WhatsApp Billing & Pricing Guide
A comprehensive overview of WhatsApp pricing, billing, and rebilling for agencies and sub-accounts in HighLevel.
Table of Contents
Overview of WhatsApp Billing
WhatsApp in HighLevel now uses a per-message pricing model, charging businesses for each delivered message rather than a flat fee per 24-hour conversation window. This shift offers greater transparency and control over messaging costs, enabling more precise budgeting and strategy.
Messages are categorized into Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and Service types — each with its own pricing logic and strategic use cases.
By aligning your outreach with these categories, you can take full advantage of cost-saving opportunities (like free utility messages within an open customer service window) while maintaining high-quality engagement.
Key Benefits of WhatsApp's Pricing Structure
Transparent, Granular Billing
Messages are individually categorized into Marketing, Utility, and Service types — letting you clearly understand charges and design strategies without hidden costs.
Optimized Rebilling for Agencies
Per-message billing simplifies client rebilling, enables transparent invoicing, and unlocks new monetization opportunities by mapping charges directly to client campaigns.
Smarter Cost Control via Customer Service Windows
Utility messages sent within a 24-hour customer service window are free, reducing the cost of ongoing support while maintaining high responsiveness.
Cost-Efficient Entry Points
- All service conversations are free and do not incur any messaging charges.
- Conversations initiated through Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) ads are free of cost.
- Utility messages sent in response to a user within the 24-hour customer service window are free.
- User-initiated WhatsApp calling is available globally and is completely free of cost.
WhatsApp Messaging Rates by Market/Country [Effective 1 April 2026]
Understanding conversation rates by market or country helps businesses plan communication costs effectively. Rates vary depending on the type of conversation (Marketing, Utility, or Service) and the region where the message is sent.
WhatsApp pricing rate sheet — click to zoom
WhatsApp Subscription Charges for Agencies
Understanding subscription charges is essential for agencies and locations to plan their WhatsApp usage and billing effectively.
Agency Charge
$10 / month per sub-account
Charged to the agency for each WhatsApp-enabled sub-account
WhatsApp Messaging Rates
Understanding WhatsApp's messaging rates is critical for managing costs effectively. Rates vary based on the template category (Marketing, Utility, Service) and the country/region where the message is sent.
- Payment Processing Fees: A 5% Stripe fee is added to these rates, which should be considered when setting up rebilling.
- Regional Variations: Rates differ significantly by region, so plan campaigns with regional costs in mind.
Rate Application Example Assume a Marketing message is sent to the U.S. • Base rate: $0.0263 • Multiplier: 1.5X • Final cost to the client: $0.0263 × 1.5 = $0.0395
WhatsApp Message-Based Pricing [Effective 1 July 2025]
Starting July 1, 2025, WhatsApp adopts a message-based pricing model that charges businesses for each delivered message, rather than per conversation. Below are the primary message categories:
1. Marketing Messages
- Definition: Outbound promotional messages — product offers, announcements, re-engagement campaigns.
- Pricing: Charged per delivered message, regardless of customer service window status.
- Use Cases: Sales promotions, event invitations, abandoned cart reminders.
2. Utility Messages
- Definition: Transactional messages relating to a specific agreed-upon transaction or update.
- Charged per message when sent outside an open customer service window.
- Free if delivered within an active 24-hour customer service window initiated by the user.
- Use Cases: Order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders.
3. Authentication Messages
- Definition: Used to authenticate users via one-time passcodes.
- Use Cases: Account verification, login confirmation, account recovery.
4. Service Conversations
- Definition: Used to resolve customer inquiries and issues.
- Opened by: Free-form messages (any message that is not a template).
- Cost: Completely free — no charges apply.
IMPORTANT: Each category has specific initiation methods. • Marketing, utility, and authentication conversations can ONLY be opened with template messages. • Service conversations can ONLY be opened with free-form messages. To learn how to choose an appropriate category when creating your WhatsApp templates, see Template Categorization Guidelines.
