Model of WhatsApp Business API Pricing in the UAE in 2023

May 02, 2023 4 min read

Do you want to know how much WhatsApp Business costs? Or are you wondering about WhatsApp business API pricing in the UAE in 2023?

WhatsApp had nearly $900 million in revenue in 2022. Due to its popularity worldwide, especially in the United Arab Emirates, several established and emerging companies have successfully integrated their applicable customer retention, marketing, and sales functions.

But if you are yet to start integrating the WhatsApp API in the UAE, calculating the cost of the API may be tricky for you. The total price is a combination of several costs spent on different aspects of the WhatsApp API. This blog post discusses the current UAE WhatsApp Business API pricing model , the additional costs incurred, and all the essential factors you need to consider. Let's proceed.

What is the WhatsApp Business API?

The WhatsApp Business API is an app programming interface that allows businesses to receive and respond to unlimited WhatsApp messages seamlessly. Launched by Facebook in August 2018, it provides medium and large businesses with customized solutions for increasing customer engagement via WhatsApp. One can customize it for businesses to improve communication, marketing, and sales effectively.

Is WhatsApp's business API free?

While the WhatsApp Business app is entirely free, the WhatsApp Business API is not. The WhatsApp API is an interface, so you need another CRM to contact your customers. Simply put, a business needs a dashboard provided by a third-party WhatsApp business provider to use all the features provided by the WhatsApp business API.

What is the cost of the WhatsApp Business API?

The pricing of the WhatsApp Business platform has evolved since its launch. Until 2021, the WhatsApp Business API calculated the cost for each notification. However, starting in February 2022, WhatsApp API pricing will now be based on conversations. You will be billed for the entire conversation instead of individual notifications.

WhatsApp Business charges you for a 24-hour conversation once. So, you can converse with your customers for 24 hours, but you need to pay after that. In short, it gives you an extended 24-hour window to exchange several messages.

How does the cost of the WhatsApp Business API get calculated?

As mentioned earlier, the WhatsApp business API charges you once per 24-hour conversation. It offers you a 24-hour window to engage with customers and solve their issues.

However, the resolution of issues may take longer than the 24-hour window. And in that case, additional charges for business calls will be incurred.

Another thing you should know is that the pricing of the WhatsApp API differs from country to country. It means a user living in Singapore will be paying a different amount than a user in Indonesia.

WhatsApp API conversation rates explained

To ensure a quick response and a seamless conversation experience, the WhatsApp API pricing model depends on a 24-hour customer support window. There are two categories with different prices.

Business-initiated conversations

These are messages that businesses send to customers outside of their 24-hour customer service window. But this conversation can only begin using a pre-approved message template.

User-initiated conversations

User-initiated conversations (service conversations) occur when a customer sends their first message. Those charges become applicable when the business answers the user within the 24-hour customer service window.

Which new regulations will start in 2023 for the WhatsApp API?

Beginning March 1, 2023, businesses will no longer get charged for conversations initiated by users via call-to-action buttons on Facebook and click-to-whatsapp ads.

Additionally, when a customer sends a message through these free access points, the 24-hour customer service window gets extended to 72 hours.

All messages sent during this window are complimentary, including WhatsApp template messages.