WhatsApp Pricing
WhatsApp is charged as usage, alongside your texts. You pay a small charge for each message WhatsApp delivers, and a monthly fee in any month you use it. If you do not send or receive any WhatsApp messages in a given billing month, it costs nothing.
Message charges
| Message | United Kingdom | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| A reply, in your own words, within 24 hours | 3p | 3p |
| A service template | 3.5p | 3.5p |
| A marketing template | 8.5p | 8.5p |
| A message you receive | Free | Free |
- You are charged only for messages WhatsApp delivers. A message that is not delivered costs nothing.
- WhatsApp decides what kind of message a template is. The price is set by its decision, which the template list shows. Marketing templates cost more because WhatsApp charges more for them.
- A message sent as a text instead is charged as a text, at your normal text price, and not as a WhatsApp message.
- There is nothing to pay Meta. These prices include WhatsApp’s own charges.
Prices are the same in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and are charged in pounds sterling. Message prices include VAT where it applies, as your text prices do.
The monthly fee
| Charge | |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £10, plus VAT where it applies |
- It is charged only for a month in which you send or receive a WhatsApp message. A month with no WhatsApp activity has no fee.
- The month is your billing month, not the calendar month, and the fee appears on that month’s invoice.
- Receiving counts as use. A message from a member is free, but it does mean WhatsApp was used that month.
- An attempt counts as use. A WhatsApp message that was sent but not delivered is not charged, but it does mean WhatsApp was used that month.
What it costs in practice
| Example | Cost |
|---|---|
| Replying to a member’s WhatsApp message, in your own words | 3p |
| A session reminder sent by WhatsApp, using a service template | 3.5p |
| A win-back message sent by WhatsApp, using a marketing template | 8.5p |
| The same win-back message to somebody who is not on WhatsApp | The price of an SMS |
| 100 members reminded of a session by WhatsApp | £3.50 |
| A gym sending 400 reminders and 100 marketing messages, and replying to 200 messages, in a month | £28.50, plus the £10 monthly fee |
How you are billed
WhatsApp charges build up as usage during the month, together with your texts. You can see the running total as Messaging Usage on your dashboard. It is invoiced:
- when your messaging usage reaches your usage threshold, normally £50, or
- on your monthly billing date,
whichever comes first. WhatsApp shares its threshold with your texts. It does not have one of its own.
On your invoice, WhatsApp messages and texts appear together as Messaging charges during this period. The monthly fee has its own line, WhatsApp monthly fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee if we do not use WhatsApp?
No. The monthly fee applies only to a billing month in which a WhatsApp message was sent or received.
Are replies free?
No. A reply in your own words is 3p when it is delivered. Messages your members send you are free.
Do we pay for messages that fail?
No. Only delivered messages are charged.
Do we pay WhatsApp or Meta separately?
No. Everything is charged through your GymOS invoice.
Why is a marketing template more expensive?
WhatsApp charges more to deliver marketing messages than service messages, and the price reflects that.
Are messages ever blocked because of what we have spent?
No. Messages are never stopped because of your usage. Your usage is simply invoiced when it reaches your threshold.
Is WhatsApp shown separately on our invoice?
The monthly fee is. Message charges are included in Messaging charges during this period, with your texts.