Template Messages vs. Non-Template Messages
| Is it billable? | |||||
| Message type | Message category | When can it be sent? | Delivered outside CSW* | Delivered inside CSW* | Delivered inside FEP** window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template messages | Marketing | Anytime | Yes | Yes | No |
| Authentication | Anytime | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Utility | Anytime | Yes | No | No | |
| Non-template (free-form) messages | Service | Only inside an open CSW* | N/A | No | No |
* CSW = Customer Service Window ** FEP = Free Entry Point
Service Conversations [Effective 1 November 2024]
This 24-hour timer begins when a customer messages you. During this window, free-form messages can be sent without opening additional conversations.
- Used to resolve customer inquiries and issues.
- Service conversations are initiated when a free-form message is delivered to a customer, provided no other conversation of any type is open.
- These conversations rely on an active customer service window between you and the customer.
The customer service window is a 24-hour timer that starts with a user message and resets with each message. As long as the customer service window is open, businesses can respond to users via free-form messages or utility messages at no charge. Free-form messages are any message type that is not a template.
Examples:
Example 1: Per Message Based Pricing We charge for each template message a business sends to a user. For example, if a business sends 1 marketing message and 1 utility message, that incurs 1 charge for each category. (Click the phone image to zoom into the conversation) |  |
Example 2: Free-Form and Utility Messages Businesses can respond to users at no charge with free-form messages and utility template messages. When the customer service window is open, businesses can also send utility messages, at no charge. (Click the phone image to zoom into the conversation) |  |
Free Entry Point Conversations [Effective 1 June 2023]
Free entry point conversations provide cost-saving opportunities for businesses by allowing free communication for a limited duration.
Example of Free Entry Point Conversation If a customer messages you via a Click to WhatsApp Ad at 10 am and you respond at 10 pm the same day: • The free entry point conversation starts at 10 pm and lasts for 72 hours.
Rebilling WhatsApp Messages
Rebilling offers agencies flexibility in setting WhatsApp messaging pricing for clients, creating additional revenue opportunities.
- Base rate for a Marketing message in the US: $0.0263
- Multiplier set to 1.5X: Client is charged $0.0395 per message
Your Client's WhatsApp Subscription
When your client purchases WhatsApp services from you, two subscriptions are created:
- Between the client's card and your Stripe account for client payments.
- Between HighLevel and your Stripe account to pay HighLevel the $10/month/location subscription fee.
How to Set Up WhatsApp Rebilling
- Access Billing Settings: Navigate to the Settings tab in HighLevel.
- Select WhatsApp Billing: Click on the Billing section and locate the WhatsApp billing option.
- Enter Payment Details: Provide the necessary payment information to enable billing.
- Choose Subscription Plan: Select the subscription plan that best fits your agency or client location needs.
- Enable Rebilling: Configure rebilling options to charge your clients with your preferred pricing.
- Verify Setup: Review the billing setup to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Click here for a more in-depth setup guide for WhatsApp messaging and rebilling!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the different conversation categories?
- Marketing: For promotional messages and retargeting campaigns.
- Utility: For user-requested updates such as delivery or payment notifications.
- Authentication: For verifying users with one-time passcodes.
- Service: For resolving customer inquiries or issues.
Q: How are conversations opened?
- Marketing, Utility, and Authentication: Opened when a template message is sent and delivered, provided no open conversation of that category exists.
- Service Conversations: Opened when a free-form message is sent and delivered, provided no other conversation is open.
Q: Can multiple conversations be open with the same customer?
Yes, multiple conversations can be open if:
- A new template message of a different category is sent within 24 hours.
- A service conversation exists, and a template message is sent within 24 hours.
Q: What is a customer service window?
A customer service window is a 24-hour timer that starts when a customer messages you. It allows businesses to send free-form messages within that period.
Q: What is a free entry point conversation?
Free entry point conversations are initiated when a customer contacts you via a Click to WhatsApp Ad or Facebook Page Call-to-Action button, and you respond within 24 hours. It lasts for 72 hours and allows sending all types of messages without additional charges.
Q: What happens if I send templates of different categories in the same 24-hour conversation window?
Sending a template of a new category will open a separate conversation and result in an additional charge, unless it is sent during an open conversation of the same category.
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