For two years, WhatsApp Business API service messages had no limit and no cost. That ends on October 1, 2026. Meta is bringing back a free tier of 1,000 service messages per business phone number, per month, and billing everything beyond it at standard rates.
If you run a WhatsApp Business Account, here's exactly what's changing and what still isn't.
1. What Was the Rule Before October 1?
From November 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026, service messages (free form replies from an agent or bot answering questions, confirming orders, or handling any exchange during a customer's open 24 hour service window) carried no cap and no charge, at any volume.
2. What's the New Rule From October 1?
Every business phone number under your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) gets its own 1,000 free service messages a month, tracked separately from every other number on the account. Cross that count, and each additional service message is billed at the same rate Meta already charges for utility and authentication messages in that market. The allowance resets monthly and does not roll over.
How the New Limit Actually Works
1. The allowance is per number, not per account. Run three numbers on one WABA, and each gets its own 1,000 free messages. More numbers means more total free volume. The tier isn't split across your account.
2. Group messages draw down per recipient. A broadcast doesn't cost one unit. Send an update to 400 people, and that's 400 messages against the month's 1,000, not one.
3. No rollover. Every number resets to 1,000 on the first of the month, regardless of what went unused before.
4. Overage is billed at standard rates. Message 1,001 onward costs whatever Meta already charges for utility and authentication messages in that market. There's no separate penalty rate for service messages.
What Stays Free
The 72 hour Free Entry Point window. Conversations opened via a Click to WhatsApp ad or an eligible Facebook Page CTA stay free for 72 hours, independent of the 1,000 message allowance.
Inbound messages. Anything a customer sends you has always been free and remains so.
Meta Business Agent. Meta's own AI layer is billed on a token basis and was never part of the service message count.
What changes on October 1, at a glance
FAQs
Is WhatsApp still free for customer replies?
Yes, up to 1,000 service messages per business phone number each month. Beyond that, standard utility rates apply.
Is the 1,000 free tier shared across all my WhatsApp numbers?
No. Each business phone number under your WABA has its own separate 1,000 allowance.
Do group broadcasts count differently against the free tier?
No, they count the same way, just multiplied. Every recipient a group message reaches uses one unit of that number's 1,000.
Does the 72 hour Free Entry Point window still work after October 1?
Yes. Conversations opened via a Click to WhatsApp ad or an eligible Facebook Page CTA stay free for 72 hours, separate from the message allowance.
