WhatsApp charges per conversation, not per individual message. A conversation is a 24-hour message thread between your business and a customer and is opened (and charged) when messages you send to customers are delivered.

Conversations are categorized into one of four categories: Marketing, Utility, Authentication, or Service. Marketing, utility, and authentication conversations can only be opened with message templates. Service conversations can only be opened with free-form messages.

Learn more about these four conversation categories here.

The rates charged by WhatsApp are based on the conversation category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication) and country/region rate. You can download rate cards here.

Service conversations are completely free of charge.

For more information, see Meta's documentation:

• Conversation types

• Opening conversations

• Template categorization