WhatsApp for business pricing depends on the product. The WhatsApp Business app is free, with no Meta messaging charges. The Platform (API) is pay as you go: Meta charges per delivered template message by category and recipient country, and a provider may add a monthly fee. Replies within a customer service window are generally free.
At a glance
- The app costs £0 a month and has no Meta messaging charges (Conserjia).
- Since 1 July 2025 the Platform bills per delivered template message instead of per conversation (Meta documentation mirror).
- Template messages fall into three categories: marketing (highest price), utility and authentication (lower).
- Price also depends on the recipient’s country. Marketing messages are charged at a different rate from other message types, so check the current rate card.
How much does WhatsApp for Business cost in the UK?
There are two products. The free app costs £0, and the Platform is pay per message, plus any fee your provider charges. Which one you need depends on how many people handle chats and whether you want automation.
Rates checked: the figures in this guide were last reviewed on 6 November 2026. Rates change, so please confirm the live numbers on Meta’s pricing page before you budget.
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £0 a month, no Meta messaging charges | Per delivered template message, plus any provider fee |
| Best for | Small teams handling chats by hand | Automation, larger teams, bulk or scheduled messages |
| Set-up | Download and register a number | Needs a business account and usually a provider |
A word of warning on older articles. Pricing changed on 1 July 2025, when billing moved from conversations to individual messages, and it changed again on 1 October 2026. A guide written in 2024 or early 2025 will describe a system that no longer applies.
Is the WhatsApp Business app free?
Yes. The app costs £0 a month and carries no Meta messaging charges, which suits small teams who answer customers themselves from a phone or computer.
What you get
- A business profile with your address, hours and website
- A catalogue to show products or services
- Quick replies for questions you answer often
- Greeting and away messages
- Labels to sort chats, such as new enquiry or awaiting payment
Where it runs out
It’s built around one main device setup, so it gets awkward once several people need to share a number. There’s no real automation and no proper links to a CRM. Broadcast lists are also limited.
Some sites sell paid extras around the app. These are optional, as Conserjia explains, and you don’t need them to use the app itself.
How does WhatsApp Business Platform pricing work?
Meta charges per delivered template message. The price is set by the message category and the recipient’s country, and service replies inside the customer window are generally free.
From conversations to messages
Until 30 June 2025, Meta billed per 24-hour conversation. Since 1 July 2025 it bills per delivered template message instead, as set out in the Meta documentation mirror. One practical effect is that each template you send is counted on its own, rather than being folded into a conversation.
The message types
- Marketing: promotions, offers and announcements. This is the highest-priced category.
- Utility: messages about something the customer has already asked for or done, such as a booking confirmation or appointment reminder.
- Authentication: one-time passcodes and login checks.
- Service: your replies when a customer has messaged you first. These are generally free within the customer service window.
Free entry points and volume tiers
Meta offers some free routes in. Replies in the service window are the main one, and Meta also lists free entry point arrangements, such as chats started from certain ads or buttons. Utility and authentication rates can drop as your monthly volume rises, through volume tiers. Check Meta’s page for the current terms, as these details are the ones most likely to move.
Delivered, not sent
You are charged when a message is delivered, not when you press send. A message that fails to arrive should not be billed.
What are the UK WhatsApp Business message rates?
UK rates are charged in pounds per delivered message and differ by category. The one figure we can cite is marketing at £0.0382 per message, from the January 2026 rate card, and it may have changed since the 1 October 2026 update.
| Category | UK rate per delivered message | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | £0.0382 (January 2026 rate card) | Confirm on Meta’s page before relying on it |
| Utility | Lower than marketing; see Meta’s rate card | Check live rate |
| Authentication | Lower than marketing; see Meta’s rate card | Check live rate |
| Service replies in window | Generally free | Check conditions |
We have left the utility and authentication figures out rather than guess. The Meta pricing page is the primary source and has a downloadable rate card, so take your numbers from there. The marketing figure above comes from a Cue guide to UK pricing.
Pricing also changed on 1 October 2026, and SiteGPT tracks these updates. Be careful with guides that mix US, South African and UK figures. Check the rate. It should be the UK one, in pounds, and dated.
Rates and the way currencies are handled can change, so treat any table, including ours, as a starting point rather than a quote.
What would a real monthly bill look like for a small business?
A small business that sends a few reminders and one campaign might pay a modest Meta charge plus its provider’s monthly fee. The example below is hypothetical, to show how the bill is built.
