This document explains how conversation-based pricing works on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
Conversations are 24-hour message threads between you and your customers. They are opened and charged when messages you send to customers are delivered. The criteria that determines when a conversation is opened and how it is categorized is explained below.

Conversation Categories

Conversations are categorized with one of the following categories:

• Marketing — Enables you to achieve a wide range of goals, from generating awareness to driving sales and retargeting customers. Examples include new product, service, or feature announcements, targeted promotions/offers, and cart abandonment reminders.
• Utility — Enables you to follow-up on user actions or requests. Examples include opt-in confirmation, order/delivery management (e.g., delivery update); account updates or alerts (for example., payment reminder); or feedback surveys.
• Authentication — Enables you authenticate users with one-time passcodes, potentially at multiple steps in the login process (e.g., account verification, account recovery, integrity challenges).
• Service — Enables you to resolve customer inquiries.

Marketing, utility, and authentication conversations can only be opened with template messages. Service conversations can be opened with any type of message other than a template message.

Opening Conversations

Conversations are opened when you send a message to a customer under the following conditions.

Marketing, Utility, and Authentication Conversations

When you send an approved marketing, utility, or authentication template to a customer, we check if an open conversation matching the template’s category already exists between you and the customer. If one exists, no new conversation is opened. If one does not exist, a new conversation of that category is opened, lasting 24 hours.

For example:

• Hour 0: You send a targeted promotion (marketing template message) to a customer. No open marketing conversation exists between you and the customer, so a marketing conversation lasting 24 hours is opened.
• Hour 4: The customer completes an order on your site, so you send them an order confirmation (utility template message). No open utility conversation exists between you and the customer, so a utility conversation lasting 24 hours is opened.
• Hour 10: You send a shipment confirmation (utility template message) to the customer. An open utility conversation already exists between you and the customer, so a new utility conversation is not opened.

Zaple’s Pricing Structure for Message Types:

Utility Messages (₹0.125 per message)
Marketing Messages (₹0.843 per message)
Authentication Messages (₹0.22 per message)
Authentication International Messages (₹4.6 per message)

The pricing structure provided refers to different categories of messages that are typically used in messaging platforms. These categories serve distinct purposes, and their pricing reflects the nature of the service, the delivery process, and the cost of the infrastructure involved. Below is a detailed explanation of the various types of messages and their corresponding pricing.

1. Utility Messages (₹0.125 per message)

Utility messages are generally considered non-commercial messages that provide users with important information related to a service. These can include:

– Transactional notifications: Information like successful purchases, shipping updates, or changes to service plans.
– Alerts: Important service or account-related information such as balance updates, low battery alerts, etc.
– Service reminders: For example, reminders for subscriptions, upcoming renewals, or account verification.

Why ₹0.125?
– Low cost: The price of ₹0.125 reflects the relatively simple nature of these messages. Utility messages are generally basic and are often sent as part of a user’s interaction with a service or platform.
– No marketing content: Since these messages don’t aim to advertise or promote a product or service, the cost is kept lower.
– High volume: These types of messages are often sent in bulk, reducing the per-message cost due to the scale of operations.

Common Use Cases:
– Banks sending information for successful transactions.
– E-commerce sites sending order confirmations.
– Mobile service providers sending billing reminders.

2. Marketing Messages (₹0.843 per message)

Marketing messages are those specifically designed to promote a product, service, or brand. They are used for advertisements, offers, promotions, discounts, or marketing campaigns. Examples include:

– Promotions and offers: Discounts, deals, special offers for products or services.
– New product launches: Notifications about new products, services, or features.
– Seasonal campaigns: Sales or offers related to holidays, festivals, or special events.

Why ₹0.843?
– Higher cost: Marketing messages cost more because they are designed to drive revenue through advertising. This includes added overhead costs related to managing campaigns, targeting users, and tracking responses.
– Opt-in or opt-out regulations: In many countries, marketing messages are subject to additional regulations (such as user consent and the option to opt-out), which increases the cost of delivering them.
– Potential for higher engagement: Marketing messages often involve higher costs to ensure the message reaches the target audience and resonates effectively.

Common Use Cases:
– SMS ads for e-commerce sales.
– Promotional messages for discounts and offers from retailers.
– Event notifications or invitations sent by businesses.

3. Authentication Messages (₹0.22 per message)

Authentication messages are essential for verifying user identities. These messages often include a one-time password (OTP), PIN, or authentication code, and are used for securing accounts, transactions, or online activities. Examples include:

– OTP for login: Sent when a user logs into an account or app to verify their identity.
– Transaction verification: Used to confirm that a user is initiating a legitimate transaction, such as online banking or e-commerce purchases.
– Two-factor authentication (2FA): Used as a security layer alongside traditional passwords.

Why ₹0.22?
– Security importance: Authentication messages are critical for protecting users’ accounts and preventing fraud. While they cost more than utility messages, the price is still relatively affordable because of the security infrastructure that supports their delivery.
– Widespread use: Authentication messages are often sent in large volumes, which can help lower the cost slightly. The frequency of use in services like banking, social media, and e-commerce contributes to this pricing.

Common Use Cases:
– Banks sending OTPs to complete a transaction.
– Social media platforms verifying user identity during login.
– Websites requiring two-factor authentication for user access.

4. Authentication International Messages (₹4.6 per message)

International authentication messages are similar to regular authentication messages but are sent across country borders. These messages typically contain security codes, OTPs, or authentication tokens, but their higher price is due to international delivery.

Why ₹4.6?
– International delivery costs: Sending messages internationally requires routing them through different networks and telecommunications providers, which incurs higher costs. This includes roaming charges and the infrastructure required to handle cross-border SMS transmission.
– Additional regulatory considerations: Different countries may have different regulations for sending authentication messages, especially in terms of security and privacy, which can increase the cost.
– Higher risk of fraud: International messages are sometimes more susceptible to fraud or misuse, which may require additional security measures.

Common Use Cases:
– Banks or online services sending authentication codes to users in different countries.
– International e-commerce platforms verifying purchases or logins from abroad.
– Social networks or global services sending verification codes for logins across regions.

Summary of Pricing:

– Utility Messages (₹0.125): Low-cost messages that provide essential information to users (e.g., alerts, service notifications).
– Marketing Messages (₹0.843): Higher-cost messages that promote products, services, or special offers.
– Authentication Messages (₹0.22): Messages used for verifying user identity, such as OTPs or PINs.
– Authentication Messages International (₹4.6): Internationally sent authentication messages, with much higher costs due to cross-border delivery and telecom regulations.

For Example:

Utility Messages are priced at ₹0.125 per message. These are essential notifications and updates, such as confirmation messages. With an estimated 2,000 messages per month, (₹0.125 x 2,000) the monthly cost totals approx ₹250, making it a budget-friendly choice for keeping customers informed without a high expenditure.

Marketing Messages are priced at ₹0.843 per message. These are used for promotions, reminders, and campaigns, aimed at engaging and encouraging customer action. Sending around 200 marketing messages per month (₹0.843 x 200)  would result in a monthly cost of  approx ₹168.6, making it a valuable option for targeted outreach.

Note: The above prices may change in future according to Facebook pricing increment or decrement.

The pricing of these message categories reflects the service, infrastructure, and regulations involved in each type of message. Utility messages are basic and cost-efficient, marketing messages are more expensive due to their commercial nature, while authentication messages (both domestic and international) include additional costs due to security requirements and international transmission.