WhatsApp Business will require payment for sending messages, effective October 1st, will it affect you?

WhatsApp Business rules are set to change starting today (October 1). Companies will be charged around 14 paise for some messages, but this won't affect ordinary users. Learn which messages will be paid and what will change.

Edited By: Nivedita Dash

Published: October 1, 2026, 11:48 AM IST

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https://www.india.com/technology/whatsapp-business-will-require-payment-for-sending-messages-effective-october-1st-will-it-affect-you-8531837/ Copy

WhatsApp Business will require payment for sending messages, effective October 1st, will it affect you? (File)

Meta is changing the pricing of its WhatsApp Business Platform in India from October 1, 2026, meaning businesses will now have to pay for messages that were previously free. For example, currently businesses can reply to customer messages and send order updates within a 24-hour window for free, but this will change from October 1.

While a limited number of messages will remain free, Meta will charge for utility messages (such as order confirmations and delivery updates), even if they are sent within the same 24-hour window. Note that these changes only apply to the WhatsApp Business Platform, not the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app.

So what’s changing from October 1st, will it still be free, and how much more will businesses have to pay? Let’s understand.

What is changing from October 1?

Until now, businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform could respond to a customer message within 24 hours of receiving it, free of charge. This included answering questions about products or orders, as well as sending order confirmations and delivery updates.

Starting October 1st, Meta will begin charging businesses for order updates and other utility messages sent within this 24-hour window. Responses to customer questions will be free for the first 1,000 service messages per month to each business phone number. After that, businesses will be charged for additional replies.

Utility messages sent after the 24-hour window already attracted charges, so that rule will remain the same.

How much will WhatsApp Business messages cost?

In India, Meta has set a standard rate of ₹0.115 per delivered message before GST for utility messages such as order confirmations and delivery updates. After adding 18% GST, this comes to approximately ₹0.136 per message.

Until September 30, businesses could send utility messages for free within 24 hours of a customer’s message. Starting October 1, they will have to pay ₹0.115 per delivered utility message, excluding GST. For example, if a business sends 1,000 order updates, it would pay ₹115 before GST, or approximately ₹135.70 after including 18% GST.

Message rates depend on the type of message. Meta charges ₹0.8631 per message for marketing messages (such as promotional offers and sale announcements), while authentication messages (such as one-time passwords or OTPs) cost ₹0.115 per message before GST.

Meta will provide the first 1,000 service replies per month free for each business phone number, starting October 1, 2026. After that, the rate for service messages will be equal to the utility and authentication rates in the relevant market.

For example, if a business in India sends 1,500 service replies in a month, the first 1,000 will be free, and the remaining 500 will be chargeable. At ₹0.115 per message, this would be ₹57.50 before GST or approximately ₹67.85 including GST.