New Delhi, September 30 : Starting October 1, 2026, Meta is changing how it charges big businesses that use WhatsApp. The tech giant is officially ending the free 24-hour window that allowed companies to chat with customers for free.
Regular WhatsApp users and small shops using the basic, free WhatsApp Business mobile app do not need to worry. This change only targets large companies that use the automated WhatsApp Business API to send thousands of messages or use complex chatbots.
What is Changing?
Previously, when you texted a business, they could reply to you as much as they wanted for free within 24 hours. Starting October 1, companies will have to pay for every single message they send back to you.
Every business will get 1,000 free replies per month. Once they cross that limit, the new charges apply.
The New Rates for India (Per Message)
For companies messaging customers on Indian phone numbers, the new baseline costs are:
- Marketing Messages (~₹1.02): Offers, discounts, and advertisements.
- Utility Messages (~₹0.14): Order confirmations, receipts, and delivery tracking.
- Authentication Messages (~₹0.14): One-time passwords (OTPs) and login codes.
- Service Messages (~₹0.14): Standard customer support replies (after using up the 1,000 free monthly texts).
Strict Deadline for Businesses
Meta has warned all major companies and tech providers that they must add a valid payment method to their accounts by September 30, 2026. If a business misses this deadline, its customer support chats on WhatsApp will stop working entirely on October 1.
While a few paise per message sounds small, experts say it will quickly add up to major monthly bills for top brands that talk to millions of customers every day.
