Key takeaways:
- Since 1 October 2026, Meta charges for your replies inside the 24-hour window after the first 1,000 service messages per month per number.
- Extra replies are billed at the utility rate, about SAR 0.04 in Saudi Arabia under Meta’s current rate card, and utility templates inside an open window are now charged too.
- Messages customers send you are still free, and a marketing message now costs about SAR 0.22 after two increases in 2026.
“I used to reply to customers on WhatsApp for nothing. Why is there a charge for replies this month?” If your accountant is asking this, the reason is Meta’s 1 October 2026 update. Service messages, meaning your replies within 24 hours of the customer’s last message, are paid again after roughly two years without a fee. The first 1,000 per month per number still carry no charge.
Below: what changed, SAR examples for a salon, a store and a clinic, and ways to keep the bill down. For the full basics of WhatsApp pricing, see our WhatsApp API pricing guide for Saudi Arabia.
What changed in WhatsApp pricing on 1 October 2026?
Two main changes on the WhatsApp Business Platform:
- Service messages: no fee since November 2024. From 1 October 2026, each business number gets 1,000 delivered service messages per month at no charge. From message 1,001, each one is billed at the utility rate.
- Utility templates in an open window: no fee since July 2025. Now they are billed at the published rate, even when the customer is in an open chat with you.
On the same date Meta updated rates for a number of countries. In Saudi Arabia, the marketing rate went up on 1 April 2026 and again on 1 October 2026.
How much is a WhatsApp message in Saudi Arabia now?
Under Meta’s current rate card for Saudi Arabia from 1 October 2026 (approximate SAR):
| Message type | Approx. rate | When it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | SAR 0.22 (0.2159) | Every delivered message |
| Utility (order confirmation, shipping, reminders) | SAR 0.04 (0.0401) | Every delivered message, even inside an open window |
| Authentication (OTP codes) | About SAR 0.04 | Every delivered message |
| Service (your free-form reply within 24h) | SAR 0.04 at the utility rate | After the first 1,000 per month per number |
| Customer’s message to you | No fee | Never charged |
Meta only bills delivered messages. It only changes rates on the first day of a quarter (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October) and announces rate card updates at least one month ahead.
How do the first 1,000 service messages work?
A few details make a real difference to the bill:
- The allowance is per business phone number, not per account. Two numbers get 1,000 each.
- It resets monthly, and unused messages do not roll over.
- Only delivered messages count.
- Every message counts on its own: answering one question with three short messages uses three.
What happens if you have no payment method on file?
Many businesses miss this. According to Meta’s documentation, without a payment method Meta delivers service messages within the first 1,000, but does not deliver the ones after that. Customers could be left without replies mid-month and you might not notice.
The fix is simple: make sure your Meta account has an active payment method before you reach the limit. Meta bills its fees to you directly.
What will you actually pay? Examples in SAR
Three businesses of different sizes, using Meta’s current Saudi rate card:
| Business | Monthly messages | Calculation | Meta fees (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salon, one number | 700 service replies + 400 appointment reminders | Replies within the first 1,000; reminders 400 × 0.0401 | SAR 16 |
| Online store, one number | 4,000 service replies + 2,500 order and shipping updates + 2,000 marketing | 3,000 × 0.0401 + 2,500 × 0.0401 + 2,000 × 0.2159 | SAR 652 |
| Clinic, two numbers | Number one 1,800 replies, number two 600 | 800 × 0.0401 on number one; number two within 1,000 | SAR 32 |
For the store, the new cost from the October update is the extra replies: about SAR 120 a month that had no fee before. Notice that marketing is the biggest part of the bill, at roughly five times the rate of the other types.
For the clinic, if all 2,400 replies came from one number, fees would be about 1,400 × 0.0401 = SAR 56. Check your own case in the WhatsApp cost calculator.
How can you lower your WhatsApp bill after the update?
- Answer in one clear message instead of several short ones, since each message counts.
- Drop the automatic “we got your message” reply if the real answer comes fast; it is an extra billed message.
- Use Click-to-WhatsApp ads for new customers: replying within 24 hours opens a free entry point window where marketing, utility, authentication and service messages are not charged. See our Click-to-WhatsApp ads guide.
- Clean your marketing list and send only to interested customers, since marketing is the priciest type.
- Review your order and shipping templates. Is every message needed? Read order confirmation and shipping messages.
- Track service messages per number during the month, and add a payment method before you hit the limit.
Will prices change again soon?
Meta can only change rates on the first day of a quarter, so the next possible date is 1 January 2027. We do not yet know whether Saudi rates will change then, and we will update this article when Meta publishes a new rate card.
How Watsio helps
Watsio runs on Meta’s official Cloud API, and Meta bills its message fees to you directly at its own rates, with zero margin from Watsio. Your Watsio subscription is separate, fixed, and priced per account, not per employee. AI assistant replies are included in your plan, so there is no extra AI cost, while Meta’s normal message fees still apply. Plans start at SAR 79 per month before VAT, and you can estimate your Meta fees in advance with the calculator. See plan details on the pricing page.
Related reading: WhatsApp message templates guide and Meta Business Agent token pricing. You can also see Watsio plans and pricing and try it free for 14 days, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is replying to customers on WhatsApp still free of charge?
On the WhatsApp Business Platform, not entirely, since 1 October 2026. The first 1,000 service messages per month per number carry no fee; after that each one is billed at the utility rate.
How much is a service message in Saudi Arabia after October 2026?
About SAR 0.04 per message after the first 1,000 each month, under Meta’s current Saudi rate card.
Is the 1,000 allowance per account or per number?
Per business phone number. It resets every month, and unused messages do not carry over.
Am I charged for messages customers send me?
No. Inbound customer messages are never charged. Fees apply only to messages you send that are delivered.
When could WhatsApp prices change again?
Meta only changes rates on the first day of a quarter, so the next possible date is 1 January 2027, with at least one month’s notice for rate card updates.
Sources
Last updated: November 2026 · Watsio team.
