WhatsApp Business API pricing calculator

Meta charges per delivered message, based on the message category and the customer's country. In South Africa, from 1 October 2026, a marketing message costs about R0.63 and a utility, authentication or service message about R0.16 (Meta bills $0.0379 and $0.0095). Use the calculator above for your volumes and markets.

Yes. Meta never charges for messages customers send to your business. You only pay for messages your business sends that are delivered.

Since 1 October 2026, the first 1,000 service messages per business phone number each month are free. After that, each service message is charged at the market's service rate. Eligible government and non-profit organisations keep free service messages until 31 December 2027.

Utility and authentication messages get cheaper as you send more in a month. Meta counts your messages per country and category, and once you pass a threshold, the messages in the next band are charged at a lower rate, up to 25% off the list rate. Counts reset every month.

The rate depends on the country code of the customer's WhatsApp number, not where your business is. Many countries are grouped into regional rates, such as Rest of Africa for Kenya, Ghana and Namibia.

No. Syncli passes Meta's WhatsApp message fees on at cost. You pay Meta's rates for messages, plus your Syncli plan.

Meta bills South African businesses in US dollars. The calculator shows rand using the ECB reference rate of R16.64 = $1 (2 Nov 2026), but your actual charge depends on the exchange rate when you're billed.

Meta can update rates once a quarter, on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October, and gives at least a month's notice. We update this calculator when the rate card changes.