Meta has announced that it’s revising the rates for Utility and Marketing conversations on WhatsApp. The new Utility pricing is effective August 1, while updated Marketing pricing is effective October 1, 2024.
Rates for utility conversations (OTPs, order and delivery updates, payment reminders, and more) have been reduced as according to Meta: “We are lowering rates to be competitive with alternative channels and encourage businesses to bring more end-to-end post-purchase customer journeys to WhatsApp.”
Meta’s communication regarding the updated Marketing conversation rates adds that: “We are updating rates in specific markets as part of more frequent updates to rates to reflect demand and the value marketing messages deliver.”
WhatsApp had earlier announced new authentication and international authentication rates for businesses in India and Indonesia. These changes were effective June 1, 2024 in Indonesia, and effective July 1, 2024 in India. Current authentication rates for other markets remain unchanged.
According to WhatsApp, the updated pricing reflects the value of the bundled features included with its authentication solution and aims to align with industry standards. The new features, "Customizable message validity period" and "Zero-tap capability", are designed to not only improve the user experience but also allow businesses to effectively manage authentication costs while improving conversion rates.
WhatsApp Business Pricing (in USD):
| Category | Marketing | Utility | Service | Authentication | Authentication-International |
| India | 0.0107 | 0.0014 | 0.004 | 0.0014 | 0.028 |
| Indonesia | 0.0411 | 0.02 | 0.019 | 0.0300 | 0.136 |
Authentication Templates
Authentication templates will become available in India on July 1, allowing businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes (OTP). Businesses sending OTPs and verification code to users with +91 phone numbers (India) and +62 phone numbers must use an authentication template. The templates consist of optional add-ons such as security disclaimers (eg: “For your security, do not share this code.”) and expiry warnings (eg: “This code expires in 10 minutes.”)
Best Practices for Using Authentication Templates
- Before sending OTP or verification code, confirm the WhatsApp phone number of the user.
- Clearly inform the user that the password/code will be sent to their WhatsApp phone number.
- When the user inputs the password/code into your app, or your app receives the pass/code as part of the one-tap autofill button flow, clearly inform the user that the app has captured it.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp Business Platform's pricing model caters to diverse business needs through a conversation-based approach. Each WhatsApp Business Account gets 1,000 free service conversations per month, available on all registered business phone numbers, though marketing, utility, and authentication conversations are charged based on the category of template used to start the conversation. The pricing structure ensures businesses can strategically manage their communication efforts while optimizing costs and leveraging WhatsApp for various customer interactions.
Related: The State of WhatsApp Marketing Report 2024 - Strategies, Use Cases, Best Practices & More
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