How much does WhatsApp Business API cost?
Meta charges per template message delivered, priced by the template's category and the recipient's country. In Singapore that is S$0.0937 for marketing and S$0.0205 for utility and authentication. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account for these.
You will also pay your provider, the company that puts your number on the WhatsApp Business Platform and handles onboarding, templates and billing. That is a separate bill for the software, not for the messages. Voltade is one provider. SleekFlow, WATI and respond.io are others.
Replies you send inside a customer-initiated service window are free until 1 October 2026. From 1 October 2026, Meta charges for them past 1,000 free service messages a month for each business number.
Two companion pages: what changes on 1 October 2026 across every market, and what those changes cost a Singapore business, with the same figures in Singapore dollars.
Rates below come from Meta's rate card effective 1 July 2026.
Here is the full breakdown, what is free, and how to keep the bill down.
WhatsApp Business API pricing structure
WhatsApp Business API costs have two components:
1. Meta's message fees – charged per message delivered
2. The software you run it with – billed by your provider
Pricing has been per message since July 2025
Meta changed WhatsApp Business API pricing in July 2025. The key shift:
| Before July 2025 | After July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Per-conversation pricing | Per-message pricing |
| 24-hour conversation window billing | Only template messages charged |
| Free-tier conversations included | Service messages free until 30 September 2026 |
This change benefits businesses with high customer engagement. From July 2025 you paid only for the template messages you sent. From 1 October 2026 Meta also charges for service messages past 1,000 a month on each business phone number.
WhatsApp message categories and Singapore pricing
Meta categorises messages into four types, each with different pricing:
| Category | Description | S$ per message |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, product announcements, abandoned cart | S$0.0937 |
| Utility | Order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders | S$0.0205 |
| Authentication | OTPs, verification codes, login confirmations | S$0.0205 |
| Service | Customer-initiated replies within 24-hour window | Free until 30 September 2026. From 1 October 2026, free up to 1,000 a month per number and S$0.0205 past that |
Rates from Meta's Singapore dollar rate card effective 1 July 2026, verified 24 September 2026.
Singapore moved off the regional Asia Pacific rate onto its own market-specific rate card on that
date. Utility and authentication are priced identically. Meta can change rates on the first day of each
quarter.
What is free on WhatsApp Business API
Understanding what's free helps you optimise costs:
1. Replies inside a customer service window
When a customer messages you first, a 24-hour service window opens. Until 30 September 2026 every message you send inside that window is free, in any format, with no template approval needed. From 1 October 2026 Meta charges for these replies past 1,000 free service messages a month on each business phone number.
2. Utility templates inside a service window
Until 30 September 2026, a utility template you send inside that same 24-hour window (like an order update) is also free. From 1 October 2026 Meta charges it at the utility rate.
3. Click-to-WhatsApp ads
When customers click your Facebook or Instagram WhatsApp ads, you get a 72-hour free window for any messages.
What your volume actually costs
The calculator below gives you Meta's side of the bill for your own volume and market. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account for these messages.
WhatsApp Pricing Calculator
Estimate your monthly WhatsApp Business API costs
Configure Your Usage
Estimated Monthly Cost
Total Estimated Cost
S$128.85
for 5,500 messages/month
Cost Breakdown
These rates take effect on 1 October 2026. Replies inside a customer's open 24-hour window are free for the first 1,000 per business phone number each month, then charged at the market's service rate. Utility templates sent inside that window are charged too, having been free until 30 September 2026. Read what changes.
Singapore Rates
Marketing
S$0.0937
Utility
S$0.0205
Auth
S$0.0205
Service
S$0.0205
Pricing last updated: 2026-09-03 | Effective from: 2026-10-01
Rates are Meta's official prices, from Meta's rate card in Singapore dollars.
Cost examples: real scenarios
Three businesses at different volumes, priced on Meta's Singapore dollar card. Each has one business phone number.
