For a general overview of WhatsApp integration with Freshchat, see Overview of WhatsApp Business Integration.
The article contains the following sections:
Understanding WhatsApp Pricing Policy
WhatsApp has a message-based pricing policy, charging businesses using the WhatsApp platform and API based on the conversation initiator and categories.
WhatsApp Message Categories
The different message categories are:
- Template Messages
- Marketing: Enable businesses to achieve a wide range of goals, from generating awareness to driving sales and retargeting customers.
- Utility templates: Enable businesses to follow up on user actions or requests, since these messages are typically triggered by user actions.
- Authentication templates: Enable businesses to verify a user’s identity, potentially at various steps of the customer journey.
For more details, see WhatsApp Template Categories.
- Non-template messages: These messages can only be sent within an open customer service window. This can include text, image, etc.
WhatsApp Pricing Rates
Effective July 1, 2025, WhatsApp charges on a per-message basis.
Whenever a WhatsApp user sends you a message, a 24-hour timer known as a customer service window begins (or resets if one is already in progress). Using this, you can send WhatsApp messages either within the service window or outside of it.
A few points to note:
- WhatsApp charges for template messages only if they are delivered. The rates differ based on the template category and the country calling code of the recipient's WhatsApp phone number.
- All non-template messages, including text and images, are free. These can only be sent during an active customer service window.
- Utility templates delivered within an open customer service window are free.
- You can unlock lower rates for utility and authentication template messages, based on messaging volume.
- All messages, including template messages, are free for 72 hours if sent within an open free entry point window.
To find the specific rates applicable to your location, please check the USD rate cards on the WhatsApp pricing page. For more details, see Pricing Updates on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
Note: Freshworks will apply a 20% markup to the total WhatsApp cost billed from Meta.
For customers billed in currencies other than USD, the following exchange rates will apply when processing the monthly WhatsApp invoices.
Source Currency | Destination Currency | Exchange Rates |
USD | AUD | 1.56 |
USD | BRL | 5.30 |
USD | EUR | 1.01 |
USD | GBP | 0.86 |
USD | INR | 82.79 |
USD | ZAR | 18.28 |
WhatsApp Usage Metrics
With WhatsApp usage metrics, you can now monitor the usage metrics for every WhatsApp number integrated with Freshworks from a unified screen.
To check your WhatsApp usage metrics:
- Go to Admin Settings > Channels > WhatsApp.
- Click Utilization.
Here you can see the total monthly summary of messages utilized, along with the corresponding costs. This includes a breakdown by Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and Free messages. Free messages include service messages, free entry point conversations, and utility messages dispatched within the 24-hour service window.
Utilization before July 2025 For conversations before July 2025, the breakdown will follow the earlier model—categorized into business-initiated, user-initiated, and free conversations, along with the respective monthly costs.
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