# ❗️ Important changes to WhatsApp Business API pricing from 1 July 2025

From this date, Meta will introduce a new pricing model for the WhatsApp Business API. We are closely monitoring these updates and have prepared a summary to help you plan your budget and optimise your communication strategy in advance.

### Free Utility Category Messages

From 1 July, utility category templates will be free if sent within an active 24-hour conversation window. This change will allow businesses to reduce costs when sending messages related to orders, deliveries, payments and similar updates

*For example, if a customer initiates a conversation by asking about their order, you can send any utility templates free of charge within 24 hours of their message.*

### New Pricing Model — Pay Per Message

Businesses will be charged per delivered template message, rather than per conversation, for the following categories:

* Marketing
* Authentication
* Utility (if the template is sent outside the 24-hour window).

The good news is that Meta has announced it will reduce the cost of utility and authentication templates sent in high volumes that provide real value to end users. You can read more about how it works and the conditions [here](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/updates-to-pricing?content_id=ZxKDNxrqUtsvXme#volume-tiers)

### ✅ Reminder: Service messages remain free.

Since October 2024, service messages have not been charged as long as they are free-form text messages sent within the 24-hour window (e.g. responding to a customer enquiry). <br>

Examples

*Before*\
For example, you send a marketing template to your client. You offer him some service. This template is paid. The client responds, asks about another service (at this point a 24-hour dialog box opens) - to which you respond with another marketing template. This template is already free, since its category is also marketing, therefore, within the 24-hour dialog box, all marketing templates are free.

*After*\
Let's look at the same example. You send a marketing template to a client, this template is paid. He answers you, a 24-hour dialog box is launched between you. And if you send another marketing template - it will also be paid.

{% hint style="info" %}
*It is important to understand that the new pricing model does not cancel the 24-hour dialog window. It only makes changes to the pricing of templates.*
{% endhint %}

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