In accordance with Meta's official WhatsApp policy, Service conversations will become billable starting October 1, 2026. Read this notice carefully, assess the impact on your business, and take appropriate action.
Policy background
The WhatsApp Business Platform messaging billing policy will undergo significant changes in the second half of 2026, affecting two message types that were previously free of charge:
Since November 2024, Meta has offered a free policy for Service conversations (non-template messages sent by human agents or third-party AI systems within the 24-hour customer service window). This free policy will end on September 30, 2026. Starting October 1, 2026, Service conversations will become billable, charged at the same rate as Utility and Authentication messages, on a per-message basis.
Since July 1, 2025, Meta has offered a free policy for Utility template messages sent within the 24-hour customer service window. This free policy will also end on September 30, 2026. Starting October 1, 2026, sending Utility template messages will also be charged on a per-message basis.
Policy details
What are Service conversations?
When a user proactively sends a message to a business, a 24-hour customer service window is triggered. Within this window, any non-template message sent by the business in the following ways qualifies as a Service conversation:
Direct replies from human customer service agents
Automated replies from third-party AI customer service systems
Any non-template message reply not driven by Meta Business Agent
What are Utility template messages within the 24-hour customer service window?
Within the 24-hour customer service window, Utility template messages sent by businesses include, for example:
Order confirmation notifications
Shipping status updates
Appointment confirmation reminders
Payment result notifications
These messages have been free to send within the customer service window since July 1, 2025, and will resume per-message billing starting October 1, 2026.
Billing rules
Dimension | Description |
Billing unit | Per message, at a fixed price. |
Rate standard | Same rate as Utility and Authentication messages. |
Tiered discounts | None. Tiered pricing is not available. |
Specific rates | Meta will officially publish rates before September 1, 2026. We will update this information as soon as it becomes available. |
What remains unaffected
The 72-hour free entry window remains unchanged: conversations entered through Click to WhatsApp ads or Facebook CTA buttons continue to be delivered free of charge within the window.
Effective date
Postpaid users: Starting at 00:00 on October 1, 2026, all Service conversations will be billed at the new rate.
Prepaid users: Based on the date of the ChatApp messaging service price update. Messages sent after the update is complete will be billed at the new rate.
Quick start
To understand the impact of this change, follow these steps:
Confirm your account type: Determine whether you are a prepaid or postpaid user.
Assess Service conversation volume: Count the number of non-template messages you currently send per month within the 24-hour customer service window, including both human agent replies and AI replies.
Evaluate cost impact: After Meta publishes the specific rates before September 1, estimate cost changes based on your message volume. We will notify you as soon as the rates are published.
Check Utility template usage: Assess the volume of Utility template messages you send within the 24-hour customer service window, as these will also start incurring charges on the same date.
Develop a response strategy: Based on cost changes, adjust your customer service reply strategy and message sending approach accordingly.