WhatsApp Business will start charging for messages in October 1. Details on WhatsApp Business pricing are provided.
Pricing for the WhatsApp Business Platform will be changing in India starting October 1, 2026. Below are the details regarding the updated WhatsApp Business pricing for businesses.
WhatsApp Business is changing its pricing structure in India.
Businesses that use the WhatsApp Business Platform are set to see a change in messaging charges.
Additionally, the change is effective from October 1, 2026.
Meta is revising the way businesses are charged for certain WhatsApp Business pricing structures. Additionally, per-message pricing applies to additional categories of messages.
The change is particularly relevant for companies using WhatsApp to send order updates. It also affects customer notifications, promotional communications, or other business messages at scale.
Rate Comparison in India
| Message Type | Current Setup | From Oct 1, 2026 |
| Customer Support Replies | Free inside a 24-hour window | First 1,000 free/month per number, then ₹0.115 + GST each |
| Order & Delivery Updates | Free inside window; ₹0.115 outside | ₹0.115 + GST for every message |
| Promotional & Sales Ads | ₹0.8631 + GST per message | ₹0.8631 + GST (No change) |
| Login OTPs & Auth | ₹0.115 + GST per message | ₹0.115 + GST (no change) |
What is changing?
WhatsApp Business is not the same as the regular WhatsApp app people use to chat with friends and family.
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform can send automated messages through their customer-service systems, websites, apps and CRM platforms.
From October 1, Meta’s revised pricing structure will mean that businesses need to account for additional per-message costs.
The exact amount can depend on the type of message and the applicable pricing category.
Why does this matter?
For a small business sending only a few customer messages, the impact may be limited.
For businesses sending thousands or millions of messages, however, even a small charge per message can become a meaningful operating cost.
This could affect:
- Ecommerce companies
- Banks and financial services
- Travel companies
- Food-delivery businesses
- Online stores
- Educational platforms
- Customer-support teams
- Marketing agencies
- Businesses using WhatsApp automation
What should businesses do?
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform should review their current message volume before October 1.
They should identify which messages are essential, which are automated and which campaigns may no longer justify their cost.
Businesses should also check the latest pricing information applicable to their account and region before making changes to customer communication.
The bigger picture
WhatsApp has become an important customer-communication channel in India. As more businesses move customer support and marketing onto messaging platforms, pricing changes can directly affect the cost of digital operations.
For customers, the change does not mean ordinary personal WhatsApp conversations suddenly become paid.
The change primarily concerns businesses using Meta’s business messaging infrastructure.
Source: Meta’s revised WhatsApp Business pricing has been reported by Times of India, NDTV and India Today.
