# WhatsApp rates by country and category

How WhatsApp reminders are charged in EasyWebinar: message categories, which of your messages fall into each, and how to see what a message costs in each country.

- Applies to: WhatsApp messages set on a webinar's Notifications tab · charged from your EasyWebinar credits
- Status: Live
- Verified: 2026-10-26
- Canonical page: https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/whatsapp-rates/

**WhatsApp messages** are charged **per message**, by the message's **category** and the **country** of the person receiving it. Length doesn't matter. Keep reminders to the facts and they're charged at the lower **utility** rate; add an offer and the whole message becomes **marketing**, the highest rate.

## At a glance {#at-a-glance}

| | |
|---|---|
| Charged per | Message, whatever its length |
| Price depends on | The message's category and the recipient's country |
| Categories | Utility, Marketing, Authentication |
| Who sets the category | Meta, which runs WhatsApp |
| When credits are taken | When each message is sent |
| Sent from | An EasyWebinar number |

## How WhatsApp is charged {#how-its-charged}

```
Credits = category rate for the country × number of messages
```

A short reminder and a long one cost the same. What changes the price is the kind of message and where the person lives.

## Message categories {#categories}

Every WhatsApp business message is sent from a template that Meta approves and places in a category.

| Category | What it's for | Relative price |
|---|---|---|
| **Utility** | Information about something the person signed up for: confirmations, reminders, schedule changes | Lower |
| **Marketing** | Anything that promotes: invitations, offers, replay promotions, announcements | Highest |
| **Authentication** | One-time codes to confirm a number or sign in | Lower |

**Meta decides the category, not the sender.** A message that mixes useful information with a promotion is treated as marketing, and Meta can move a template into marketing later if it reads as promotional.

## Which category your messages fall into {#your-messages}

| Your message | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| **Welcome Message** confirming a registration | Utility | It confirms something the person asked for |
| **Reminder Message** with the time and join link | Utility | It's about a session they registered for |
| A reminder that also pushes an offer | Marketing | Any promotion makes the whole message marketing |
| **Follow-Up Message** promoting the replay or an offer | Marketing | It promotes |

## Keep reminders at the utility rate {#keep-costs-down}

- **Keep reminders to the facts**: the time, the topic, the join link. Leave offers and "don't miss out" wording to email.
- **Send promotions as their own message**, so reminders aren't charged as marketing.
- **Aim follow-ups at the people most likely to act**, such as no-shows who need the replay.

Marketing messages also face delivery limits that utility messages don't: WhatsApp caps how many each person receives, and it doesn't currently deliver them to US numbers. See [WhatsApp message not delivered](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/troubleshooting/whatsapp-not-delivered/#marketing-limits).

## Rates by country {#rates-by-country}

To see what a message costs in a country, open **Settings → Credits & Usage**, click **Estimate what you need**, and choose WhatsApp, the country and how many messages.

## Limits and things to know {#limits}

- **WhatsApp messages only reach people** who gave a phone number on your [registration form](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/webinars/registration/custom-fields/#set-up-the-form).
- **They come from an EasyWebinar number**, so replies don't reach your phone.
- **Rates can change.** Meta updates its prices at the start of a quarter, and the rate in effect when a message is sent is the one charged.
- **At 0 credits, WhatsApp messages pause** until you add credits.
- Follow the [WhatsApp messaging guidelines](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/whatsapp-messaging-guidelines/) so your messages keep being delivered.

## Common questions {#common-questions}

#### Does a longer WhatsApp message cost more? {#faq-length}

No. WhatsApp is charged per message, whatever its length.

#### Why do some messages cost more than others? {#faq-differ}

They're in a different category. Promotional messages are charged at the marketing rate, the highest.

#### Can I choose the category? {#faq-choose}

No. Meta sets it from the message's content. Keeping promotion out of reminders keeps them at the utility rate.

#### Is a reminder marketing or utility? {#faq-reminder}

A reminder about a webinar someone registered for is usually utility. Add an offer and it becomes marketing.

#### Which costs less, WhatsApp or SMS? {#faq-vs-sms}

It depends on the country and the message. Compare them in **Estimate what you need** under **Settings → Credits & Usage**, and see how [SMS is charged](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/sms-rates/).

## Related {#related}

- [Credits and rates](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/credits-and-rates/): how credits work and the order they're spent in.
- [WhatsApp message not delivered](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/troubleshooting/whatsapp-not-delivered/): why a message doesn't arrive, and WhatsApp's error codes.
- [WhatsApp messaging guidelines](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/whatsapp-messaging-guidelines/): permission, what you can send and how to stay delivered.
- [SMS rates by country](https://easywebinar.com/product-docs/reference/sms-rates/): per-segment pricing for text reminders.