Are replies to customers on WhatsApp free?
Mostly yes, if you reply within 24 hours. Here's the rule and the exceptions.
Under Meta's published pricing, replies to a customer are free if you send them within 24 hours of the customer's last message, because the customer service window is open. After 24 hours you can only send an approved template, and templates are charged.
- Customer messages you → 24-hour window opens.
- Replies in the window: free, including utility templates.
- After the window closes: templates only, and they're charged.
- Replying quickly is cheaper as well as better service.
Sources: WhatsApp Business: platform pricing; Meta: WhatsApp Business Platform pricing. Checked 9 October 2026.
The 24-hour customer service window
Every time a customer messages your business, a 24-hour window opens. Inside it you can reply with any message, for free. Meta's pricing page puts it plainly: it doesn't charge "for service messages, or for utility messages businesses send in response to users".
When replies start costing
If the window closes before you reply, you can't send a normal message any more. You have to use a pre-approved template, and templates are charged by category.
Why fast replies matter twice
A reply at 11 PM to a 10:45 PM question is free and wins the booking. The same reply at 9 AM the next day needs a template, costs money, and often arrives after the customer has booked somewhere else. This is what an AI front desk like WAnee is for: it replies inside the window, at any hour.
A note on October 2026: some WhatsApp providers report that from 1 October 2026 Meta charges for service messages beyond 1,000 a month per number, and for utility templates sent inside the 24-hour window. Meta's own pricing pages didn't show this change when we checked on 9 October 2026. We'll update this page when Meta confirms either way. Check Meta's pricing page before you budget.
People also ask
No. The WhatsApp Business app is free. Per-message charges apply on the WhatsApp Business Platform (API).
More answers
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost in India?
Using the WhatsApp Business API in India costs two things: Meta's per-message charges for template messages, which depend on the template's category (marketing costs the most), and a monthly fee to the provider whose software you use. Replies you send inside the 24-hour customer service window are free under Meta's published pricing.
Read the answer Costs and pricingHow does WhatsApp's per-message pricing work?
Since 1 July 2025, Meta charges businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform for each template message delivered, at a rate set by the template's category (marketing, utility or authentication) and the customer's country code. Non-template replies inside an open 24-hour customer service window are free, and so are utility templates sent inside that window.
Read the answerKeep every customer smiling.
WAnee answers, books and reminds on WhatsApp and Instagram, from your own information.