Most Indian businesses that ask "what does the WhatsApp Business API cost?" are really asking two questions. Your total bill has two separate parts, and mixing them up is the most common reason quotes look confusing.
1. The platform fee (what you pay your provider)
The WhatsApp Business API is not an app you download. You use it through a platform such as Relay, which gives you the shared inbox, templates, campaigns, automation and reports on top of Meta's API. This part is usually a monthly plan, and it depends on how many team members and features you need. Relay's current plans are listed at the bottom of this page, with live prices.
2. Meta's message charges (what WhatsApp charges per message)
Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, charges for messages that your business starts. These are sent as pre-approved templates, and the rate depends on the template's category and the customer's country.
| Message type | Who starts it | Is it charged by Meta? |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing template (offers, promotions, announcements) | Your business | Yes, highest rate |
| Utility template (order updates, payment reminders, booking confirmations) | Your business | Yes, lower than marketing |
| Authentication template (OTP / login codes) | Your business | Yes |
| Reply to a customer message, within 24 hours | Customer | Free |
How Relay handles message charges
In Relay, message charges are taken from a prepaid wallet. You top up with Razorpay (UPI, cards, netbanking), every message deducts its charge, and the wallet statement shows each debit by category. Before a bulk campaign is sent, you see the total cost for the whole list. If the wallet runs out, the campaign pauses instead of failing silently, and a message that does not get delivered is refunded to the wallet.
A simple way to estimate your monthly cost
- Platform plan: choose the plan with the team size and features you need.
- Marketing messages: number of promotional messages per month × the marketing rate.
- Utility messages: order, booking and payment updates per month × the utility rate.
- Customer replies: free inside the 24-hour window, so a good auto-reply and a fast team keep this part at zero.
Because replies are free, a business that mostly responds to inbound leads (for example from Click-to-WhatsApp ads) pays far less in message charges than one that mostly sends broadcasts.
Ways to keep the bill low
- Send marketing only to people who opted in. Relay skips anyone who replied STOP.
- Use utility templates for genuine updates instead of marketing templates.
- Reply inside 24 hours using quick replies, auto-replies or the AI bot, so you are never forced to pay for a template just to restart a chat.
- Check the Reports page for message spend by category.
Do I need a separate business verification?
Yes. Meta needs your business account verified before you can message at scale. It takes a few days and is free. Relay's setup checklist walks you through connecting your number.
Frequently asked questions
Is the WhatsApp Business API free?
Connecting to it is not free. You pay a platform plan to the provider you use, plus Meta's charge for business-started template messages. Replies to a customer inside 24 hours of their message are free.
Who charges for WhatsApp messages in India?
Meta charges for business-started template messages. The rate depends on the template category (marketing, utility or authentication) and the country. Check Meta's official pricing page for the current rate.
How do I pay for messages in Relay?
You keep a prepaid wallet in Relay and top it up through Razorpay. Each message deducts its charge, and every debit is listed in your wallet statement.
Is there a free trial?
Contact us on WhatsApp to ask about a trial or demo for your business before choosing a plan.
Do I get a GST invoice?
Yes. Relay can generate GST invoices for plan payments and wallet top-ups once you add your billing details.