If you run a business on the WhatsApp API, two separate bills matter: your software subscription, and the message fees Meta charges. This guide explains the second one in plain terms, including the change that took effect on 1 October 2026.
The short version: Customers messaging you is free. Meta charges for messages you send, per delivered message. Each number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, and after that service replies are charged too.
How Meta charges now
Meta charges per delivered message, based on two things: the message category and the country of the person receiving it. A message that isn't delivered isn't charged, and messages from customers to you are never charged.
Rates are set per market. The UAE has its own rate, so a message to a +971 number costs what the UAE rate card says, even if your account is billed in another currency.
The message categories
| Category | Example | Charged? |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | "20% off AC service this month" | Yes, the highest rate |
| Utility | "Your order is ready for collection" | Yes |
| Authentication | A one-time sign-in code | Yes |
| Service | Replies inside an open customer chat | First 1,000 a month free per number, then charged |
Marketing, utility and authentication messages are sent as approved templates. Service messages are normal free-form replies.
What changed on 1 October 2026
Until then, replies inside the 24-hour customer service window were free. Now:
- Service messages beyond the free 1,000 are charged per message, at the same rate as utility messages in that market.
- Utility templates sent inside an open customer service window are charged too.
- Meta needs a payment method on file, or it can stop delivering service messages.
For a business using AI, this matters. Every AI reply counts as a service message, so a chatty assistant costs more than a brief one.
The two windows you should know
The 24-hour customer service window. It opens when a customer messages or calls you, and resets every time they message again. Inside it you can send free-form replies. Outside it, you can only send approved templates.
The free entry point window. When a customer reaches you from a Click to WhatsApp ad on Android or iOS, and you reply in time, marketing, utility, authentication and service messages to that customer are free for up to 7 days. If you advertise, this is the best deal Meta offers.
Estimating your monthly bill
Use this simple sum, with the current rates from Meta's rate card:
(marketing messages × marketing rate) + (utility messages × utility rate) + (service messages over 1,000 × service rate)
As a guide only: third-party rate summaries put the UAE at around 5 to 6 US cents per marketing message and around 1.6 US cents per utility message. These figures aren't from Meta and they change, so always check the official rate card before budgeting.
Good to know about rate changes
- Meta only changes rates on the first day of a quarter: 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October.
- It gives at least one month's notice for rate card updates.
- Volume discounts exist for utility and authentication messages, but not for marketing or service messages.
- AED is available as a billing currency, but the currency can't simply be switched once an account is set up.
Ways a business can keep costs down
- Answer inside the window. Free-form replies need no template, and the first 1,000 a month are free.
- Use Click to WhatsApp ads so that follow-ups fall inside the free entry point window.
- Keep AI replies short. One clear answer costs less than three small messages.
- Choose the right template category. Don't send a booking reminder as marketing, and don't disguise promotions as utility. Meta can reclassify templates, and misuse can lead to restrictions.
- Send campaigns only to people who opted in. Fewer, better messages cost less and protect your account.
How ServiceBot.ae fits in
ServiceBot.ae's package price covers the software. WhatsApp message fees are charged by Meta and aren't included. The campaign tools and reports show what you've sent, so you can see where the spend is going.