By Vicky Sidler | Published 3 May 2025 at 12:00 GMT

If you use WhatsApp to chat, sell, or soothe customers, circle 1 July 2025 in neon highlighter. Meta has confirmed that WhatsApp Business will ditch its 24-hour conversation fee and move to a pay-per-message model. In plain English: every outbound template message will soon carry its own micro-price tag.

Before you panic-quit the app and dust off your fax machine, let’s break down what actually changes—and how you can stay on budget without ghosting your customers.

Key points in WhatsApp’s updated pricing

1. Customer-initiated chats remain free: If the buyer texts you first, replies are still on the house.
   

2. Template messages = paid, one by one: Each pre-approved marketing or notification template now incurs a fee the moment you hit send.
   

3. Utility replies inside 24 hours stay free: Order updates or support follow-ups cost nothing as long as you’re answering within a day.
   

4. Click-to-WhatsApp ads unlock a 72-hour free window: If someone taps your Facebook or Instagram ad and lands in WhatsApp, you get three days of cost-free back-and-forth.

Meta claims the overhaul “aligns pricing with real value delivered to users,” which is corporate for “we’d also like a little more revenue, thank you.”

Why this matters to budget-conscious businesses

Small brands love WhatsApp because it feels personal—and, until now, predictable on price. A single paid conversation fee was easy to model. Per-message billing means costs can snowball if you blast templates or forget to close chats.

Five ways to tame the new tariff

As a StoryBrand Certified Guide and Lean-marketing nerd, I recommend treating every outbound message like a tiny paid ad:

1. Audit your template library now

Cut redundant or low-engagement templates before 1 July. If a reminder series takes three messages, rewrite it into one crystal-clear note.

2. Segment and personalise

A broad blast wastes budget. Segment lists by interest or stage so each paid message feels relevant—and less likely to be ignored.

3. Push customers to start the chat

Add “Message us on WhatsApp” buttons on your website, receipts, and socials. When customers ping first, replies stay free.

4. Leverage Click-to-WhatsApp ads strategically

If you already run Meta ads, drive clicks into WhatsApp for a 72-hour free runway. Queue your key follow-ups inside that window.

5. Track message ROI like you track ad spend

Set a target value per paid message (for instance, revenue divided by sent templates). Pause anything that fails to pull its weight.

Personal messaging is still priceless

Yes, per-message fees sting. But WhatsApp remains a low-friction channel where open rates hover near 90 percent. Used wisely—with tighter targeting and clearer copy—the returns can dwarf the cost.

Small businesses that adapt early, prune aggressively, and lean on customer-initiated chats will keep WhatsApp profitable long after the pay-per-message era begins.