Meta to charge businesses for WhatsApp service messages from October 2026

Meta will implement a new pricing model for the WhatsApp Business Platform starting October 1, 2026. Under this change, businesses using the API to send service messages within the 24-hour customer service window will be charged on a per-message basis. This marks the end of the previous model that allowed free-form replies to customer inquiries during that window.

The new charges apply specifically to the WhatsApp Business Platform, which is used by larger organizations to integrate WhatsApp with CRM systems, chatbots, and automated customer service workflows. This change does not affect regular personal WhatsApp users, nor does it affect small businesses using the free WhatsApp Business mobile application.

In some regions, such as Nigeria, service messages are estimated to cost approximately ₦14 (about $0.01) per message, while marketing messages will carry a higher fee. Meta is expected to publish official rate cards for each country by September 1, 2026.