WhatsApp cost, explained
A WhatsApp chatbot that costs nothing per message
Most WhatsApp tools bill you per message or per contact. Meta does not charge a fee when you reply to a customer, and neither do we. Here is exactly what is free and what is not.
In short
Replying to a customer on WhatsApp is free of Meta fees: any message a business sends inside the 24-hour customer service window opened by the customer's own message carries no charge. Meta only bills for template messages, mainly marketing, sent outside that window. ZiaPilot charges a flat subscription and adds no per-message markup.
- Meta fee to reply to a customer inside the 24-hour service window
- $0Meta fee to reply to a customer inside the 24-hour service windowMeta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation
- service window that any inbound customer message opens
- 24hservice window that any inbound customer message opensMeta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation
- free window opened by a click-to-WhatsApp ad
- 72hfree window opened by a click-to-WhatsApp adMeta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation
Where WhatsApp bills usually come from
- Platforms that charge per contact, whether the contact replies or not
- Resellers adding their own markup on top of Meta's rate
- Paying for marketing blasts that customers never asked for
- Pricing pages that never say which messages are actually billable
- Per-seat fees just to let staff answer the same inbox
What you actually pay with ZiaPilot
- Nothing per message when the AI answers a customer
- No markup added on top of Meta's own rates
- One flat subscription, whatever your inbound volume
- Unlimited staff on the shared inbox, no per-seat fee
- Marketing templates priced by Meta only if you choose to send them
Answering customers is the free part
Meta stopped charging for service conversations in November 2024. Since Zia replies inside the window your customer opened, the reply itself costs nothing.
We add no per-message markup
Resellers typically add a cent or so to every message. ZiaPilot is a flat subscription, so a busy month costs the same as a quiet one.
Honest about what is billable
Marketing templates sent outside the 24-hour window are charged by Meta at their published rate. We show you before you send, never after.
How it works
Connect your number
Link the WhatsApp number you already use. Your printed number and listings stay the same.
A customer messages you
Their message opens a 24-hour service window in which your replies are free of Meta fees.
Zia answers instantly
Menu, pricing, and catering questions answered from your live menu, at no per-message cost.
You pay one flat fee
Your ZiaPilot subscription. Meta bills only for marketing templates you deliberately send.
Frequently asked questions
Is a WhatsApp chatbot really free?
The replies are. Meta made service conversations free for all businesses in November 2024, so any message you send inside the 24-hour window opened by the customer costs nothing in Meta fees. What is not free is a marketing template sent outside that window, which Meta charges per delivered message. ZiaPilot itself is a flat subscription with no per-message charge.
What does Meta actually charge for?
Template messages you start yourself: marketing templates always, utility and authentication templates outside an open service window. Rates depend on the recipient's country. Since the AI's job is answering people who messaged you first, most restaurants never hit a billable message.
Do you add a markup on WhatsApp messages?
No. Many providers resell WhatsApp access and add roughly a cent per message on top of Meta's rate. ZiaPilot charges a flat subscription instead, so your bill does not grow with a busy service.
Is there a limit on how many messages the AI can answer?
No per-message limit or fee. Your plan sets AI usage caps to prevent abuse, and inbound customer conversations are not billed by the message.
Can I use my existing WhatsApp number?
Yes. You connect the number you already give customers, so the number on your menus, listings, and Google profile keeps working exactly as it does now.
Try it free for 7 days
Connect your menu, test real customer conversations, then choose the right plan. No card needed.