WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
WhatsApp Business Platform / WhatsApp Business API
Effective July 1, 2025, businesses will now be charged on a per-message basis:
Only charge when a template message is delivered
Rates vary based on the template's category and the recipient WhatsApp phone number's country calling code.
Reference: Pricing on the WhatsApp Business API
Message Template Categories
Message Templates are the only message type that can be sent outside of a customer service window, which can be categorized as:
Marketing
Utility
Authentication
Marketing Messages
Marketing templates are the most flexible, they enable businesses to generate awareness, drive sales, retarget and more.
Utility Messages
Typically triggered by a user action or request, Utility Message needs to meet both criteria below:
Must be non-promotional, not containing any promotional or persuasive intent.
Must ALSO be either specific to or requested by the user (clearly related to their order, account, services or transactions) OR essential or critical to the user (for example, to ensure user safety).
Use cases:
Opt-In Management on WhatsApp: Confirm opt-in to receive messages on WhatsApp as a follow-up to opt-in collected via other channels (for example, website, email) or confirm opt-out.
Customer Support: Businesses can offer instant customer support through WhatsApp, addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and providing assistance in real-time.
Appointment Reminders: By sending automated appointment reminders and confirmations, businesses can reduce no-show rates and improve overall service efficiency.
Order Updates: Customers receive timely updates on their orders, including shipping notifications, delivery status, and order confirmations, enhancing transparency and trust in the purchasing process.
Continue a Conversation on WhatsApp: Send a message to begin an interaction on WhatsApp that began in another channel.
These messages should not be initiated without a user having requested the conversation to be moved to WhatsApp.
Authentication
Enable businesses to verify user identity (usually with alphanumeric codes) at various steps of the customer journey:
New account creation
Account integrity, access or recovery
New or existing orders/transactions
Use Cases:
Two-Factor Authentication: Businesses can leverage WhatsApp for two-factor authentication, adding an extra layer of security to user accounts and transactions.
Identity Verification: WhatsApp conversations can be used for identity verification purposes, enabling businesses to authenticate users and mitigate fraud risks.
Secure Communication: End-to-end encryption ensures that sensitive information exchanged during conversations remains private and secure, safeguarding user data from unauthorized access.
Service
Since Nov 1, 2024, all service conversations (also known as User-Initiated Conversations) are free when you are onboarded with the iSlash AI WhatsApp API.
Meta’s clear signal is this:
💬 Get customers to message you first.
Conversation-Based Pricing
Charges for conversations are based on the country of the user’s phone number. We rely on your customer's country calling code and network prefix (area code) to determine their country. If a country is not listed below, it maps to Other.
📌 Latest Updates from Meta:
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