META is updating the current WhatsApp version, and this also means changes to the billing of conversation costs. Why is that, and how will META now charge for conversations that are not included in the contracted Superchat plan?
When do additional costs occur with META?
The additional conversation costs for the WhatsApp Business API arise when sending business-initiated messages. Business-initiated messages are those that are sent from a business to a customer without the customer sending a message to the business first. This can include, for example, promotions, transaction notifications, meeting reminders or other types of messages that a business actively sends to its customers.
The costs of these types of messages depend on various factors such as the number of messages, the destination country and other parameters. These numbers are the current (06.08.24) prices in the UK market.
(Template-) Category | Description | Type | Price per conversation started |
Utility | Conversation with important information about customer accounts, transactions, orders or other updates after completion of purchase. | Business-initiated | 0,0182 € |
Marketing | Conversation with advertising offers or product announcements. | Business-initiated | 0,0438 € |
Service | Conversation started by your customers. | User-initiated | 0,0321 € |
💡 These prices apply exclusively to numbers with Germany as the destination country. The following prices apply to numbers with another destination country.
How has the billing of these costs worked so far?
These costs were previously billed via 360dialog (verified partner of META and business solution provider of Superchat). For this reason, it was previously necessary to register with 360dialog in order to use the WhatsApp Business API, but 360dialog only acts as an intermediary between Superchat and META here.
How will these costs be billed in the future using the latest WhatsApp version?
Overall, the billing of the additional conversation costs incurred via the stored payment method is an automated process that enables companies to use the WhatsApp Business API without having to worry about separate invoicing.
With the latest version of WhatsApp, billing is handled directly through us. The costs incurred for using the WhatsApp Business API (conversation costs) will be automatically charged to the payment method you have on file. META invoices us for these costs, which we then pass on to you. If these costs are within your bonus, they will not be visible to you. However, if the costs exceed the bonus, you will receive a separate invoice for the conversation costs along with the Superchat invoice for your plan.
How can I check the invoices?
You can view these directly in your Superchat account.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Log in to your Superchat account.
2. Hover over your initials at the top right, next to the question mark, to open a dropdown list.
3. Click on Plan & Billing.
4. Select Budget from the list on the left.
5. You will now see the amount you have spent on conversation costs for the month on the left.
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