From October 1, WhatsApp will start charging some businesses for messages sent to customers through its Business Platform. The change, announced by Meta, will not turn WhatsApp into a paid service for ordinary users, and many small businesses using the free app will not be affected.
The new charges target companies using the WhatsApp Business Platform, formerly the Business API. That service is built for larger organisations that handle high volumes of customer interactions through chatbots, customer relationship management systems and automated messaging. Here are five things WhatsApp Business users should know about the update.
The charges do not apply to the free WhatsApp Business app
A common misconception is that every business using WhatsApp will now have to pay. That is not the case. WhatsApp has two business offerings: the free WhatsApp Business app and the paid Business Platform.
The free app is designed for small businesses. It lets owners create profiles, display products, respond to customers and manage conversations manually. The Business Platform is for larger companies that need automated tools. The new per-message charges apply mainly to businesses using the Platform.
Businesses are charged by message category
Under the new pricing model, businesses are charged according to the category of message they send. There are three categories.
Marketing messages include promotional content such as product offers, discounts, campaigns and advertisements. Utility messages are transactional updates linked to a customer’s activity, including order confirmations, delivery updates, payment notifications and account information. Authentication messages include security-related messages such as one-time passwords, login verification codes and account confirmation messages.
The amount charged depends on the message category and the country where the message is sent.
Business-initiated conversations attract the fees
The pricing system is designed around business-initiated communication. When a customer sends a message to a business first, the company can respond within WhatsApp’s customer service window without being charged the same way for every reply.
However, if a business starts a conversation by sending a message to a customer who has not recently contacted it, that message may attract a charge depending on its category. This means businesses may need to be more strategic about when and how they send messages to customers.
Banks, fintechs and online retailers will feel it most
The change is expected to affect companies that rely heavily on WhatsApp for customer communication. That includes fintech companies sending verification codes, online marketplaces sending order updates, telecom companies sending customer notifications and businesses running large marketing campaigns.
For companies sending thousands or millions of messages monthly, the new pricing structure could increase operational costs. The introduction of message-based charges could push businesses to review their communication strategies, sending more targeted messages instead of bulk promotions and ensuring customers have opted in to receive updates.
Small businesses should confirm which product they use
For small businesses that only use the WhatsApp Business app to chat directly with customers, the change is unlikely to immediately affect their daily operations. The first step for any business using WhatsApp is to confirm which product they are using.
Businesses using the standard WhatsApp Business app should not assume they will immediately begin paying. However, companies using WhatsApp Business Platform services should review Meta’s pricing structure, understand which messages attract charges and adjust their customer communication plans accordingly.
WhatsApp has increasingly positioned its business platform as a major revenue source for Meta. While WhatsApp remains free for individual users, the company has been expanding paid tools for businesses that depend on the platform to reach customers. As more businesses move customer service and sales operations online, WhatsApp has continued adjusting how it charges companies for these services.
According to Pulse.ng.
