Short answer: from 1 October 2026, Meta charges Indian businesses ₹0.8631 per delivered marketing message, ₹0.115 per utility or OTP message, and ₹0.115 per service reply after the first 1,000 replies a month on each business number. Add your provider’s markup and plan fee, then 18% GST. Use the calculator below to get your monthly and yearly total in rupees. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser.
By ScaleSaathi Editorial · Last updated: 25 October 2026 · Rates checked against Meta’s rate card effective 1 October 2026 · Sources
Meta rates for messages to Indian (+91) numbers, effective 1 October 2026, checked 25 October 2026. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Your monthly WhatsApp messages
Your provider
More options: Meta AI replies, international OTP rate
Estimated monthly bill
Average per message: –
| Type | Sent | Charged | Meta fee |
|---|
| Meta fee | |
| Provider markup | |
| Provider plan fee | |
| Meta AI replies | |
| GST (18%) | |
| Total | see above |
Same messages at other providers’ rates
| Messages billed at | Monthly total |
|---|
Message charges only, with your GST setting; plan fees and AI replies excluded. Provider rates as published on 25 Oct 2026; check current price.
Estimate only. Meta charges only delivered messages; your real bill depends on how Meta categorises each template. GST: registered businesses can usually claim it back as input tax credit; check with your CA.
Meta’s India rates from 1 October 2026
These are Meta’s own charges per delivered message to a +91 number, before GST and before any provider fee. They are the same whichever provider you use.
| Message type | What it is | Meta fee per message |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, new arrivals, festival sale, abandoned-cart reminder | ₹0.8631 |
| Utility | Order confirmed, out for delivery, payment received, appointment reminder | ₹0.115 (cheaper only above 2.5 crore a month) |
| Authentication (OTP) | Login or verification code | ₹0.115 (cheaper above 7.5 lakh a month) |
| Service reply | Any free-form reply within 24 hours of the customer’s last message | First 1,000 a month per number free, then ₹0.115 |
| Meta Business Agent (Meta’s AI replies) | Replies written by Meta’s AI agent | US$2 per million tokens, about 4 to 5 US cents per reply by Meta’s estimate |
| Messages customers send you | Incoming messages | Free |
Source: Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing (page updated 30 Sep 2026) and its INR rate card file “effective October 1, 2026”, both checked 25 Oct 2026. Businesses outside India that Meta marks eligible pay ₹2.4971 per OTP to Indian numbers.
What changed on 1 October 2026
- Service replies are no longer fully free. They were free from 1 November 2024. Now each business phone number gets 1,000 free replies a month (unused ones do not carry over), and Meta charges ₹0.115 for each reply after that.
- Utility templates inside the 24-hour window are charged again. From 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2026 they were free; now they cost the normal utility rate.
- You need a payment method on file. Without one, Meta says replies beyond the free 1,000 will not be delivered.
- India’s rates did not change. Meta’s October 2026 update changed 40 rates in other markets; ₹0.8631 and ₹0.115 stayed the same.
Meta now changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October, with at least a month’s notice. The next possible change is 1 January 2027; we will re-check this page then.
Free messages you can still use
- The first 1,000 replies each month on every business number.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ad chats: when a customer starts a chat from your Click-to-WhatsApp ad and you reply within 24 hours, a free window opens. While it is open, your marketing, utility, OTP and reply messages to that customer are free. Meta’s pricing page says this window may stay open for up to 7 days; some providers still describe it as 72 hours. Meta AI replies are charged even inside it. Use the “% of messages in ad windows” box for this.
- Messages customers send you are free.
- Undelivered messages are not charged by Meta, because it bills only delivered messages.
