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WhatsApp Cloud API charges per conversation, not per message. One conversation = a 24-hour window in which you can send unlimited messages for a single charge. The charge depends on the conversation type, which is determined by what opens the window.

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The four conversation types

TypeWhat opens itCan you send outside CSW?Billable inside CSW?
ServiceCustomer messages you firstNo — free-form only inside CSWNo (free)
MarketingYou send a Marketing templateYes (anytime)Yes
UtilityYou send a Utility templateYes (anytime)No (free inside CSW)
AuthenticationYou send an Authentication template (OTP)Yes (anytime)Yes
CSW = Customer Service Window (the 24-hour window after the customer messages you). FEP = Free Entry Point (see below).

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Key billing rules

  1. Pay once per 24-hour window. Send 1 message or 20 messages in the same window — you’re charged once.
  2. Service conversations — opened when the customer messages you. Free for the first 1,000 per month; after that, charged at the service rate.
  3. Marketing and Authentication templates are always billable, even if sent inside an open CSW (they open a new billed conversation).
  4. Utility templates inside an open CSW are free — they don’t open a new billable conversation.
  5. Free Entry Point (FEP) — when a customer clicks a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, a 72-hour free window opens. Any template type sent inside this FEP window is free.

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Summary

  • Customer messages you → Service conversation → free (first 1,000/month)
  • You send Marketing template → Marketing conversation → charged
  • You send Utility template outside CSW → charged; inside CSW → free
  • You send Auth template (OTP) → charged
  • Customer came from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad → 72h FEP → all templates free

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Reference images

Conversation billing table
Volume pricing tiers

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Frequently asked

You’re charged per conversation, not per message. A conversation is a 24-hour window — unlimited messages in that window count as one charge. The price depends on the conversation type: Service, Marketing, Utility, or Authentication.
This opens a Service conversation. The first 1,000 Service conversations per month are free. After that, the service rate applies.
Yes. Sending a Marketing or Authentication template opens a new, billable conversation even if a CSW is already open. Only Utility templates are free inside an open CSW.
When a customer clicks a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, a 72-hour free window opens. Any template sent inside this window — including Marketing — is free.
Yes. Utility is cheaper than Marketing. Authentication is cheaper still. Exact rates vary by country and change over time — check the Meta pricing page for current figures.

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Gotchas & common mistakes

  • Thinking “no extra charge inside CSW” — that’s only true for Utility. Marketing and Auth are charged regardless of whether a CSW is open.
  • Confusing the FEP 72h window with the CSW 24h window — they are different. FEP opens when a customer clicks an ad; CSW opens when a customer messages you directly.
  • Pricing changes — WhatsApp adjusts rates periodically by country. Never quote specific prices from memory; always direct to the official Meta pricing page.