Introduction

1. Current Conversation-Based Pricing (CBP) vs. New Per-Message Pricing (PMP)
   
2. Types of conversations and their cost structures
   
3. Authentication-International Rates and how they impact pricing
   
4. Free Entry Point Conversations and their advantages
   
5. Timeline of pricing updates and how businesses should prepare
   
6. Best practices to optimize messaging costs and maximize ROI
   
7. Edge cases, special scenarios, and how to handle them effectively
   
8. Updated rate cards and resources for pricing reference
   

WhatsApp Pricing Models: CBP vs. PMP

1. Conversation-Based Pricing (CBP) – Active Until July 2025  

1. Businesses are charged a fixed fee per 24-hour conversation session, rather than per message.
   
2. Once a conversation is opened, all messages exchanged within 24 hours are free for that session.
   
3. Conversations fall under four different categories, each with a different cost:
   
1. User-Initiated Conversations (UIC) (Service Conversations) – When a customer messages first, businesses can reply for free within 24 hours.
   
2. Business-Initiated Conversations (BIC) – When a business sends the first message, it must use a pre-approved template message, which incurs a charge.
   
3. Marketing Conversations – Includes promotional messages and special offers sent to customers.
   
4. Authentication Conversations – Includes one-time passwords (OTPs) and verification codes sent for user authentication.
   

2. Per-Message Pricing (PMP) – Starts July 2025  

1. Businesses will be charged per delivered template message rather than per 24-hour conversation session.
   
2. Non-template messages will still be free within a 24-hour customer service window.
   
3. Utility template messages sent within 24 hours of a user-initiated message will be free starting July 1, 2025.
   

Types of WhatsApp Conversations & Billing Structures  

1. User-Initiated Conversations (UIC) (Service Conversations)  

1. Businesses can respond for free within 24 hours.
   
2. If the business does not respond within 24 hours, it must use a paid template message to continue the conversation.
   

1. Monday, 11 PM: A customer sends a message to a business.
   
2. Tuesday, 5 AM: The business replies for free within 24 hours.
   
3. Tuesday, 3 PM: The business sends another message, still free (until Tuesday, 11 PM since the UIC window is open).
   
4. Wednesday, 2 PM: The customer replies, the business can continue with normal messages until Thursday, 2 PM.
   

2. Business-Initiated Conversations (BIC)  

1. The business is charged as soon as the template message is delivered.
   
2. If the customer responds within 24 hours, the conversation remains open and free.
   
3. If the business wants to send another message after 24 hours, it must send a new template message, which incurs another charge.
   

1. The business sends a template of the same category within 24 hours → Does not incur any additional charge.
   
2. The business sends a template of another category within 24 hours → Opens a new conversation window for the new category and incurs a separate charge based on the template category.
   

1. Monday, 10 AM – The business sends a marketing template message to a customer, which opens a paid marketing conversation window.
   
2. Monday, 3 PM – The customer has not responded, and the business sends another marketing template → No additional charge (same category within 24 hours).
   
3. Monday, 5 PM – The business sends an authentication template message (different category) → A new authentication conversation window is opened, and an additional charge is applied.
   

1. If sending multiple templates within 24 hours, keeping them within the same category avoids extra charges.
   
2. Switching to another template category within 24 hours starts a new conversation and incurs a charge for the new category.
   
3. If the customer responds, all further messages are free within the 24-hour session window. 

1. Monday, 9 AM: Business sends a marketing template message → Charged for 1 BIC.
   
2. Monday, 11:30 AM: Customer responds → Business can continue messaging for free within 24 hours.
   
3. Tuesday, 10 AM: The business responds after 24 hours → A new charge is incurred for a fresh BIC session.
   

3. Free Entry Point Conversations  

1. A user messages the business via a Click to WhatsApp Ad or Facebook Page CTA button.
   
2. The business responds within 24 hours.
   

1. A free entry point conversation lasts 72 hours, eliminating conversation charges during this period.
   
2. It closes all other active conversations, allowing businesses to send messages without additional charges.
   

1. 10 AM: A customer clicks a WhatsApp Ad and sends a message.
   
2. Business can reply with non-template messages only until 10 AM the next day (24 hours window)
   
3. 10 PM: Business responds with a template message → The free entry point conversation begins.
   
4. Next 72 Hours: The business can send any template message without charge.
   

Authentication-International Rates  

1. What Are Authentication-International Rates?  

1. Egypt
   
2. India
   
3. Indonesia
   
4. Malaysia
   
5. Nigeria
   
6. Pakistan
   
7. Saudi Arabia
   
8. South Africa
   
9. United Arab Emirates
   

WhatsApp's Pricing Model Comparison

July 1, 2025 – Phase 1 Rollout of Per-Message Pricing (PMP)  

1. Businesses in Phase 1 transition to Per-Message Pricing (PMP) ahead of the full rollout.
   
2. Businesses in this phase are notified in February or March 2025.
   
3. Under PMP, businesses are charged per delivered template message, rather than per 24-hour conversation window.
   
4. Pricing structure under PMP:
   
1. Marketing template messages → Charged per message.
   
2. Authentication template messages → Charged per message.
   
3. Utility template messages → Free if sent within 24 hours of user's message, otherwise charged per message.
   

July 1, 2025 – Free Utility Templates Within 24-Hour Customer Service Window  

1. Utility template messages (e.g., order confirmations, transaction alerts) sent within 24 hours of a user’s message are now free.
   
2. Previously, businesses were charged for utility messages regardless of when they were sent.
   
3. Utility messages sent after the free 24-hour window closes will still be charged.
   
4. This update provides a cost-saving opportunity for businesses that send frequent transactional updates.
   

Temporary Pause on Marketing Template Messages to US Numbers  

1. Starting April 1, 2025, WhatsApp will temporarily pause delivery of all marketing template messages to WhatsApp users with US phone numbers.
   
2. Affected users are those with a +1 dialing code and a US area code.
   
3. This pause is intended to improve the consumer experience in the US, leading to better business outcomes.
   
4. Attempting to send a marketing template message to a US WhatsApp number after this date will result in an error.
   
5. Businesses targeting US users should adjust their messaging strategy accordingly.
   

November 1, 2024 – Service Conversations are Now Free  

1. Previously, businesses were limited to 1,000 free user-initiated conversations per month.
   
2. Starting November 1, all user-initiated conversations (service conversations) are free, with no limit.
   
3. Businesses can respond to customer messages within 24 hours without incurring charges.
   
4. If the 24-hour service window expires, businesses must use a paid template message to continue the conversation.
   

Summary of Key Changes in 2024-2025:

Best Practices to Reduce Costs  

1. Service conversations are now free.
   
2. Avoid unnecessary template message charges.
   
3. Keep conversations active within the free customer service window.
   
4. Click-to-WhatsApp ads provide a 72-hour free messaging window.
   

WhatsApp Business Rates by Region  

1. Rates in USD
   
2. Rates in INR
   
3. Rates in IDR
   
4. Rates in EUR
   
5. Rates in GBP
   
6. Rates in AUD