WhatsApp Message Pricing Changes (Effective July 1, 2025)

WhatsApp Message Pricing Changes (Effective July 1, 2025)

Starting July 1, 2025, Meta will introduce a per-message pricing model on the WhatsApp Business Platform, replacing the current conversation-based billing. This update affects all WhatsApp messages sent through Zoho Marketing Automation. We’ve broken down the key changes below to help you understand what’s new and how this impacts your messaging strategy. Our goal is to help you understand what’s changing and how you can adapt your WhatsApp campaigns within Zoho Marketing Automation to stay cost-efficient and impactful.

From Conversation-Based to Per-Message Pricing

Until now, WhatsApp billed based on 24-hour conversations. Starting July 1, businesses will be charged for every message delivered, with rates varying by:
  • The type of message (Marketing, Utility)
  • The recipient’s location (based on country calling code)
Meta only charges for messages that are successfully delivered to your contacts. If a message isn’t delivered, you won’t be charged for it. So, delivery status matters now more than ever.

Marketing vs. Utility Template Pricing

Meta classifies messages as either marketing or utility.
  • Marketing messages are promotional or lead-gen in nature
  • Utility messages include content like reminders or updates
Each message type has different pricing, even within the same country. Zoho Marketing Automation supports both template types through WhatsApp campaigns and Journey actions. So be sure to review your current messages and tag them accurately.

Charges Depend on Market–Category Pair

Pricing is not based on just the country or just the type of message, but a combination of both, known as the market–category pair.
Examples of market–category pairs:
  • India – Marketing
  • India – Utility
  • Brazil – Marketing
  • US – Utility
Each pair has a unique rate. So if your contacts are across different countries (country calling code), pricing will vary accordingly.
Notes
Note: Pricing differs even for the same country between INR and USD. Be sure to check your billing currency and region.
This pricing is set by Meta and applies to all messages sent via Zoho Marketing Automation. We do not charge extra for WhatsApp messages. A 3% VAT is added to comply with billing regulations.

New Volume Tiers for Utility Messages

Starting July 1, 2025, Meta is introducing volume-based pricing tiers for utility messages. The more messages you send in a category and country, the lower the rate becomes for that tier.
  • Tiers reset every month
  • Volume is counted across all WhatsApp Business Accounts under your portfolio
  • Tiers apply only to utility templates in ZMA.
So, you can send utility messages from Zoho Marketing Automation and increase your monthly volume to unlock lower pricing tiers over time.