Meta’s fee vs your provider’s fee
Most businesses use a provider (a Business Solution Provider) for the inbox, broadcasts and chatbots. Providers earn in two ways: a monthly plan fee, and sometimes a higher per-message rate than Meta’s. To spot the markup, divide the provider’s rate by Meta’s: ₹1.09 ÷ ₹0.8631 = 1.26, so about 26% above Meta’s marketing fee. Here is what each provider published when we checked.
| Provider | Plan fee (published) | Per-message rate to India | Above Meta’s rate | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AiSensy | Basic ₹1,500/mo, Pro ₹3,200/mo, Premium ₹9,100/mo; chatbot builder ₹2,500/mo; extra agent ₹750/mo; + GST. Check current price. | Marketing ₹1.09; utility, OTP and service ₹0.145 | About 26% | 25 Oct 2026 |
| Interakt | Starter ₹6,897 a quarter + taxes on the India view; other plans shown in US$ from outside India. Check current price. | Marketing ₹0.949 to ₹0.970; utility ₹0.140 to ₹0.160; OTP ₹0.127 to ₹0.129, depending on plan | About 10 to 12% on marketing; 22 to 39% on utility | 25 Oct 2026 |
| WATI | Growth US$59/mo, Pro US$119/mo (billed yearly). Check current price. | Its own rate card, not shown on the plan page. Check current price. | Not published | 25 Oct 2026 |
| MSG91 | Titan ₹500/mo, excluding 18% GST. Check current price. | Its own rate card. Check current price. | Not published | 25 Oct 2026 |
| Twilio | None | US$0.005 per message, sent or received, on top of Meta’s fee | Fixed fee in US$ | 25 Oct 2026 |
| Meta Cloud API, direct | ₹0 (you build and host the software yourself) | Meta’s rates | 0% | 25 Oct 2026 |
Prices are from each provider’s public page, read from a server outside India; some show different prices or currencies by country. Gupshup and DoubleTick did not show prices we could read. ScaleSaathi does not sell WhatsApp services and is not paid by these providers.
GST, invoices and the INR deadline
- GST at 18%: Meta’s Business Help Centre says that eligible Indian businesses paying by card or monthly invoice are billed by Facebook India Online Services Pvt Ltd in rupees, with 18% GST (IGST, or CGST + SGST if you are in Haryana). Add your GSTIN in Meta’s billing settings so it appears on the invoice. Indian providers also list their plan prices “+ GST”.
- Claiming it back: a GST-registered business can usually claim this GST as input tax credit when it has a valid tax invoice and uses the service for business. Older accounts billed from Meta Ireland may fall under reverse charge. Check with your CA.
- TDS: Meta’s help page says invoiced customers may deduct 10% TDS. Check with your CA which section applies; our TDS calculator can help with the amount.
- 31 December 2026: Meta’s help page says eligible Indian businesses on credit lines must move all WhatsApp Business accounts to INR billing by 31 December 2026; from 1 January 2027, messages from accounts still in other currencies may not be delivered. We read this through search results because the page blocks automated reading, so confirm it in your Meta Business billing settings.
Three worked examples
| Business | Monthly messages | Meta fee | With 18% GST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirana or local shop | 2,000 marketing, 1,500 utility, 300 OTP, 2,500 replies, 1 number | 1,726.20 + 172.50 + 34.50 + (1,500 paid replies × 0.115 = 172.50) = ₹2,105.70 | ₹2,484.73 |
| Same shop at AiSensy’s published rates | Same | 2,180 + 217.50 + 43.50 + 217.50 = ₹2,658.50 (markup ₹552.80), plus plan fee | ₹3,137.03 + plan fee |
| D2C brand with ads | 20,000 marketing (2,000 in ad windows), 10,000 utility, 5,000 OTP, 8,000 replies, 1 number | 18,000 × 0.8631 = 15,535.80 + 1,150 + 575 + 7,000 × 0.115 = 805 → ₹18,065.80 | ₹21,317.64 |
| App sending 10 lakh OTPs | 1,000,000 OTPs | 7,50,000 × 0.115 = 86,250 + 2,50,000 × 0.1081 = 27,025 → ₹1,13,275 | ₹1,33,664.50 |
Click the matching example button in the calculator to see each one. Every figure here is also an automatic test of the calculator.
Bulk discounts: will you get one?
Probably not. Meta’s India discounts apply only to utility messages above 2.5 crore a month and OTPs above 7.5 lakh a month, counted across your whole business portfolio. Only the messages inside each band get the cheaper rate, the count resets every month, and free messages do not count. Marketing and service replies have no volume discount. The calculator applies these bands automatically.
