Meta's WhatsApp pricing documentation now says the free entry point window opened by a Click-to-WhatsApp ad can stay open for up to 7 days, up from 72 hours. At the same time, service messages are billed again from October 1 beyond a free tier of 1,000 per business phone number each month. Messaging partners say the longer window is still rolling out account by account.
How the new window works
A user taps a Click-to-WhatsApp ad and sends you a message. If you reply within the normal customer service window, that reply opens the free entry point window, which Meta says may remain open for up to 7 days. Inside it, messages you send to that user are not charged, including marketing and utility templates according to ManyChat's product update.
Spur, a WhatsApp tooling vendor, reports the change took effect on September 28 and that it only applies when the user messages from the WhatsApp app on Android or iOS. ManyChat said on October 12 that the rollout is gradual, so not every account has it yet.
The service message change
Service messages had been free since November 1, 2024. Meta's pricing page says per-message billing for them resumed at 12am in the messaging account's time zone on October 1, 2026. Each business phone number gets 1,000 free delivered service messages per month, and the allowance does not roll over.
ManyChat says service messages sent inside an ad-driven free window do not count against that 1,000 allowance, which makes ad-sourced conversations cheaper to handle than organic ones.
Limits to keep in mind
If you miss the first reply inside the customer service window, the free window never opens and later messages are billed at standard rates.
- Only chats that start from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad qualify; wa.me links, QR codes and website buttons are priced normally (per Spur).
- Free-form text replies still need an open 24-hour customer service window; after that you need approved templates.
- Seven days is a maximum, not a guarantee, so send important follow-ups early.
- Spur notes replies from Meta's own Business Agent are still charged.
What to do
Make sure someone, or an automation, answers every ad-sourced chat fast; the first reply is what unlocks the free week. Then rework your follow-up sequence to fit days two to seven, when you can now send offers and reminders without paying per message. Finally, check how many organic service messages each number sends per month so the 1,000 cap does not surprise you on the next invoice.
What it means for you
- Reply to Click-to-WhatsApp leads quickly: the first reply opens the free window.
- Plan nurture messages for days 2 to 7 while they are free.
- Service messages beyond 1,000 per number per month are billed again since October 1.
- Route WhatsApp acquisition through ads rather than wa.me links if messaging cost matters.
Sources
- Meta for Developers: Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform
- ManyChat: Your Click-to-WhatsApp ads now unlock 7 days of free messaging
- Spur: WhatsApp free entry point window
