Meta revamps WhatsApp Business pricing with token-based AI model, restores service message charges

Meta is overhauling the pricing structure of the WhatsApp Business Platform, introducing a token-based billing model for its AI-powered Meta Business Agent while bringing back charges for certain business messages as it looks to expand monetisation of the messaging platform.Effective August 1, 2026, businesses using Meta Business Agent will be charged based on the number of AI tokens consumed during customer interactions instead of the existing per-message pricing model. The change reflects Meta's broader strategy of monetising enterprise AI services as businesses increasingly rely on automated customer support.Meta Business Agent, which became globally available last month, enables businesses to deploy AI assistants capable of handling customer queries, capturing leads, recommending products, booking appointments and providing round-the-clock support.Under the revised pricing model, Meta will charge $2 per million tokens globally. According to the company, a typical interaction consumes between 20,000 and 25,000 tokens, translating to an estimated cost of 4–5 cents per customer interaction. Simpler conversations will consume fewer tokens, while more complex requests will incur higher costs.Unlike businesses using third-party AI providers, which often pay separately for AI processing and message delivery, Meta said its pricing combines both into a single charge for interactions handled by Meta Business Agent.Also read: Govt asks Meta to pause WhatsApp Usernames rollout in India; company says feature is not yet liveThe company is also set to reintroduce fees for non-template service messages beginning October 1, 2026, nearly two years after waiving those charges.Any non-template message sent outside Meta Business Agent will now be classified as a service message and billed at rates similar to utility and authentication messages. Pricing will continue to vary across markets. In India, utility and authentication messages are currently priced at Rs 0.115 per message, with discounted rates available for high-volume businesses.The move follows WhatsApp's transition to a per-message pricing model in July 2025, replacing its earlier conversation-based billing system. At the time, Meta had waived charges for utility messages sent within a 24-hour customer service window. Those exemptions will end when the revised pricing takes effect in October.With an estimated 850 million users, India is WhatsApp's largest market globally and has become one of the company's biggest contributors to business messaging revenue. Industry estimates suggest India generates more than $1 billion annually for WhatsApp through business messaging services.