Seven ways to cut your bill
- Reply within 24 hours of the customer’s message, when replies are free (up to 1,000) or cheap.
- Keep order and delivery updates as utility templates; a promotional line can get the template moved to marketing, which costs 7.5 times more.
- Use Click-to-WhatsApp ads for campaigns where the free window covers the follow-ups.
- Send offers only to customers who opted in and engage; trim inactive contacts.
- Avoid duplicate sends from two tools or automations.
- Compare providers on markup, not only plan price, using the “Provider’s rate per message” option above.
- Add your own payment method so replies beyond 1,000 are delivered and billed directly by Meta.
Frequently asked questions
How much does WhatsApp Business API cost per message in India?
From 1 October 2026, Meta charges ₹0.8631 per delivered marketing message and ₹0.115 per utility, OTP or chargeable service message to Indian numbers, before GST. Providers may add a markup and a monthly plan fee.
Are customer replies on WhatsApp API still free?
Partly. From 1 October 2026 each business phone number gets 1,000 free service replies a month. After that Meta charges ₹0.115 per reply. Replies inside a Click-to-WhatsApp ad window are also free.
Does Meta charge a monthly fee for WhatsApp API?
No. Meta charges only per delivered message. Monthly plan fees come from providers such as AiSensy, Interakt or WATI. Using Meta’s Cloud API directly has no plan fee, but you need your own software.
Do I pay for messages that are not delivered?
No. Meta charges only for delivered messages. Some providers have their own rules for failed messages, so check their terms.
Is GST charged on WhatsApp API fees, and can I claim it back?
Yes, 18% GST applies to Meta’s fees for Indian businesses billed in rupees, and providers add GST to their fees. A GST-registered business can usually claim it as input tax credit with a valid invoice. Check with your CA.
Why does my provider charge more than Meta’s rate?
Many providers add a margin to Meta’s fee. For example, AiSensy publishes ₹1.09 for marketing against Meta’s ₹0.8631, about 26% more. Ask your provider for Meta’s fee and their fee as separate lines.
What is the free window from Click-to-WhatsApp ads?
When a customer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad and you reply within 24 hours, messages to that customer are free while the window is open. Meta’s page says it may stay open for up to 7 days; some providers say 72 hours.
Can I use WhatsApp API without a provider?
Yes. Meta’s Cloud API lets you connect directly and pay only Meta’s rates, but you need a developer to build and host the inbox, templates and automations.
How much do Meta’s AI replies cost?
Meta’s Business Agent costs US$2 per million tokens. Meta estimates about 20,000 to 25,000 tokens per reply, which is about 4 to 5 US cents per reply. It is never free, even inside free windows.
When will Meta change WhatsApp prices next?
Meta now changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October, with at least a month’s notice. The next possible change is 1 January 2027.
Is the free WhatsApp Business app different from the API?
Yes. The WhatsApp Business app is free for one phone with a few linked devices. The API is for larger teams, automation and integrations, and is charged per message.
Related guides
- WhatsApp Business API pricing in India: providers compared
- How to choose a WhatsApp API provider in India
- GST calculator
- TDS calculator
- SaaS cost calculator
- How to choose a CRM for a small business
- All ScaleSaathi calculators
Sources
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing, updated 30 Sep 2026; checked 25 Oct 2026.
- Meta, “Cost per message in INR on the WhatsApp Business Platform, effective October 1, 2026” and the India volume-tier file, linked from the pricing page; downloaded 25 Oct 2026.
- Meta Business Help Centre, India invoicing, GST, TDS and INR migration; read via search results 25 Oct 2026.
- Meta Business Help Centre, GST for card and bank payments in India; read via search results 25 Oct 2026.
- AiSensy pricing, Interakt rate table, WATI pricing, MSG91 pricing, Twilio WhatsApp pricing (states “current as of September 2026”); all checked 25 Oct 2026.
- Section 16, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (input tax credit conditions).
Rates and provider prices are checked against the sources above; this is an estimate, not a quote or tax advice. Product names belong to their owners; ScaleSaathi is not affiliated with them.