta does not charge for Instagram or Messenger messages sent through Sendiee. This change is only for WhatsApp.
Does the free WhatsApp Business app on my phone change too?
No. The change applies only to numbers connected through the WhatsApp Business Platform, which is what Sendiee and every other official provider uses.
Official links
- Meta rate cards effective 1 October 2026developers.facebook.com
- Meta: pricing for non-template (service) messagesdevelopers.facebook.com
- Meta: pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platformdevelopers.facebook.com
- Meta: about billing for your WhatsApp Business Accountfacebook.com/business/help
- Meta: add a credit card to your WhatsApp Business Accountfacebook.com/business/help
Need a hand?
If you are unsure whether your account has a payment method, message us on WhatsApp or write to [email protected] and we will check it with you.