The rates quoted in this article are those of the Meta rate card on that date. Meta changes it and gives a month's notice: this article stays the reference point for its period and is not updated.
See the current rate card in the calculator →The WhatsApp Business Platform is establishing itself as the strategic channel for marketing, customer support and even the transactional experience.
Since its launch, the WhatsApp Business Platform has become a strategic building block in digital customer journeys. But to use the channel well, you need to understand how messages are billed (particularly in Switzerland) and how that pricing will change from 2025.
Per-conversation pricing
Since November 2024, WhatsApp bills its services on a 24-hour window called a conversation. A conversation opens when a template message is delivered, or when a user starts the dialogue. It is classified in one of four pricing categories:
- Service conversations: initiated by the user, covering support requests or post-purchase information. Since 1 November 2024 they have been free for all businesses, including with AI-based conversational experiences.
- Marketing conversations: initiated by the business, covering promotional offers, product recommendations or any message aimed at engaging the customer proactively.
- Utility conversations: messages about specific transactions, such as order confirmations, shipping updates or appointment reminders.
- Authentication conversations: one-time codes to verify identity during logins or sensitive transactions.
| Type | Trigger | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Customer → Business | Support, replying to a request, FAQs |
| Marketing | Business → Customer | Promotions, newsletters, product recommendations |
| Utility | Business → Customer | Order confirmation, appointment reminder |
| Authentication | Business → Customer | Sending a security code or OTP |
The free cases
- Service conversations are 100% free, even with an AI agent or a chatbot.
- Conversations started from a click-to-WhatsApp ad get a free 72-hour window, whatever the message type.
- The first 1,000 service conversations each month are also free, including via the API.
WhatsApp Business API rates in Switzerland
| Conversation type | Rate per 24-hour session (March 2025) |
|---|---|
| Service | Free |
| Marketing | CHF 0.05 |
| Utility | CHF 0.03 |
| Authentication | CHF 0.04 |
Source: WhatsApp Business Platform Pricing, March 2025.
Per-message pricing from 2025
From 1 July 2025, WhatsApp adopts a new pricing approach known as "per-message pricing", which applies to template messages sent outside a service conversation.
| Message concerned | Billed in 2025? |
|---|---|
| Marketing template | Yes |
| Utility template, outside a service window | Yes |
| Authentication template | Yes |
| Standard message inside the window | No, free |
| Utility template inside the service window | No, free |
Always free: replies within 24 hours of a user message, and messages from click-to-chat within 72 hours of the click.
Why this matters for your ROI
- Zero-cost customer support: automate customer care (FAQs, tracking) at no charge thanks to free service messages.
- Profitable conversational marketing: the cost per conversation is lower than a Google Ads click or an SMS, with an open rate above 90%.
- Flexibility and personalisation: product catalogue, action buttons, payments built in via TWINT, AI.
How to optimise your campaigns and your costs
1. Make the most of free messages
- Automate as much customer service as possible: it is free and it improves satisfaction.
- Run click-to-WhatsApp campaigns: they open a free multi-purpose window for 72 hours.
2. Manage your templates strategically
- Consolidate your marketing messages to avoid opening several billable windows.
- Cut pointless reminders: every template will count.
3. Measure your performance
- A WhatsApp message costs on average less than a Google click or an SMS, for an open rate above 80%.
- Use tracking and attribution tools to work out your cost per conversational conversion.
By building the WhatsApp Business Platform into your communication strategy while accounting for its pricing structure, you can offer a better customer experience while keeping your operating costs under control.
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