> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apifycloud.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pricing

> How Meta charges for WhatsApp messages, the free-message scenarios, and volume tiers

Meta sets all WhatsApp Business prices. ApifyCloud surfaces the
actual cost in your Spending dashboard and reconciles it against
the billing events received from your provider.

For the authoritative rate cards — always up to date, per country,
per category — see
[Meta's WhatsApp Business pricing documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing).
The rest of this page explains **how the model works** so the
numbers in front of you make sense.

## Per-message pricing (since July 2025)

Since **July 1, 2025**, Meta uses **per-message pricing**: you're
charged each time a **template message is delivered**, priced by
its **category** and the **recipient's country**.

The previous per-conversation model (24h rolling buckets) is retired.
Pricing is now simpler and more predictable — you pay per message, not
per conversation.

## When a message is free

There are four scenarios where a message is **not charged**. These
are the single biggest cost lever you have — route as much work as
you can through them.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Service messages — non-template replies inside the 24h window">
    Any free-form text, media, or interactive reply you send while
    the Customer Service Window is open is **free**. Use flows and
    human agents inside the window to handle most customer
    interactions at zero marginal cost.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Utility templates inside the 24h window">
    Utility templates sent while the CSW is open are **free**.
    Post-purchase updates, appointment reminders, and status
    notifications that follow an existing user action typically
    qualify.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Free Entry Points (72-hour free window)">
    When the user starts the conversation from a **Click-to-WhatsApp
    ad** or a **Facebook Page CTA button**, a 72-hour free window
    opens. During that window, **all** message types (including
    Marketing and Authentication templates) are free.

    Requires the user to be on the WhatsApp native mobile app — web
    and desktop don't qualify.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Specific operational events">
    Some system-level events (certain retries and edge-case
    deliveries) are not billed. Details are in Meta's pricing doc;
    the console reflects actual charges in the Cost report.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### In one sentence

A template message is charged when it's delivered, unless one of the
scenarios above applies. Non-template messages can only be sent
inside the Customer Service Window — and there they are free.

## Pricing by category

| Category                           | When it's charged                                                               |
| ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Marketing**                      | Always, per delivered message (unless inside a Free Entry Point window)         |
| **Utility**                        | Per delivered message, **unless** sent inside the 24h CSW (then free)           |
| **Authentication**                 | Per delivered message                                                           |
| **Authentication – International** | Per delivered message, at the International rate for specific high-risk markets |
| **Service** (non-template in CSW)  | Always free                                                                     |

All rates are country-specific. See Meta's rate card for the numbers.

## Volume tiers

For **Utility** and **Authentication** templates, Meta applies
**volume-tier discounts**: once your monthly sent volume crosses a
threshold (aggregated across your Business Portfolio, per
market-category pair), remaining messages in that tier are priced at
a lower rate.

Thresholds and rates are currency- and region-specific. Meta updates
the tier breakpoints periodically — see Meta's rate cards for current
values.

<Note>
  Marketing templates are **not** subject to volume-tier discounts.
  They're priced flat per country.
</Note>

## Where pricing shows up in the console

* **Campaign review step** — projected cost before launch, based on
  category × country × recipients
* **Campaign detail view** — actual cost during and after the run
* **Dashboard** — cost breakdown card for the selected date range
* **Analytics → Cost** — full, exportable cost report for finance
  reconciliation
* **Spending limit** — hard per-period cap that auto-pauses sends
  when exceeded

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Template categories" href="/guides/whatsapp/template-categories">
    Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and when to use each.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Per-user marketing limits" href="/guides/whatsapp/per-user-marketing-limits">
    The dynamic cap Meta applies per user on Marketing templates
    specifically — even when you're willing to pay, the message may
    not deliver.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Meta pricing (authoritative)" href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing">
    Per-country rate cards and volume-tier thresholds.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>