Scenario 1: small F&B business
| Item | Calculation | Until 30 September 2026 | From 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing messages | 500 × S$0.0937 | S$46.85 | S$46.85 |
| Utility messages | 200 × S$0.0205 | S$4.10 | S$4.10 |
| Service replies | 300, all inside the free 1,000 | S$0.00 | S$0.00 |
| Meta's bill | S$50.95 | S$50.95 |
Scenario 2: e-commerce store
| Item | Calculation | Until 30 September 2026 | From 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing messages | 2,000 × S$0.0937 | S$187.40 | S$187.40 |
| Utility messages | 1,500 × S$0.0205 | S$30.75 | S$30.75 |
| Service replies | 1,500, of which 500 past the free 1,000 × S$0.0205 | S$0.00 | S$10.25 |
| Meta's bill | S$218.15 | S$228.40 |
Scenario 3: high-volume business
| Item | Calculation | Until 30 September 2026 | From 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing messages | 10,000 × S$0.0937 | S$937.00 | S$937.00 |
| Utility messages | 5,000 × S$0.0205 | S$102.50 | S$102.50 |
| Service replies | 3,000, of which 2,000 past the free 1,000 × S$0.0205 | S$0.00 | S$41.00 |
| Meta's bill | S$1,039.50 | S$1,080.50 |
Scenario 1 stays inside the free 1,000, so nothing changes for it.
Seven ways to reduce WhatsApp API costs
1. Maximise the 24 hour service window
When a customer messages you, answer inside the 24 hour service window. Replies there are free until 30 September 2026, and from 1 October 2026 the first 1,000 a month on each number stay free.
2. Use free entry points
Drive traffic through:
3. Categorise messages correctly
Utility messages (S$0.0205) cost about 78% less than marketing messages (S$0.0937). If your message is truly transactional (order update, appointment reminder), template it as utility, not marketing.
4. Segment your audience
Send marketing templates to the customers most likely to reply, rather than to your whole database. Every template you do not send is one Meta does not charge for.
Cost is not the only reason. Blasting an unsegmented list is also the behaviour most likely to get a number restricted, which is a more expensive problem than the messages themselves. If that has already happened, see how to restore a blocked WhatsApp account.
5. Use AI to handle service conversations
An AI agent answers common questions as they arrive, after hours included, inside the service window. From 1 October 2026 the first 1,000 service messages a month on each number stay free.
6. Send utility messages in service windows
If a customer just messaged you, send their order confirmation or reminder inside that window. Until 30 September 2026 it is free instead of S$0.0205. From 1 October 2026 Meta charges it at the utility rate.
7. Consolidate messages
Instead of sending three separate updates, combine them into one message where possible.
WhatsApp vs email vs SMS: cost comparison
| Channel | Cost per message |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp (marketing) | S$0.0937 |
| WhatsApp (utility) | S$0.0205 |
| Under S$0.01 | |
| SMS | About S$0.05 |
The WhatsApp rows are Meta's Singapore dollar rates. Email is Mailchimp's Standard plan at its full monthly send allowance, and SMS is Bulk SMS Singapore's published rate.
What the higher price buys
A WhatsApp template costs more than an email. What the price buys:
What you pay a provider
Beyond Meta's message fees you pay your Business Solution Provider for the software. What that buys, at any provider:
Typical BSP pricing
| Provider | Plans, billed yearly |
|---|---|
| Wati | Growth S$119 a month, Pro S$329 a month, Business custom |
| SleekFlow | Pro S$199 a month, Premium S$479 a month |
| respond.io | Starter US$79 a month, Growth US$159 a month, Advanced US$279 a month |
| Volty | From S$199 a month, with unlimited seats |
Each provider's prices are in the currency it publishes: Wati and SleekFlow in Singapore dollars, respond.io in US dollars. Volty's row is its Singapore price.
