Direct answer: WhatsApp API pricing has two parts: Meta's fee for each delivered message, set by category and recipient country, and your provider's fee. Twilio adds $0.005 per message, Gupshup's self-serve API $0.001, and 360dialog €49+ per number monthly. Wati, AiSensy and Mark360 sell plans with per-message credits.
Key takeaways
- Every WhatsApp API bill has two layers: Meta's per-message fee, plus whatever your provider charges for its platform and messages.
- Twilio adds $0.005 per message (inbound or outbound); Gupshup's self-serve API adds $0.001; 360dialog charges €49 to €500 per number per month instead.
- Wati, AiSensy and Interakt sell no-code plans (Wati from $59 or ₹2,199 a month billed annually; AiSensy Basic ₹1,500 a month) with message credits on top.
- On Mark360 in India a marketing message is ₹0.94 and a utility message ₹0.138 (final prices); plans start free, with Scale at $19 a month billed quarterly.
- From October 1, 2026, service replies are charged after 1,000 free per number each month, so support-heavy teams need to model replies too.
Every provider price below was checked on that provider's own pricing page on 17 October 2026, and Meta's model on its WhatsApp pricing docs. Prices change often, and some pages show different figures by country or currency, so confirm on the linked page before you buy.
How WhatsApp API pricing works in 2026
No provider sells WhatsApp messages on its own. Meta charges for the message, and the provider charges for access, software or both. Comparing providers means comparing two layers.
Layer 1: Meta's per-message fee
Since July 1, 2025, Meta has charged per delivered template message, not per conversation. Per Meta's pricing documentation:
- The rate depends on the template category (Marketing, Utility or Authentication, see template categorization) and on the recipient's country code, not where your business is based.
- Customer messages to you are free, and messages inside a 72-hour free entry point window (opened by a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or Page call-to-action) are free.
- Utility and authentication rates drop with volume through monthly volume tiers.
- Meta can change rates on the first day of each quarter, so a 2026 price list can move in January, April, July or October. Current rate cards are on WhatsApp Business platform pricing.
What changed on October 1, 2026
Free-form service messages (replies inside the 24-hour customer service window) are now charged after the first 1,000 free per business phone number each month, and utility templates sent inside that window are charged too. Twilio, Gupshup and AiSensy all reflect this on their pricing pages. For the India detail, see WhatsApp service message pricing from October 1, 2026.
Layer 2: the provider's fee
Providers price their layer in one of three ways:
- Per-message fee on top of Meta's fee: Twilio, Gupshup's self-serve API.
- Monthly fee per phone number, with Meta's fees passed on: 360dialog.
- Monthly software plan plus prepaid message credits at a published per-message price: Wati, AiSensy, Interakt, Gupshup's CX platform and Mark360.
WhatsApp API pricing comparison table (2026)
What each provider says it charges, from its own pricing page:
| Provider | Platform / subscription fee | Provider per-message fee | Meta's fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twilio | None listed (pay as you go) | $0.005 per message, inbound or outbound; $0.001 per failed message | Passed through to you |
| 360dialog | €49 (Regular), €99 (Premium) or €500 (Scale) per number per month | None listed | Added on top (“+ Meta WhatsApp Messaging Fees”) |
| Gupshup self-serve API | None listed | $0.001 per template or session message (incoming and outgoing), plus $0.000708 on non-MM Lite marketing messages | Billed at actuals |
| Gupshup CX platform | ₹5,000 or $100 a month (first 3 months free, limited-time offer) | ₹0.32 or $0.008 per message, incoming and outgoing (“conditions apply”) | Billed at actuals per Meta's rate card |
| Wati | Growth $69 / Pro $149 / Business $349 a month billed monthly ($59 / $119 / $279 billed annually); India ₹2,999 / ₹6,499 / ₹18,499 monthly | Template and service messages charged from Wati's rate card (see their pricing page) | |
| AiSensy | Free ₹0 (no broadcasting), Basic ₹1,500, Pro ₹3,200, Premium ₹9,100, Unlimited ₹45,000 a month billed monthly | India credits: Marketing ₹1.09; Utility, Authentication and Service ₹0.145 | |
| Interakt | See Interakt's pricing page | India credits by plan: Marketing ₹0.970 to ₹0.949; Utility ₹0.160 to ₹0.140 | |
| Mark360 | Free $0; Scale $19 a month billed quarterly; Scale+ $99; Enterprise custom; no setup fee | India final prices: Marketing ₹0.94; Utility ₹0.138 | |
Developer APIs (Twilio, 360dialog, Gupshup self-serve) show a smaller provider fee but give you no inbox, campaign builder or chatbot, so you build or buy those separately. No-code platforms bundle the software into the plan. Mark360's feature split is in the plan comparison.
Provider-by-provider pricing breakdown
Twilio WhatsApp pricing
Per Twilio's WhatsApp pricing page, Twilio charges a $0.005 message handling fee on every message, inbound or outbound, and passes Meta's template fees through. Failed messages cost $0.001, and its Engagement Suite (link tracking and scheduling) is $0.015 per message after 1,000 free a month. It's pay as you go with a free trial, and suits developers already building on Twilio. Compare in Mark360 vs Twilio.
360dialog pricing
360dialog's pricing page charges per phone number per month: €49 for Regular, €99 for Premium (adds inbox, send-out and automation add-ons) and €500 for Scale, each “+ Meta WhatsApp Messaging Fees”. It lists no per-message fee for its API plans, so the monthly number fee is the main cost to weigh. It fits developers and high-volume senders.
