What does a WhatsApp Business API message cost in India? (2026)

₹0.78 to ₹0.88

per marketing message, before GST and provider markup · 2026

Range: ₹0 (service replies in the window) to ₹0.88 per message, before GST
Confidence: Medium: published estimates broadly agree
Last checked: 23 October 2026

The short answer

In 2026 a WhatsApp marketing message to an Indian number costs roughly ₹0.78 to ₹0.88, a utility message ₹0.11 to ₹0.16 (₹0 inside an open service window) and an authentication message ₹0.11 to ₹0.13. GST at 18% applies to the messaging spend and the platform fees.

Meta charges by message category. Marketing costs most, utility and authentication much less, and replies inside a service window the customer opened are free. Providers add their own fee per message on top.

The figures side by side

Message type	Cost per message	Source
Marketing	₹0.78 to ₹0.88	Robylon, July 2026
Utility	₹0.11 to ₹0.16	Robylon, July 2026
Authentication	₹0.11 to ₹0.13	Robylon, July 2026
GST	18%	Robylon, July 2026

How we got this number

Take the rates by category from a provider's published guide (July 2026) and check the dates of Meta's changes against a second provider's account of them.
Use the marketing range as the headline, because that is what most growth teams send.
Add 18% GST and your provider's per-message fee to get the real cost; check Meta's own rate card before you budget, because Meta changes rates during the year.

What this number does not tell you

These are Meta's list rates as reported by providers, not a quote.
Provider markups vary and are not included.
From 1 October 2026 utility templates inside an open window are charged at the utility rate, per one provider; check your provider's bill.

Sources

Robylon, WhatsApp Business API pricing in India, 30 July 2026Marketing: roughly ₹0.78 to ₹0.88 per message. Utility: roughly ₹0.11 to ₹0.16 per message, and ₹0 inside an open service window. Authentication: roughly ₹0.11 to ₹0.13 per message. 18% applied to the messaging spend and platform fees both.
Baat, What the WhatsApp Business API costs in India, 25 August 2026, updated 7 October 20261 July 2025: Meta began charging per delivered template message instead of per conversation. 1 January 2026: India's marketing rate also rose on this date. Utility templates sent inside an open window have been charged at the utility rate since 1 October 2026.

Questions people ask

How much does a WhatsApp marketing message cost in India?

Roughly ₹0.78 to ₹0.88 per message in 2026, before 18% GST and your provider's fee.

Are WhatsApp customer service replies free?

Replies inside a service window that the customer opened are free; utility messages there are ₹0 by one provider's account, though Meta's rules changed on 1 October 2026.

What does a WhatsApp Business API message cost in India?