WhatsApp message templates
A WhatsApp message template is a message whose wording Meta has approved in advance, which you need in order to message a customer outside the 24-hour window their last message opened.
The rule templates enforce
When a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Inside it you can write whatever you like. Once it closes, you can’t start a conversation in free text. You can only send an approved template. This is how Meta keeps WhatsApp from filling up with unwanted business messages.
The categories decide your bill
Meta lists five message categories: marketing, utility, authentication, service and Meta Business Agent. Templates fall into the first three. Meta assigns the category from the content, and the rate differs by category and by the recipient’s country.
| Category | Used for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Utility | Order confirmed, shipped, out for delivery, appointment reminder | Tied to something the customer already did. Charged inside an open service window since 1 October 2026. Rates fall as monthly volume grows. |
| Marketing | Sales, new arrivals, abandoned cart, re-engagement | The category most likely to get your number blocked |
| Authentication | One-time passcodes | Rates fall as monthly volume grows |
| Service (not a template) | Free-text replies inside the 24-hour window | Chargeable since 1 October 2026, with 1,000 free per business phone number per month and no rollover |
Source: Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation, checked October 2026. Messages sent in the free entry point window that opens from a click-to-WhatsApp ad are not charged.
What it means in practice
Wording moves a message between categories. “Your order has shipped” is utility. “Your order has shipped, and here is 10% off your next one” is marketing, for the whole message. If your utility templates keep being priced as marketing, look at the last sentence you added.
Since 1 October 2026, replying inside the window has a price too. Several short messages where one clear one would do now cost several times as much. See conversation-based pricing.
Why approvals fail
Usually for small reasons. Variables with no sample content. A variable at the very start or end of the message. Placeholder text left in. A promise the business can’t keep. Or a template submitted as utility that reads as promotional. Fix the text and resubmit. If many templates are rejected, look at the whole approach before rewording each one.
Quality rating
If recipients block or report your messages, your number’s quality rating drops and your sending limits tighten. The usual cause is marketing templates sent to people who don’t remember opting in. Send to people who asked to hear from you, about things they care about.
AeroChat supports WhatsApp message templates. WhatsApp broadcasts to opted-in customers come with the Growth plan and above.
Related terms
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Related guides
- Message Templates for Online Stores: WhatsApp, Instagram, Shopee and More
- WhatsApp Message Templates: Categories, Rules and Examples
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