WhatsApp Business API Price in India (2026)

The two parts of your bill

Part	Who you pay	What it covers
1. Meta message charges	Meta (through your Meta Business account)	Each template message you send — marketing, utility or authentication.
2. Software / platform	Your provider, e.g. DGI Inbox	Team inbox, broadcasts, chatbots, CRM, integrations, API access.

Many providers add a margin on top of Meta’s rate. With DGI Inbox you pay Meta’s standard rate directly — zero markup — and a fixed monthly plan for the software.

Meta per-message rates for India (approx.)

Since July 2025 Meta charges per delivered template message, not per 24-hour conversation. The rate depends on the message category:

Category	Used for	Approx. rate (INR, before GST)
Marketing	Offers, festive sales, product launches, re-engagement	≈ ₹0.86 per message
Utility	Order confirmation, shipping update, payment reminder, appointment reminder	≈ ₹0.115 per message
Authentication	OTP / login codes	≈ ₹0.115 per message
Service	Your replies when a customer messages you first	Free inside the 24-hour customer-service window

These are approximate rates reported for India in late 2026. Meta revises its rate card from time to time, and 18% GST applies on top. Always check the latest official rates in your Meta Business account (WhatsApp Manager → Insights / Pricing) before planning a big campaign.

What is free?

Replying to customers inside 24 hours of their last message (customer-service window).
Click-to-WhatsApp ads and Facebook Page CTA: when a customer messages you from these, a longer free window (72 hours) opens for your messages.
Normal chat replies in DGI Inbox never need a template while the window is open.

Example: what a month really costs

Suppose a small shop in Delhi sends 2,000 festive offer messages (marketing) and 1,500 order updates (utility) in a month, and replies to customer chats every day.

Item	Calculation	Approx. cost
Marketing messages	2,000 × ₹0.86	≈ ₹1,720
Utility messages	1,500 × ₹0.115	≈ ₹173
Customer chat replies	Inside 24-hour window	₹0
GST on Meta charges	18%	≈ ₹340
Meta total		≈ ₹2,233

Add your DGI Inbox plan (see pricing) for the inbox, broadcasts, chatbot and CRM. There is no extra per-message fee from us.

How to keep your WhatsApp API bill low

Use the right category. Order and payment updates should be utility templates — they cost a fraction of marketing.
Reply inside 24 hours. Answering quickly from the shared inbox keeps conversations free.
Send to the right audience. Use tags (e.g. “delhi”, “vip”) instead of messaging everyone.
Let customers opt out. DGI Inbox removes contacts who reply STOP, so you don’t pay for people who don’t want messages.
Use click-to-WhatsApp ads for lead generation — they open a longer free window.

Getting started

Create a DGI Inbox account — 7-day free trial, no card.
Connect your number with Meta’s embedded signup (new number or your existing WhatsApp Business app number with Coexistence).
Add a payment method in Meta Business for message charges.
Create templates and start sending.

Start the 7-day free trial · compare plans · read the step-by-step guide

Frequently asked questions

Is WhatsApp Business API free in India?

The API itself has no setup fee from Meta, but Meta charges per template message (marketing, utility, authentication). Replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window are free. You also need software such as DGI Inbox to use it.

What is the cost of one WhatsApp marketing message in India?

Around ₹0.86 per delivered marketing message before GST, as reported for late 2026. Meta updates rates periodically, so check your WhatsApp Manager for the current rate.

Do I pay Meta or DGI Inbox for messages?

You pay Meta directly through your Meta Business account. DGI Inbox adds zero markup — you only pay us for the software plan.

Is GST charged on WhatsApp API messages?

Yes. 18% GST applies on Meta’s message charges in India, and also on software plans.

What is the cheapest way to send order updates?

Use utility templates (around ₹0.115 each) for order, shipping and payment updates, and reply to customer questions inside the 24-hour window, which is free.

Can I try before paying?

Yes. Every new DGI Inbox account gets a 7-day free trial without a credit card. Meta message charges still apply to templates you send.

Pay Meta’s rates — nothing extra on top

7-day free trial · no credit card · set up in about 15 minutes.

Start free trial →Read the setup guide

WhatsApp Business API price in India — what you actually pay