ISLAMABAD: WhatsApp is set to make a major change to its business messaging system, with businesses required to pay for certain replies to customers from October 1, 2026, according to a report.
The change will apply to businesses that use the WhatsApp Business Platform or its application programming interface (API) to communicate with customers at scale. However, ordinary users and small businesses using the standard WhatsApp Business app will not be affected.
Under the new system, WhatsApp will determine business messaging charges based on the type of message, the recipient’s country and the nature of the communication. Consequently, rates for business and promotional messages will vary across markets.
Promotional messages will carry higher charges than utility messages, potentially increasing costs for companies that use WhatsApp to reach large numbers of customers.
The policy is expected to particularly affect businesses that rely on WhatsApp for customer support, payment confirmations, identity verification and order updates. As a result, companies handling large volumes of customer communications could face significantly higher messaging expenses.
Previously, businesses could respond to customers without additional charges during the 24-hour customer service window after a user initiated a conversation. However, the revised system will broaden the scope of messages subject to charges.
The move follows WhatsApp’s broader expansion of its per-message pricing model for businesses. The platform had already introduced charges for certain business-initiated messages, including promotional and service-related communications.
Meanwhile, industry experts say the latest changes could raise messaging costs for companies that use WhatsApp extensively to engage with customers. The impact is likely to be particularly significant for businesses sending millions of messages each day.
The revised pricing structure underscores WhatsApp’s growing focus on monetising its business messaging services while expanding the range of communications for which companies pay.