Gupshup pricing
Gupshup lists two products. The self-serve WhatsApp API costs $0.001 per message, template or session, incoming and outgoing, with WhatsApp fees billed at actuals and $0.000708 more on non-MM Lite marketing messages. The CX platform (India, global) adds campaigns, bots and a multi-agent inbox for ₹5,000 or $100 a month, plus ₹0.32 or $0.008 per message. See Mark360 vs Gupshup and our Gupshup alternatives.
Wati pricing
Wati's pricing page lists Growth, Pro and Business plans: $69, $149 and $349 a month billed monthly in USD, or ₹2,999, ₹6,499 and ₹18,499 in India, with up to about 25% off annually. Template and service messages are charged from Wati's rate card, and there's no setup fee. Extra numbers are $29 or ₹2,499 a month. More in Wati pricing in India and Mark360 vs Wati.
AiSensy pricing
AiSensy's pricing page has a free plan without broadcasting, then Basic ₹1,500, Pro ₹3,200, Premium ₹9,100 and Unlimited ₹45,000 a month billed monthly. India message credits are ₹1.09 per marketing and ₹0.145 per utility, authentication or service message. The chatbot builder (₹2,500 a month) and AI agent (₹1,350 a month) cost extra. Details: AiSensy pricing 2026, Mark360 vs AiSensy.
Interakt pricing
Interakt's country-wise rate table prices India marketing messages from ₹0.970 (Starter) to ₹0.949 (Advanced) and utility from ₹0.160 to ₹0.140. Plan fees vary by region and billing cycle, so check Interakt's pricing page. See Interakt pricing 2026.
Mark360 pricing
Mark360 publishes final prices on its pricing page: Free at $0, Scale at $19 a month billed quarterly, Scale+ at $99 a month and custom Enterprise, with 10% off annual billing and no setup fee. In India a marketing message is ₹0.94 and a utility message ₹0.138. Service replies above the free 1,000 are billed like utility. Credits are prepaid by UPI, card, net banking or bank transfer, and every message gets a ledger line with its category and unit price.
India per-message prices side by side
For teams messaging Indian numbers, these are the published per-message prices where a provider shows a final figure:
| Provider (India) | Marketing | Utility | Service (after 1,000 free) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark360 | ₹0.94 | ₹0.138 | Billed like utility |
| Interakt (Advanced) | ₹0.949 | ₹0.140 | ₹0.127 |
| Interakt (Starter) | ₹0.970 | ₹0.160 | ₹0.129 |
| AiSensy | ₹1.09 | ₹0.145 | ₹0.145 |
| Wati | See Wati's rate card | ||
| Twilio, 360dialog, Gupshup | Meta's India rate plus the provider fee above | ||
For a full India rate walkthrough, see WhatsApp Business API pricing in India (2026).
Worked example: 10,000 marketing messages to India
Message cost only, from each published price (plan fees and GST excluded):
| Provider | Calculation | Message cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mark360 | 10,000 × ₹0.94 | ₹9,400 |
| Interakt Advanced / Starter | 10,000 × ₹0.949 / ₹0.970 | ₹9,490 / ₹9,700 |
| AiSensy | 10,000 × ₹1.09 | ₹10,900 |
| Twilio | 10,000 × $0.005 | $50 + Meta's fees |
| Gupshup self-serve | 10,000 × ($0.001 + $0.000708) | $17.08 + Meta's fees |
| 360dialog | Flat number fee | €49+ a month + Meta's fees |
Replies matter too. Twilio and Gupshup charge their fee on incoming messages as well, so a campaign that sparks 2,000 replies adds 2,000 provider fees, plus service charges once a number passes its 1,000 free replies. Run your own volumes in the WhatsApp API pricing calculator.
Costs that don't show up in the per-message price
- Inbound and session fees: Twilio ($0.005) and Gupshup ($0.001, or ₹0.32 on CX) charge on incoming messages too.
- Per-number fees: 360dialog charges per number; Wati charges $29 or ₹2,499 a month for each extra number.
- Seats: Wati Pro adds $39 or ₹1,299 per extra user a month; AiSensy adds ₹750 per agent a month.
- Bots and AI: AiSensy's chatbot builder and AI agent are add-ons; Wati sells AI credits separately.
- Failed messages: Twilio bills $0.001 per failed message.
- Service replies: after 1,000 free per number each month, chatbot and agent replies are charged, so long bot flows cost more than short ones.
- Currency and tax: USD or EUR pricing moves with exchange rates and can add card FX charges, and Indian invoices add GST.
Which pricing model fits your team?
- You have developers and your own CRM or app: Twilio, 360dialog or Gupshup's self-serve API keep the provider fee small, but you build the inbox, opt-outs and reporting.
- Marketing and support teams without developers: choose a platform with campaigns, a shared team inbox and bots in the plan, then compare per-message prices for your main country.
- Mostly India traffic: compare final INR prices for marketing and utility, then add seats and add-ons.
- Support-heavy teams: model service replies after the free 1,000, and check whether the provider charges inbound messages.
Still choosing between the Cloud API, the Business app and a provider? Read Cloud API vs Business app vs BSP.
Run your numbers on Mark360
Mark360 is an Official Meta Business Partner based in Surat, India, trusted by 100+ businesses. Plans start free, and India messages are ₹0.94 for marketing and ₹0.138 for utility, with a ledger line for every message. Inbox, campaigns, bots and analytics sit behind the same login.
Estimate your monthly bill in the pricing calculator, compare plans on Mark360 pricing, or start a free trial.