Free vs Billed Messaging

Under Meta’s price-per-message model, billing is determined by the category of the message and the timing of the interaction. While some messages incur costs, others are free depending on the specific "window" in which they are sent.

Free messages do not consume the 360Dialog prepaid credit balance and are excluded from Meta monthly volume tiers or discount calculations.

Conversation Windows (Meta Rules)

Customer Service Window (User-Initiated)

A 24-hour window opens the moment a user sends a message to the business.

	Sending Window	Billing Status	Examples
Customer Service	Within 24 hours of user's message	Free	Support replies, order updates, reminders
Post-Window	After the 24-hour window expires	Charged (Template required)	Re-engagement, follow-ups

Free Entry Point Window (Ads & Page CTAs)

A 72-hour free window opens when a user initiates a chat via a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad or a "Message" CTA on a Facebook/Instagram Page.

	Sending Window	Billing Status	Examples
Free Entry Point	Within 72 hours of Ad/CTA click	Free	Chats from ads, "Message Us" buttons
Post-Window	After the 72-hour window expires	Charged	Continuation of the conversation

Billable vs. Non-Billable Messages

Billable Messages

Template messages are the only billable messages on the platform. Billing follows the category assigned by Meta during approval.

	Free	Charged	Examples
Marketing	Inside Free Entry Point Window	Outside Free Entry Point	Promotions, re-engagement
Utility	Inside Service or Free Entry Window	Outside both windows	Payment/Delivery confirmations
Authentication	Inside Free Entry Point Window	Outside Free Entry Point	OTPs, password resets

Non-Billable Messages

Free-form messages (Text, Images, PDFs, etc.) are always free but are blocked outside of an active Customer Service or Free Entry Point Window.

For more, see Templates & Messaging Rules

Volume Tiers & Aggregation

Lower rates for Utility and Authentication templates are unlocked based on monthly volume.

	Monthly Charged Messages	Discount
Tier 1	0 – 100,000	N/A
Tier 2-6	100,001+	5% to 25% off

Key Tiering Rules:

• Volumes are aggregated across all WABAs in your Business Portfolio

• Only messages that incur a fee count toward tiers

• Counts reset to zero at 12:00 AM on the 1st of every month (WABA timezone)

For more, see Meta Volume Tiers

Pricing Accuracy and Updates

Pricing is subject to updates from Meta or 360Dialog. For the most accurate information:

• Monitor the 360Dialog Hub for usage and balance information

• Read updates and notifications sent to emails associated with the 360Dialog Hub

• Reach out to Support for personalized guidance

• Consult official Meta Rate Cards for regional changes

For more, see Meta Pricing Updates