Meta charges per delivered message to Indian (+91) numbers, by category. Marketing messages cost the most; utility, authentication and charged service messages cost much less. Messages customers send you, the first 1,000 service replies a month and chats from Click-to-WhatsApp ads are free. Current INR rates are on Meta's rate card, which can change each quarter.
In India, the WhatsApp Business API is priced per delivered message. Meta sets the rate by the message category and the recipient's country code, so every message to a +91 number is billed at the India rate, wherever your business is based. There is no monthly platform fee from Meta, but the software you use the API through, such as a CRM or inbox tool, usually has its own price.
Meta's India rates
Meta publishes its India rates in USD and INR on Meta's official rate card, linked from its pricing page. We link to it rather than copy the numbers, because Meta can change them each quarter. What the card shows for India:
| Category | Used for | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, launches, re-engagement | The highest rate |
| Utility | Reminders, order and payment updates | Much lower than marketing |
| Authentication | One-time passcodes | Same level as utility |
| Service (after 1,000 free per number per month) | Free-form replies inside the 24-hour window | Same as utility |
| Authentication-international | OTPs sent by a business based outside India | Many times the domestic authentication rate |
Because a marketing message to an Indian number costs several times a utility message, the template category matters. Meta decides the category from the content, and a "utility" template with promotional wording is approved as marketing.
What does not cost anything
- Messages customers send you.
- The first 1,000 service messages per business phone number each month.
- All messages inside a free entry point window, which opens when you reply within 24 hours to someone who messaged you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on Android or iOS. Meta says it may stay open for up to 7 days.
- Messages that are not delivered.
How to estimate your monthly bill
Multiply each month's expected volume in each category by its rate, then subtract the free service replies. Replies to ad leads inside free windows add nothing. Marketing is usually most of the bill, so segment your list before every broadcast.
Also budget for the software you use the API through, such as a CRM or inbox tool. Utility and authentication get volume discounts only at very high monthly volumes, so most small businesses pay the list rate.
How salestrack helps
salestrack starts free; see pricing for plans. WhatsApp messages are paid from a prepaid WhatsApp wallet, and the app shows the exact rate and the cost of each broadcast before you send, so nothing goes out at a price you did not expect. The broadcast tools let you send to tighter segments instead of your whole list. How message charges work explains where to see each cost.
Related questions
What is the WhatsApp API cost per message in India?
Meta publishes the per-message rate for each category in its INR rate card, linked from its pricing page. Marketing costs the most; utility, authentication and charged service messages cost much less. A business based outside India that sends OTPs to Indian users pays a higher authentication-international rate.
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost per month in India?
There is no fixed monthly fee from Meta. Your bill is the number of delivered messages in each category multiplied by the rate, plus whatever your provider or CRM charges for its software.
Can I pay for WhatsApp API messages in rupees?
Yes. INR is an available billing currency. Meta says eligible businesses must move all Messaging accounts in their portfolio to INR by 31 December 2026, or it stops delivering messages from non-INR accounts from 1 January 2027.
Is GST charged on WhatsApp API messages in India?
Rates on Meta's card are before tax, so expect tax on top. Ask your provider how tax appears on its invoices for wallet top-ups and subscriptions.
How often do WhatsApp API rates in India change?
Meta can change rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October, with at least one month's notice for a rate card change. Check the rate card each quarter.
Sources
Checked on 1 November 2026. WhatsApp and Meta change their rules and prices often, so check the source before you rely on a detail.