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Checked 20 October 2026

WhatsApp API pricing: Business Solution Provider (BSP) software fees compared

A WhatsApp BSP charges its own fee on top of Meta's per-message fees. Unecast, a verified Meta Tech Provider, starts at $29 per month with zero markup on Meta's fees. Here is how that compares with Twilio, Respond.io, Wati and AiSensy, and what Meta changed on 1 October 2026.

In short: your bill is Meta's per-message fee, plus your provider's fee, plus extras. Meta's part is identical on every provider, so the provider fee and what it includes is what you are really comparing.

The three cost layers

Your WhatsApp cost is Meta fees plus a provider fee plus extrasMeta feesper message, by category and country+Provider feesubscription or per-message+ExtrasAI replies, numbers, extra users
The three layers of a WhatsApp Business API bill.
  • Meta fees. Charged per delivered message, by category (marketing, utility, authentication, service) and by the recipient's country. See Meta pricing documentation.
  • Provider fee. A subscription (Unecast, Respond.io, Wati, AiSensy) or a handling fee per message (Twilio).
  • Extras. AI replies, additional WhatsApp numbers, extra users, calling and add-ons.

BSP software fees compared

Figures come from each provider's public pricing page on 20 October 2026. Providers change prices, so confirm before you buy.

Monthly provider fee by plan, in US dollarsUnecast plans cost 29, 49 and 99 dollars a month. Respond.io plans cost 79, 159 and 279 dollars a month.Unecast Starter$29Unecast Growth$49Unecast Scale$99Respond.io Starter$79Respond.io Growth$159Respond.io Advanced$279
Monthly list prices in US dollars from each provider's public pricing page, 20 October 2026. Plans differ in seats, contacts and features, so compare inclusions before price. Meta fees are extra on every plan.
ProviderProvider feeBilling modelNotes
UnecastStarter $29, Growth $49, Scale $99 per month ($24, $41, $82 billed yearly). Enterprise: custom quote.Monthly subscription, no per-message platform feeZero markup on Meta fees. Shared inbox, AI agent and website chat widget included. WhatsApp calling on Growth and above. Extra number $15 per month, extra user $10 per month. LKR billing available. Unecast pricing
Twilio$0.005 per message, inbound and outboundPay as you goMeta fees added on top. $0.001 per failed message. WhatsApp calling adds $0.005 per minute plus Meta fees. An API, so inbox and CRM are built or bought separately. twilio.com/whatsapp/pricing
Respond.ioStarter $79, Growth $159, Advanced $279 per monthMonthly subscription based on contactsEnterprise is a custom quote. Free 7-day trial. respond.io/pricing
WatiGrowth, Pro and Business plans. Extra users $24 per month (Pro), $69 per month (Business)Monthly or annual subscription, plus message fees from the Wati rate cardPlan prices are on its pricing page. wati.io/pricing
AiSensyPlans from around INR 1,500 per month. AI Agent Builder INR 1,350 per month, chatbot builder INR 2,500 per monthMonthly, quarterly or yearly subscriptionPriced in Indian rupees. Meta charges are drawn from prepaid credits. aisensy.com/pricing

Wati and AiSensy are left out of the charts because their plan prices are not published in comparable US dollar terms on the pages we checked.

Worked example: 10,000 utility messages a month in Sri Lanka

Meta's utility rate for Sri Lanka is about $0.0020 per message, so Meta's part is about $20 on any provider. Twilio's $0.005 handling fee adds about $50 on outbound messages alone, for roughly $70, before inbound replies and before you add an inbox. Unecast Starter is $29 a month, about $49 in total, with the shared inbox and AI agent included. Respond.io Starter is $79 a month, about $99 in total. Your numbers will differ with volume, category and country.

Monthly cost of 10,000 utility messages in Sri Lanka by providerUnecast Starter totals 49 dollars, Twilio 70 dollars and Respond.io Starter 99 dollars, of which 20 dollars is Meta fees for each.Unecast Starter$49Twilio$70Respond.io Starter$99Provider feeMeta fee ($20, the same for every provider)
10,000 utility messages a month to Sri Lanka at Meta's rate of about $0.0020. Twilio is counted on outbound messages only, so its real total is higher once inbound messages are added. Plan prices checked 20 October 2026.

What Meta changed on 1 October 2026

  • Service messages beyond the first 1,000 a month per business number are now charged.
  • Utility messages sent inside an open 24-hour customer service window are now charged. They had been free since 1 July 2025.
  • Meta updated 40 rates and moved nine markets, including Kuwait, Morocco and Oman, from regional to standalone rates.
  • Authentication-international rates now apply to up to 18 markets.

