Billable vs. Non-Billable Messages

Some messages generate costs while others are free on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Billable Messages

Billable messages are template messages. Templates must be pre-approved by Meta and are charged according to their assigned category.

Template Categories & Billing

• Marketing – Always billable, unless sent during a Free Entry Point window.

• Utility – Free inside a Customer Service Window, billable outside.

• Authentication – Always billable, unless sent during a Free Entry Point window.

Billing always follows the category assigned by Meta. If a template is approved as Marketing, it will always be billed at Marketing rates, even if your intended use is Utility or Authentication.

For more details, see the Templates section.

Non-Billable Messages

Non-billable messages are free-form messages sent inside a Customer Service Window or during a Free Entry Point window.

Rules for Non-Billable Messages

• Only allowed inside an open Customer Service Window.

• Always free of charge when allowed.

• Blocked outside the Customer Service Window.

Examples of Non-Billable Messages:

• Text replies

• Images, videos, audio, voice notes

• Documents (PDF, Excel, Word, etc.)

• Location pins

• Contacts

• Interactive messages (buttons, lists, catalogs)

For more details, see the Message Types section.

Billable vs Non-Billable Messages

Message Type	Billable	Non-Billable
Marketing Template	✅ Yes (unless inside Free Entry Point)	❌ No
Utility Template	✅ Yes (outside Customer Service Window)	✅ Free inside Customer Service Window / Free Entry Point
Authentication Template	✅ Yes (unless inside Free Entry Point)	❌ No
Free-form Message	❌ No	✅ Free inside Customer Service Window / Free Entry Point

Continue to the next section to find out about our Partner Billing Models.