When you message customers on WhatsApp through eGrow, some messages are free and some carry a small fee that Meta (WhatsApp) charges β not eGrow. Understanding how this works helps you keep your messaging costs low and predictable. This guide explains WhatsApp's per-message pricing model: what's billed, what's free, and how to send smart. For the exact rates in your country, always check Meta's official rate card at https://whatsappbusiness.com/products/platform-pricing/.
Important: these charges are set and billed by Meta for use of the WhatsApp Business Platform. They are separate from your eGrow subscription. Exact prices vary by country and Meta updates them from time to time β this article explains the model, not fixed prices.
Per-message, not per-conversation
WhatsApp bills per message: you're charged for each template message your business sends to a customer (the pre-approved messages you use to start conversations β see WhatsApp templates). Free-form replies inside an open customer conversation are generally free (details below). So your bill mostly comes down to how many templates you send, in which category.
The three paid categories
Every template belongs to a category, and the category sets the price. From most to least expensive, roughly:
- Marketing β promotions, offers, product announcements, re-engagement. The most expensive category, because it's the most valuable to businesses and the most regulated.
- Utility β transactional messages tied to a specific action or order: confirmations, shipping updates, receipts, reminders. Cheaper than marketing.
- Authentication β one-time passcodes (OTP) for login and verification. Priced for high-volume verification use.
This is why choosing the right template category matters for cost as well as approval β see utility vs. marketing messages.
Tip: if a message is genuinely transactional (an order update, a delivery notice), send it as a Utility template, not Marketing. It's both cheaper and more likely to be approved. Reserve Marketing for real promotions.
What's free
Not every message costs money. The main free cases:
- Service messages (customer-initiated). When a customer messages you first, a customer service window opens (24 hours from their last message). Inside that window you can reply with free-form messages at no charge β text, media, quick replies, anything that isn't a template. This is where most of your day-to-day inbox chatting happens, and it's free.
- Free entry-point conversations. When a customer reaches you through a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook/Instagram Page call-to-action, WhatsApp opens a free window (typically longer than the standard one) so you can talk without per-message charges for that engagement.
In short: replying to customers is essentially free; proactively reaching out with a template is what you pay for.
How this looks in eGrow
- Inbox replies to an active conversation use the free service window β chat freely.
- Campaigns send a template to many customers at once; each delivered template is billed at its category rate. Plan campaign size and category accordingly β see launching a campaign.
- Automations that send a template on an event (e.g. order confirmed) are billed the same per-template way.
- The AI Agent replying inside an open window is using free service messages; if it needs to re-open a closed conversation, that requires a paid template.
Keeping your WhatsApp costs down
- Reply within the 24-hour window. If you answer customers promptly while their service window is open, those messages are free β no template needed.
- Use Utility over Marketing for anything transactional.
- Don't over-send Marketing templates. They're the priciest and, if customers block or report them, can hurt your number's quality rating.
- Lean on free entry points β Click-to-WhatsApp ads start a free conversation window.
- Target campaigns to customers likely to convert rather than blasting everyone; you pay per message either way.
Note: because rates differ by country and change over time, treat any specific price you see elsewhere as approximate. Meta's platform pricing page is the single source of truth for the current rate in your market.
What's next
Build cost-efficient messaging: pick the right template category in the WhatsApp templates reference, understand utility vs. marketing, and plan sends in a WhatsApp campaign.