📢 WhatsApp Broadcast vs Groups: Which is Better for Your Business?
Sumit Singh
Understanding WhatsApp API Pricing in India 2026
WhatsApp Business API pricing confuses most business owners — and for good reason. There are multiple pricing components, different conversation categories, and rates that change by region. This guide breaks down exactly what you will pay as an Indian business.
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The Two Cost Components
WhatsApp API pricing has two separate parts. Most providers only tell you about one.
1. Platform Fee (Chatofy Subscription)
This is what you pay the platform provider for the software, dashboard, shared inbox, chatbot builder, and analytics.
| Chatofy Plan | Monthly Price | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | Rs.999 | 1 team member, 40K messages/mo |
| Growth | Rs.1,699 | 5 team members, 50K messages/mo |
| Pro | Rs.2,999 | 15 team members, 5,00,000 messages/mo, AI agents |
| Business | Rs.4,499 | Unlimited team members, unlimited messages, API access |
2. Conversation Charges (Meta/WhatsApp)
These are what Meta charges per 24-hour conversation session. Chatofy charges these at cost — zero markup.
WhatsApp Conversation Rates for India 2026
| Category | Rate per Conversation | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Rs.0.8631 | Promotions, offers, re-engagement campaigns |
| Utility | Rs.0.115 | Order confirmations, shipping updates, billing alerts |
| Authentication | Rs.0.115 | OTPs, login codes, 2FA verification |
| Service | Rs.0.00 (Free) | Customer replies — first 24 hours |
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What is a Conversation?
A conversation is a 24-hour window of back-and-forth messages, NOT a single message.
Example:
- You send a promotional offer -> Marketing conversation starts -> Rs.0.8631
- Customer replies with questions (same 24-hour window) -> Rs.0
- You send 10 more messages within that 24 hours (same conversation) -> Rs.0
- After 24 hours, a new conversation starts -> Rs.0.8631
So Rs.0.8631 covers ALL messages to one customer in a full 24-hour window.
Monthly Cost Projection by Volume
| Your Volume | Chatofy Plan | Meta Charges | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (1K marketing, 2K utility) | Growth Rs.1,699 | Rs.1,093 | Rs.2,792 |
| Small (2K marketing, 5K utility) | Growth Rs.1,699 | Rs.2,301 | Rs.4,000 |
| Medium (10K marketing, 20K utility) | Pro Rs.2,999 | Rs.10,931 | Rs.13,930 |
| Large (50K marketing, 100K utility) | Business Rs.4,499 | Rs.54,655 | Rs.59,154 |
| Enterprise (200K marketing, 500K utility) | Custom | Rs.230,000 | Custom |
Chatofy vs Competitors: Pricing Comparison
| Provider | Platform Fee | Markup on Meta Rates | Hidden Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatofy | Rs.2,999/mo | 0% (at cost) | None |
| Twilio | $95/mo (Rs.7,900) | 0% but higher base rates | Per-seat fees |
| WATI | $49/mo (Rs.4,100) | 15% | Setup fees |
| Interakt | Rs.2,999/mo | 10% | Template fees |
| MessageBird | $65/mo (Rs.5,400) | 20% | Volume commitments |
Most Indian WhatsApp API providers add 10-25% markup on Meta conversation charges. Chatofy does not.
Hidden Costs Competitors Dont Tell You
| Provider (100K conversations) | You Pay |
|---|---|
| Meta actual rate | Rs.86,310 |
| Provider with 10% markup | Rs.94,941 |
| Provider with 20% markup | Rs.1,03,572 |
| Chatofy (zero markup) | Rs.86,310 |
You save Rs.17,262 per 100K marketing conversations with Chatofy.
The Free Service Conversations
Every conversation that a customer starts is a Service conversation. The first 24 hours of replies are completely free. The first 1,000 Service conversations each month are free globally.
For support-heavy businesses (e-commerce, clinics, real estate), Service conversations cover 60-80% of total usage — meaning most of your communication is free.
How to Reduce Your WhatsApp Costs
- Categorize messages correctly — Utility costs 7x less than Marketing
- Use Service conversations — encourage customers to message you first
- Batch marketing messages — send all promos in one 24-hour window
- Clean your contact list — remove inactive numbers
- Choose a zero-markup provider — like Chatofy
Start with Full Cost Transparency
Most providers hide their markup. Chatofy shows you exactly what Meta charges.
Check our pricing page for the latest rates or book a call and we will calculate your exact monthly cost.
