WhatsApp Business API pricing in India explained (no markups, no fine print)

WhatsApp Business API pricing is the single most confusing part of the whole ecosystem, and it's where most businesses overpay without realising. This article breaks down every component of a WhatsApp bill so you can read any provider's quote and know exactly what you're paying for.

Component 1: Meta's conversation rate

Meta charges per conversation — a 24-hour window that opens when you send a business-initiated template message to a customer. In India, the rates are roughly: marketing conversations ₹1.09, utility conversations ₹0.145, and authentication (OTP) conversations ₹0.145. Service conversations (where the customer messages you first) are free within the window.

These rates are set by Meta and are the same regardless of which BSP you use. If a provider quotes you a per-message price much higher than these numbers, the difference is their markup — not a Meta cost.

Component 2: the BSP platform fee

Your Business Solution Provider charges for the software layer — the dashboard, the inbox, the campaign tools, the API access. This is where the market diverges wildly. Common models: a percentage markup on Meta's rate (often 20–40%), per-message credits sold in opaque bundles, or a flat per-message fee.

The flat, transparent model is what we use at AiConva: Meta's exact rate passed through at cost, plus ₹0.10 per message, plus 18% GST. You can predict your bill to the rupee before you send. The markup and credit models are designed to be hard to compare — which is usually a sign you're overpaying.

Component 3: GST

The platform fee attracts 18% GST in India. Meta's conversation charge is billed through Meta and handled separately, but the BSP fee is a domestic service and is GST-applicable. A quote that doesn't mention GST is hiding roughly a fifth of the real cost.

When comparing providers, always compare GST-inclusive numbers. A '₹0.50 per message' offer is really ₹0.59 — and if their base fee is already marked up, the gap widens fast at volume.

The failed-message trap

Not every message gets delivered. Numbers get deactivated, people opt out, and Meta occasionally can't reach a contact. What happens to the money you paid for those messages? With most providers: nothing — you eat the cost. With a fair provider: the charge is automatically refunded to your wallet the moment Meta reports non-delivery.

At scale, failed-message refunds add up to 5–12% of your spend. If your provider doesn't auto-refund, that's money you're losing silently. Ask about this before you commit.

A worked example

Say you send 10,000 marketing broadcasts in a month. On AiConva: 10,000 × (₹1.09 Meta + ₹0.10 platform) = ₹11,900, plus 18% GST on the ₹1,000 platform fee = ₹178. Total ₹12,078. With a provider that marks up Meta's rate 30%: 10,000 × ₹1.42 = ₹14,200, plus their own platform fee and GST on top — easily ₹16,000+.

Same messages, same delivery, same Meta infrastructure. The difference is entirely in how the provider prices. Run this calculation on your expected volume for any provider you're evaluating.

How to read any provider's quote

Ask four questions and insist on rupee answers: What's the exact cost of one marketing conversation? What's the exact cost of one utility conversation? What's the platform fee per message, GST-inclusive? What happens to the money when a message fails to deliver?

If you get clear, comparable answers, you can decide. If you get 'let's hop on a call to discuss', the pricing isn't built to be understood — and that's almost always because it's not competitive.