Starting June 1, 2023, WhatsApp is changing its pricing of WhatsApp Business API. For more information, see the Meta documentation.
Service Conversation
- Initiated by sending a reply to the customer’s incoming message. User-initiated conversation.
- Used to chat with customers.
All service conversations are free.
Utility Conversation
- Initiated by sending a template message (HSM) of the Utility category. More info.
- Used to send your customers a specific, agreed-upon request or transaction or update. Examples:
- Account updates, order updates, loyalty program updates.
- Payment receipt notifications, money transfer confirmations and other financial transactions.
Pricing:
- Utility conversations will be priced around 30% cheaper than the current business-initiated conversations.
- Starting June 1, 2023, utility conversations will not be eligible for 1000 free monthly conversations.
Authentication Conversation
- Initiated by sending a template message (HSM) of the Authentication category. More info.
- Used to send your customers one-time passwords for account verification, account recovery, transaction authorization, etc.
Pricing:
- Authentication conversations will be around 35% cheaper than the current business-initiated conversations.
- Starting June 1, 2023, authentication conversations will not be eligible for 1000 free monthly conversations.
Marketing Conversation
- Initiated by sending a template message (HSM) of the Marketing category. More info.
- Used to send promotions or offers, informational updates, or invitations for customers to respond and take action.
- Conversations that do not qualify as utility or authentication is a marketing conversation.
Pricing:
- Utility conversations will be around 20% cheaper than the current business-initiated conversations.
- Starting June 1, 2023, marketing conversations will not be eligible for 1000 free monthly conversations.
Multiple Conversation Category Charging
Conversation charges will be based on template category. When a template is delivered, it opens a new conversation of that category and incurs the charge of that conversation category, unless the template is delivered during an open conversation of that category. For example, if a utility conversation is open and a marketing template is delivered within that open conversation, a new, separate marketing conversation is opened and the marketing conversation charge is initiated.
However, sending multiple templates of the same category within an open conversation will not incur additional charges. For example, a business can send multiple utility templates in an open utility conversation with no additional charges.
Service conversations will still only be initiated when no other conversation window is open and a business responds to a user with a free form message within the 24-hour customer service window.
The company sends a template message at 12:00 and initiates a utility conversation.
The company will be charged one utility conversation at 12:00.
- The company sends a utility template message at 12:00 and initiates a utility conversation.
- The company sends another utility template message at 13:00.
The company will be charged one utility conversation at 12:00.
- The company sends a utility template message at 12:00 and initiates a utility conversation.
- The company sends a marketing template message at 13:00 and initiates a marketing conversation.
The company will be charged a utility conversation at 12:00 and a marketing conversation at 13:00.
- A customer sends a message to the company at 12:00.
- The company replies to this message at 12:05 and initiates a service conversation.
- The company sends a marketing template message at 13:00 and initiates a marketing conversation.
The company will be charged a marketing conversation at 13:00.
Template Registration Changes
Starting March 31, 2023, there are new categories of WhatsApp templates:
- UTILITY (previously named TRANSACTIONAL): notification messages, for example, order statuses.
- AUTHENTICATION (previously named OTP): authentication messages with one-time passwords.
- MARKETING (no changes): marketing messages.
Use new categories when registering templates via dashboard or API. More info on template categories.
Updating Template Categories
Between May 2 and May 5 WhatsApp will update the old categories of templates registered before March 31. You will receive a notification if the category of your template was changed. The change will not affect marketing templates. If you do not agree with the new template category, you can appeal by sending a request to our technical support at support@edna.io.
Template Category Registration Changes
Starting May 2, 2023, WhatsApp can change the template category during the template registration if they do not agree with the set category. We will email you if this happens. If you do not agree with the new template category, change the template and send it to the registration again.
Best Practices for New Pricing
Follow the recommendations below to avoid extra charges and get the best value from your WhatsApp usage:
- Check all your template categories before June 1, 2023. This will help you to plan budget after the pricing change takes place.
- Select the correct category when you register a new template.
- Plan your budget based on the registered category of the template. Be aware of the notification we send you if the template category was changed by WhatsApp.
- Use free-form (non-template) message if you want to send notifications while 24-hour user-initiated conversation is still going on. That way, you will avoid paying extra for additional business-initiated conversations.
- Use interactive messages (reply buttons and interactive menu) if you want to send buttons to a client within the ongoing chat. That way, you will avoid paying extra for additional business-initiated conversations.