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A Bold Move Towards Monetization
Meta is changing the rules of the game for businesses on WhatsApp. Starting July 1, 2025, the platform will transition from its traditional 24-hour flat-rate billing to a more granular, per-message billing model. This shift marks a major turning point in WhatsAppâs monetization strategy, aligning it closer with traditional digital advertising models. The new system is expected to bring both more transparency and potential cost implications for businesses relying heavily on messaging to connect with customers.
This announcement comes alongside Meta’s broader push to transform WhatsApp into a standalone revenue generator. The introduction of ads on Statuses and Channels, plus upcoming features like usernames instead of phone numbers, signals a strategic expansion of the platform’s business functionality. For companies using the WhatsApp Business API, the monetization landscape is shiftingâand fast.
The End of Flat Rate Simplicity
Until now, WhatsApp Business users benefited from a flat fee that allowed unlimited messaging within a 24-hour window. Whether a company sent one message or one hundred, the cost remained the same. This pricing model gave large enterprises freedom and predictability in customer engagement.
That model is now gone. Meta has replaced it with per-message billing, breaking communications into three distinct categories: Marketing, Utility, and Authentication messages. Each category will now incur a specific charge per message sent. Marketing messagesâthose with promotional intentâwill likely carry the highest price tag. In contrast, utility (like shipping updates) and authentication (like OTPs) are also metered per message, ending their previous session-based billing structure.
This change applies specifically to the WhatsApp Business API, commonly used by medium to large enterprises to scale customer support and engagement. For everyday users, messaging remains free. For businesses, however, every push notification or promotion will now come with a price.
A Push Toward Predictable Budgeting
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However, critics argue that the new model could dramatically increase costs, especially for businesses that send high volumes of messages. Unlike before, where you could spread unlimited content within a session, each message now adds to the bill. This may pressure smaller companies to rethink their engagement strategies or reduce message frequency to stay within budget.
Ads Enter WhatsApp: A New Era Begins
In tandem with billing changes, WhatsApp is launching ads on Statuses and Channelsâa first for the platform. Businesses will now be able to advertise directly within WhatsApp, removing the dependency on Metaâs other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This could position WhatsApp as a self-sufficient advertising channel, similar to TikTok or YouTube Shorts.
Previously, paid promotions were limited to click-to-WhatsApp ads, which required third-party integration. Now, businesses can market natively inside WhatsApp, potentially increasing user engagement but also raising concerns about ad fatigue.
Privacy Evolves: Usernames Instead of Phone Numbers
In a related update, WhatsApp is working on letting users sign up and communicate via usernames instead of phone numbers. This move is seen as part of a broader push for privacy and convenience. While it wonât affect billing, it complements the platformâs attempt to modernize identity management and create a more seamless user experience.
What Undercode Say:
Strategic Monetization or Just Another Cost Hike?
Meta’s move to shift WhatsApp Business to a per-message pricing model is not just a pricing tweakâitâs a strategic pivot in how the platform is monetized. For years, WhatsApp has operated as a loss leader under Meta’s umbrella. By introducing granular charges and in-app advertising, Meta is positioning WhatsApp to become a self-sustaining business tool.
From an analytical standpoint, this approach mirrors tactics used by enterprise platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot. The idea is simple: if you’re using WhatsApp as a core communication platform, you’re going to pay for the scale and reliability it offers. For Meta, this means recurring revenue streams. For businesses, it introduces both opportunity and risk.
On the opportunity side, WhatsApp becomes more powerful as a marketing and customer service channel, thanks to native advertising and improved user targeting. But on the risk side, the per-message billing could disproportionately affect SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). Large corporations may absorb the cost with little friction, but smaller firms may find themselves priced out of frequent customer engagement.
Moreover, the simplicity pitchâthat per-message billing brings predictabilityâonly works for businesses with tight control over messaging volume. For brands running broad-scale campaigns, this new system might actually create more complexity, not less.
The introduction of ads in Statuses and Channels also raises questions. WhatsApp has long been considered a sacred, private space for communication. Turning it into another advertising channel could alienate users unless Meta carefully balances content quality with commercial intent. The experience must feel seamless and non-intrusive, or else user engagement could drop.
The shift to usernames instead of phone numbers is forward-thinking. It opens the door for cross-platform identity management and potentially a new type of verification model. But this too will require robust backend changes to prevent impersonation or spam.
In essence, Metaâs changes are part of a broader ambition: to turn WhatsApp into a profit-generating ecosystem while maintaining user trust and business interest. This transformation is still in its infancy, and the next 12 months will be critical in determining whether businesses embrace or resist the new model.
đ Fact Checker Results:
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WhatsApp Business is transitioning to per-message billing starting July 1, 2025.
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Ads will now appear on Statuses and Channels as part of Metaâs monetization strategy.
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Usernames will soon replace phone numbers for added privacy and convenience.
đ Prediction:
WhatsApp is on track to become a central hub for business communication and marketing, competing directly with platforms like WeChat. Expect early adoption from large enterprises, while SMEs may hesitate due to rising costs. If Meta can demonstrate ROI for businesses and maintain user trust, this could be one of its most lucrative pivots in recent years. However, user backlash against ads and pricing could force future revisions.
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