Imagine a salon. It sends 300 appointment reminders (utility) and one promotion to 500 opted-in customers (marketing). Customers reply to many of them, and the salon answers each within the service window.
| Item | Messages | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing promotion | 500 | £0.0382 | £19.10 |
| Utility reminders | 300 | Utility rate from Meta’s page | 300 × utility rate |
| Replies in service window | Any number | Generally free | £0 |
| Provider monthly fee | n/a | Set by your provider | Varies |
The marketing line is simple arithmetic: 500 × £0.0382 = £19.10, assuming that rate still applies to you. For the reminders, look up the current UK utility rate and multiply by 300. Then add your provider’s fee.
The lesson is that the reminders and replies are usually the cheap part. Marketing sends and the provider fee tend to be where the money goes.
Why is the WhatsApp API so expensive?
Meta charges for message distribution, not for API access, and marketing messages are priced highest. Providers then add their own platform fees on top.
What drives the Meta charge
- Per-message billing: every delivered template counts, so volume adds up quickly.
- Category pricing: marketing costs more than utility or authentication.
- Country pricing: the same message costs different amounts depending on where it lands.
What providers add
Most businesses reach the API through a provider, who may charge a monthly subscription, a per-message markup or both. That is often the bigger surprise on the bill.
For low-volume service messaging the Platform can in fact be cheap, because replies in the window are generally free. It feels expensive mainly when you send a lot of marketing.
How do you send 10,000 WhatsApp messages?
Use the Platform with customer opt-in, approved templates and a verified number. The app’s broadcast lists are too limited for this.
- Create a Meta business account.
- Set up access to the Cloud API, usually through a provider.
- Verify your business and phone number.
- Collect opt-in from every person you plan to message.
- Write a template and get it approved.
- Send to your list.
- Monitor delivery and quality, and adjust.
Meta limits how many unique people you can message in 24 hours through messaging tiers, and access depends on Meta’s eligibility rules.
Estimated cost
At the January 2026 UK marketing rate of £0.0382, 10,000 delivered marketing messages would come to £382. That assumes the rate is still current and every message is delivered. For utility messages, multiply 10,000 by the current UK utility rate from Meta’s page. It will be lower. Add any provider fee on top.
What do providers add, and how do you keep costs down?
Providers add a monthly platform fee and sometimes a per-message markup. You keep costs down through template choice, good opt-in and making use of free replies.
Questions to ask a provider
- Do you add a markup to Meta’s per-message rate?
- Is there a monthly fee, and what does it include?
- Do you charge per user or seat?
- Is there a minimum term or set-up fee?
- Are rates shown in pounds, and are they dated?
Ways to spend less
- Use utility messages for confirmations and reminders where the content genuinely fits that category.
- Invite customers to message you first, so your answers fall in the free service window.
- Only message people who have opted in, which protects your quality rating and avoids wasted sends.
- Skip sends that add nothing, as each delivered template is billed.
Do you need WhatsApp pricing at all for website enquiries?
Not always.
Chati answers customers from your own website content and shows its sources, so people can see where an answer came from. When it is unsure, it hands the chat to a human on your team. It also offers branding, lead capture and bookings. It is trained on your data and offers custom integration, so answers reflect your business rather than generic text.
We have been developing apps since 2009, and customers choose Chati for its great value for money. You can see how it works on our how it works page, or read about industry guides for dentists, solicitors, trades and more.
Think of it as a complement to WhatsApp, not a replacement. WhatsApp suits people who already want to chat on their phone. A website chatbot catches visitors while they are reading your pages, at any hour. If you would like to talk through which mix suits your business, get in touch with Chati and we will be glad to help.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any charges for WhatsApp Business?
There are no Meta messaging charges on the Business app. The Platform charges per delivered template message, and a provider may add a monthly fee.
Is WhatsApp Business free to use?
Yes, the WhatsApp Business app costs £0 a month. The Platform is pay as you go.
What is the WhatsApp Business cost per message in the UK?
It depends on the category. The January 2026 UK rate card lists marketing at £0.0382 per message. Utility and authentication are lower, so check Meta’s page for the live figures.
Do I pay for replies to customers on WhatsApp Business?
Replies inside the customer service window are generally free. Template messages sent outside it are charged by category.
Can I use the WhatsApp Business app and API on the same number?
This depends on Meta’s current rules and your provider’s set-up, so confirm it with your provider before moving a number across. Do not assume both can run side by side.
Do I need a provider to use the WhatsApp Business Platform?
Most small businesses use one, because it handles set-up, inboxes and templates. Providers may charge a monthly fee or a markup, so ask before you sign up.
How much does it cost to send marketing messages on WhatsApp?
Marketing is the highest-priced category. At the January 2026 UK rate of £0.0382, 1,000 delivered messages would cost £38.20, if that rate still applies.
Can a chatbot answer customers on WhatsApp?
Yes, chatbots can be connected to WhatsApp through the Platform. For website visitors, Chati answers from your own site content and hands over to your team when unsure.