Meta changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October, with at least a month's notice. Source: Meta pricing documentation.

Which WhatsApp messages are free

  • Messages from your customers to your business.
  • The first 1,000 service messages a month per business phone number.
  • Replies inside a free entry point window, which opens when a customer messages you from a Click to WhatsApp ad and lasts up to 7 days.

Meta fees for ten large markets

Meta list rates in US dollars per message, effective 1 October 2026. Unecast passes these through at zero markup. The full table for every supported market is in the Meta fees section of the WhatsApp Business API guide.

Country or regionMarketingUtilityAuthenticationAuthentication from abroadOutgoing calls per minute
Sri LankaUS$0.0732US$0.002US$0.002US$0.144US$0.0114
IndiaUS$0.0118US$0.0014US$0.0014US$0.0304US$0.0053
United Arab EmiratesUS$0.0576US$0.0157US$0.0157US$0.051US$0.0127
Saudi ArabiaUS$0.0576US$0.0107US$0.0107US$0.0598US$0.0127
United KingdomUS$0.0635US$0.022US$0.022-US$0.0099
United States and CanadaUS$0.025US$0.0034US$0.0034-US$0.0121
IndonesiaUS$0.0411US$0.025US$0.025US$0.136US$0.0242
BrazilUS$0.0625US$0.0068US$0.0068-US$0.0108
SingaporeUS$0.0732US$0.016US$0.016-US$0.0114
MexicoUS$0.0397US$0.0085US$0.0085-US$0.0094

Choosing a BSP: seven questions to ask

  1. Is there any markup on Meta's fees, and is it shown on the invoice?
  2. Is pricing per seat, per contact, per message or flat?
  3. What do extra numbers, users and AI replies cost?
  4. Is WhatsApp calling included, and at what rate?
  5. Does your business own its WhatsApp Business Account, so you can leave without losing your number?
  6. Is the provider a verified Meta Tech Provider? See why that matters.
  7. Can you pay in your own currency?
Best fitProvider
Teams that want inbox, AI agent and API at a flat monthly priceUnecast
Developers building their own messaging stackTwilio
Larger multi-channel support and sales teamsRespond.io
Teams that want a shared inbox with per-user pricingWati
Businesses billing in Indian rupeesAiSensy

More guides: Twilio alternative, Wati alternative, all comparisons and WhatsApp Business API by country.

Frequently asked questions

What is a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP)?

A BSP is a company approved by Meta to give businesses access to the official WhatsApp Business Platform and usually adds software such as a shared inbox, broadcasts and chatbots. Meta's current term for the role is Tech Provider. Unecast is a verified Meta Tech Provider.

What do WhatsApp BSPs charge?

Two main things. Meta's per-message fees, which are the same whichever provider you use, and the provider's own fee. The provider fee is a monthly subscription (Unecast, Respond.io, Wati, AiSensy) or a per-message handling fee (Twilio, $0.005 per message). Some plans add extras such as AI replies, extra numbers or extra users.

Is the WhatsApp Business API free?

No. The WhatsApp Business app is free, but the API charges Meta's per-message fees for template messages, and most providers charge a platform fee on top. Messages from customers to your business are not charged by Meta.

What changed in WhatsApp pricing on 1 October 2026?

Per Meta, service messages beyond the first 1,000 a month per number are now charged, and utility messages sent inside an open 24-hour customer service window are now charged too. Meta also updated 40 rates that day. Meta changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October.

Which WhatsApp messages are free?

Messages from users to your business, the first 1,000 service messages a month per business number, and replies inside a free entry point window, which opens when a customer messages you from a Click to WhatsApp ad and lasts up to 7 days, per Meta.

How much does Unecast cost?

Unecast plans start at $29 per month (Starter), with Growth at $49 and Scale at $99, or $24, $41 and $82 per month billed yearly. Enterprise is a custom quote. Meta fees are billed at Meta's published rates with zero markup.

Does Unecast mark up Meta's fees?

No. Meta's fees are billed at Meta's published rates with no Unecast markup.

Where can I see Meta's rates for my country?

Meta's rates for every supported market are in the Meta fees table of the WhatsApp Business API guide, refreshed weekly from Meta's published rate card, and the ten largest markets are listed below.

Sources and how to cite this page

Prices checked 20 October 2026. If you reference this comparison, please link to https://www.unecast.com/whatsapp-bsp-pricing. We review it whenever Meta or the providers change prices.

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