WhatsApp Business app or Volty
Meta offers two ways to run WhatsApp for a business. The WhatsApp Business app runs on your phone, and messages sent from it are free. Volty runs on the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta's API, and one number can use the app and the Platform at the same time.
| Feature | WhatsApp Business app | Volty on the WhatsApp Business Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations with your systems | The app's own business tools: catalogue, labels, quick replies, greeting and away messages | Google Drive, Docs and Sheets, Shopify, Plato Medical and Microsoft Outlook, plus any system with an MCP server or an API key |
| Email as a second channel | WhatsApp only | A Microsoft 365 or Outlook mailbox, which Volty reads and replies from. Gmail is not supported |
| What it costs | Messages sent from the app are free | From S$199 a month, plus Meta's per-message charges |
| Who replies | You and your team, on your phone and linked devices | Volty replies, or drafts replies for your team to send. A teammate can take over any conversation |
| Numbers and devices | Your phone, plus up to four linked devices | Several numbers in one workspace, a web inbox on any device, and the WhatsApp Business app still working on the same number |
| Templates and broadcasts | Broadcast lists and marketing messages from the app's messaging tools | Volty submits your message templates to Meta for approval. A Volty broadcast sends one approved template once to one audience (chosen contacts, segments, everyone, or a spreadsheet), leaving out contacts who opted out. When a customer's 24 hour window has closed, Volty follows up one to one with an approved template |
| The free 1,000 service messages | Does not apply: messages sent from the app sit outside the service window | 1,000 free a month per number, then S$0.0205 each in Singapore. What Meta charges for Volty's replies past the 1,000 is deducted from your monthly Volty bill for your first year on Volty. |
The app suits an owner answering every chat from one phone, and Volty suits a team that wants WhatsApp tied to its mailbox and systems.
Volty is from S$199 a month, with unlimited seats and unlimited contacts. Every plan carries every feature, so the pricing tier you pick reflects how much work Volty gets through in a week rather than which features you get. See full pricing.
Enter your charged service replies below to see how much of Meta's charge for Volty's replies is deducted from your monthly Volty bill in your first year.
Deducted from your monthly Volty bill in your first year
The suggested plan is an estimate from your reply volume. Talk to Volty and we will work out the right plan for your business.
The deduction makes the net cost S$0 for Volty's replies in your first year, up to the price of your plan. Replies your team or another tool sends stay charged.
How Meta's charges for Volty's replies are deducted in your first year →
Read How Volty works to see how you can automate your inbox.
Talk to Volty and we will price your own volume with you before you pick a plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp Business API free to use?
No. You pay Meta's per-message fees plus your BSP's platform charges. Service messages are free until 30 September 2026. From 1 October 2026 the first 1,000 delivered a month on each business phone number stay free, and Meta charges for every one past that.
What is the cheapest type of WhatsApp message?
Service messages (replies inside a customer-initiated service window) are free until 30 September 2026. From 1 October 2026 the first 1,000 delivered a month on each business phone number stay free, and Meta charges for every one past that. For template messages, utility and authentication are cheapest, at S$0.0205 each in Singapore.
Do I pay for messages that fail to deliver?
No. You only pay for messages that are successfully delivered to the recipient's device.
Are there volume discounts?
Yes, for utility and authentication templates. Meta lowers those rates in tiers as a business portfolio sends more of them in a month, and the tiers reset monthly.
Can I switch BSPs if I find cheaper pricing?
Yes. Your WhatsApp Business Account can be migrated between BSPs. Switching platforms means retraining staff and rebuilding automation workflows.
Is WhatsApp cheaper than traditional CRM?
For customer communication, yes. HubSpot Sales Hub Professional starts at S$126 a seat a month and Salesforce Pro Suite at US$100 a user a month, and you still pay for email and SMS sending on top. Volty is from S$199 a month with unlimited seats. That price carries the CRM, the WhatsApp channel, the AI agent and the integrations. See pricing.
Getting started with WhatsApp Business API
Ready to leverage WhatsApp for your business without overpaying?
Volty is from S$199 a month:
Talk to Volty to get a personalised cost estimate for your business volume.