WhatsApp Business broadcast cost: free or paid, and what each send costs
A guide for teams that sell or publish to thousands of contacts and need the real cost of each send in the app, on the API or in groups.
How it works in practice
Direct answer: The classic WhatsApp Business broadcast list sends the same message to up to 256 contacts per list and only reaches people who saved your number. In some countries the app is replacing that model with business broadcasts, which include a monthly allowance of free messages and paid credits after it. On the official API, Meta charges per delivered message, based on the category and the recipient's country. Messages sent in groups have no per-message fee.
In short:
- Classic list: up to 256 contacts per list, only people who saved your number.
- Business broadcasts in the app: a free monthly allowance, then paid credits, depending on the country.
- API: a fee per delivered message; groups have no per-message fee.
Are WhatsApp Business broadcasts free or paid?
It depends on the feature and the country. There are now three ways to send the same message to many contacts from a business number, and each has different cost rules.
| Feature | Reach | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Classic broadcast list | Up to 256 contacts per list; only people who saved your number receive it | No per-message fee where the old model still applies |
| Business broadcasts in the app | Chosen contacts, including people who did not save your number, in countries where the feature is live | Free monthly allowance, then paid credits; the app shows the balance and price |
| WhatsApp Business API | Contacts who opted in, with no 256 list | Meta fee per delivered message, by category and country |
| WhatsApp group | Up to 1,024 members per group, people who joined through the link | No per-message fee |
Business broadcasts are described on the WhatsApp Business features page as available to eligible users in select countries. The free allowance and the credit price vary by country and are shown in the app, so check the counter before planning a campaign.
What a message costs on the WhatsApp Business API
On the API, Meta charges per delivered message, not per sent message. The rate depends on two factors: the message template category (marketing, utility or authentication) and the country calling code of the recipient. The current table is in Meta's pricing documentation.
- Marketing: offers, launches and sale reminders. This is the category used for broadcast campaigns.
- Utility: order, delivery and account updates.
- Authentication: verification codes.
- Replies: messages from customers to the business are not charged.
On top of Meta's fee, businesses that use the API through a provider pay that provider's plan. That is why the cost per contact in a recurring campaign can end up well above what the first message suggests.
Cost per send calculator
Enter your own numbers. Prices are not prefilled: copy the credit price shown in the app and the marketing rate for your country from Meta's table.
Formula only, using the values you enter. Check Meta's rate and the credit price on the day you send, because they change by country and over time.
When a group costs less than a list
For recurring content (daily offers, class reminders, news), a group is usually the option with no per-message cost: people who want it join through the link, and one message reaches up to 1,024 members. The weak point is moderation: in an open group, members can post third-party links, and the admin has to track joins and departures.
- Close the group to messages if it is announcements only, or use link filters if members can talk.
- Use several identical groups when the audience passes 1,024 and schedule the same message for all of them. See how to message several groups.
- Organise by topic in a community if people want to choose what they receive: WhatsApp Business community.
A list still makes sense for individual messages, such as payment reminders to customers who saved your number. The limits of each format are in WhatsApp broadcast list.
Best practices to keep your number safe
- Only message people who asked. Mass messages to people who did not ask lead to reports and can restrict the number. See suspended or banned group.
- Make leaving easy: on a list, "reply STOP"; in a group, the built-in exit option.
- Measure before you pay: compare replies and sales per send before buying credits for the whole month.
- Schedule instead of sending by hand when the same content goes to several groups: how to schedule messages.
Are broadcast lists paid now?
No. The regular broadcast list is still free. What is paid is a different feature, business broadcasts in the WhatsApp Business app. According to the Help Center, they are charged per message delivered within five days, priced by each recipient's country code, with rate cards in currencies such as BRL, MXN, EUR and USD. The total appears in the app before checkout, and the feature is only available in some countries.
| Feature | Cost | Who receives it |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast list | Free | Only people who saved your number, up to 256 contacts per list |
| Business broadcast | Paid per delivered message | Contacts chosen in the Business app |
| API (Business Platform) | Paid per message, per Meta's rate card | People who opted in to the business's messages |
For notices to members already in a group, group messages carry no per message charge.
Read also
FAQ
Is the WhatsApp Business broadcast list paid?
How many contacts fit in a broadcast list?
How much does a WhatsApp API message cost?
Do WhatsApp group messages cost anything?
How do I calculate the cost of a WhatsApp campaign?
Can I send a broadcast list on WhatsApp Business for free?
Who receives a broadcast list?
How is the business broadcast price calculated?
