Simple, Transparent Pricing Breakdown for 2026
Meta's 2026 rates are charged per delivered message. Chat Mitra adds one flat ₹0.20 per 24-hour conversation, however many messages that window carries.
Marketing Messages
Promotional offers, product announcements, sales campaigns
Utility Messages
Order confirmations, delivery updates, payment receipts
Authentication
OTP verification, login confirmations, security alerts
Customer Support
Replying to inquiries, support conversations
How the two charges add up
The four totals above are worked for exactly one delivered message (N = 1). They are not a flat per-conversation price, because the two charges are billed in different units.
Cost of a 24-hour window = (N × Meta's per-message rate) + ₹0.20
N is the number of billable messages Meta delivers inside that window, and Meta charges for every one of them. Chat Mitra's ₹0.20 is charged once, when the window opens, and never again for the messages that follow — so a second marketing message in the same window adds ₹0.86, not ₹1.06.
Understanding WhatsApp Business API Billing
Meta bills per delivered message: since 1 July 2025 Meta charges for every template message it delivers, priced by the template's category. Per-conversation pricing ended on that date, so ten template messages inside one 24-hour window are ten Meta charges.
Chat Mitra bills per conversation: one ₹0.20 credit covers a 24-hour conversation window with a customer. The window opens on the first message in either direction, the credit is charged once, and no further credit is charged for the messages that follow inside it.
Service Window: When a customer messages you first, you have 24 hours to respond with free-form messages. Meta gives the first 1,000 of these service messages free every month; after that, each one costs ₹0.115. Chat Mitra's ₹0.20 fee applies per conversation.
Template Messages: Outside the 24-hour window or for proactive outreach, you must use pre-approved templates, which are charged based on category.
Transparent Pricing: Chat Mitra's flat ₹0.20 is charged once per 24-hour conversation, whatever Meta charges for the messages inside it. The two units stay separate on your bill, so you can always see which charge is whose.
Cost Optimization Strategies for 2026
Use the Service Window Well
Respond to customer inquiries within 24 hours to avoid template charges. Your first 1,000 service messages each month are free, so send one clear reply instead of several short ones.
Use Utility Templates
For transactional messages, use utility templates (Meta ₹0.11 per message) instead of marketing (Meta ₹0.86 per message) when appropriate.
Consolidate Messages
Combine multiple pieces of information into single messages. Meta bills per delivered message, so fewer messages means fewer Meta charges inside the same ₹0.20 conversation.
Targeted Marketing
Send marketing messages only to engaged audiences to improve ROI and reduce waste.
