From November 1, 2024 service correspondence with customers became free of charge.
Your company can send non-template messages and free-form communication if a customer initiates a dialog with the company, or the customer responds to your template message.
For example, a customer sends you a message after hours, which opens a dialog, so now you can send any message within 24 hours, not just templates. We recommend that you do not use template messages during an open 24 hour session.
The 24 hour window is extended after each last client message.
From April 1, 2025 the Utility category templates became free within the 24 hour active window.
From April 1, 2025 Meta* switched to a template message billing model instead of dialog billing, i.e. a fee will be charged for each delivered template message instead of a dialog fee.
Message Tariffs
With the new per-message pricing model, businesses will pay for each template message from categories such as:
- Marketing;
- Authentication;
- Utility, if it is sent outside of the active window.
For example, if a business sends one marketing message and two Utility category messages to a WhatsApp user, it will be charged for three conversations (one marketing and two Utility category). However, if Utility category messages are sent within an open 24 hour window, only one dialog per marketing message will be charged.
Free Utility category message templates
From April 1, 2025, Utility category templates sent within a 24 hour session will be free for business. Messages sent outside the 24 hour active window will be chargeable.
For example: If a WhatsApp user inquires about a product delivery, a business can send a response using a template within a 24 hour window for free after receiving the customer's request.
What is dialog
A dialog is a messaging session between you and your customers. A dialog is initiated in two instances:
1. When you respond to an incoming customer communication;
2. When you send a message template to a client.
A dialog is open for 24 hours from the last time the client was active in the chat room. While the dialog is open, you can exchange any messages.
After 24 hours, WhatsApp will close the dialog and it will have to be re-initiated. When the 24 hour window is closed, only a template can be sent to the client.
What dialogs are
The correspondences that a company initiates fall into categories: utility, authentication, and marketing. The category of correspondence is determined by the category of the template that initiated the communication.
- Marketing. Mailings of promotions, offers, company news. The Marketing category includes any correspondence that does not fall under the description of the Utility or Authentication categories;
- Authentication. Verifying the user's authenticity – e.g., using one-time codes. As well as confirmation, account recovery;
- Utility. Handling specific customer requests and transactions – e.g., checks, notifications of a current transaction.
Correspondence started by the client falls into the "Support" category.
How to find out how many more dialogs are available to you
1. Go to your personal cabinet.
2. Go to the "Selected Company" section.
3. Click on the line to which WhatsApp Business API is bound.
4. Opposite the WhatsApp Business API icon, click on "Setup".
5. In the pop-up window, the available number of dialogs will be listed under "Dialogue Summary".
*The activities of Meta are recognized as extremist and banned on the territory of the Russian Federation