From October 1, 2026, Meta is introducing a new pricing model for the WhatsApp Business Platform. The key change: service messages and utility templates sent within the 24-hour customer service window are no longer free. In this article we explain what’s changing, what stays free, and what this means for your organization.
What’s changing?
Until now, replying within the 24-hour window has been free: once a customer initiated a conversation, you could respond as many times as needed at no cost for the next 24 hours. That changes from October 1, 2026.
From October 1, Meta will also charge for the following within the 24-hour window:
- Service messages: messages you send within 24 hours of a customer starting the conversation. These are free-form messages rather than pre-approved templates. For example, a reply to a customer’s question.
- Utility templates: pre-approved message templates you send within 24 hours of a customer starting the conversation. Example: an automatic confirmation in response to a customer question.
Both message types will be charged at the same rate currently applied to utility templates outside the 24-hour window. This change is being introduced by Meta and applies to all WhatsApp Business API customers.
The first 1,000 service messages per month are free
Alongside this change, Meta is introducing a free allowance: the first 1,000 service messages per WhatsApp Business number each month are free. This allowance applies per number, resets every month, and does not carry over to the next month. Note: utility templates are not included in this allowance, those are always paid.
What does this mean for your invoice?
The exact impact depends on the volume of WhatsApp conversations your organization handles. At OBI4wan, we pass on Meta’s rates without any markup. You can find the current rates on Meta’s website.
Still have questions?
If you have questions about what this means for your situation, please contact your OBI4wan representative.
