How much does WhatsApp Business cost in the UAE? Meta message and call prices (October 2026)
A guide for Lynxbe customers · Meta prices effective October 1, 2026
This guide explains what Meta charges for WhatsApp messages and calls sent through the WhatsApp Cloud API, what is free, and what happens when the same number is also connected to the WhatsApp Business app (Coexistence). All prices are for recipients with a UAE phone number (+971).
In short
- A customer writes to you and you reply within 24 hours - the first 1,000 replies each month are free, per phone number.
- Marketing message (sale, campaign, newsletter) - AED 0.2115 per message, about 21 fils.
- Update or verification code (appointment reminder, order confirmation, login code) - AED 0.0576 per message, about 5.8 fils.
- The customer calls you on WhatsApp - free.
- You call the customer on WhatsApp - AED 0.0466 per minute, about 4.7 fils.
- Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business app on your phone - free, even when the number is connected to Lynxbe.
- You pay only for messages that were delivered. A message that did not arrive costs nothing.
1. Four types of messages
Meta puts every message a business sends into one of four types. The type sets the price.
| Message type | When it is used | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Any message meant to sell or promote | End-of-season sale, event invitation, coupon, "we haven't seen you in a while" |
| Utility | An update about something the customer already did or asked for | Appointment reminder, order confirmation, shipment sent, invoice ready |
| Authentication | A one-time code to log in or confirm | "Your login code: 482913" |
| Service | A free-form reply to a customer who wrote to you in the last 24 hours | Answering a question, sending a price, scheduling |
Marketing, utility and authentication messages are sent as a template - fixed wording that Meta approves in advance. Lynxbe submits the template for approval, and you see its status on the templates screen.
2. Message prices for the UAE
Meta publishes official prices in both AED and US dollars. You pay in the currency set on your WhatsApp Business account.
| Message type | Price in AED | Price in USD | About 1,000 messages (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing | AED 0.2115 | $0.0576 | AED 211.50 |
| Utility | AED 0.0576 | $0.0157 | AED 57.60 |
| Authentication | AED 0.0576 | $0.0157 | AED 57.60 |
| Authentication-international (business based outside the UAE) | AED 0.1872 | $0.051 | AED 187.20 |
| Service (above 1,000 a month) | AED 0.0576 | $0.0157 | AED 57.60 |
Authentication-international: if your business is based outside the UAE and sends verification codes to UAE numbers, Meta charges the authentication-international price instead of the regular authentication price. A business based in the UAE pays the regular price.
What is free
- 1,000 service messages a month, per phone number. The count resets at the start of every month. Unused messages do not carry over.
- A customer who came from a "Send message on WhatsApp" ad (a Facebook or Instagram ad that opens a WhatsApp chat): from the moment you reply, a window of up to 7 days opens, and every message to that customer is free - marketing, utility and authentication too.
- A message that was not delivered - not charged.
What changed on October 1, 2026
- Until September 2026, replies inside the 24-hour window were free without limit. From October only the first 1,000 a month are free, and every further reply costs the same as a utility message.
- A utility message sent inside the 24-hour window is no longer free either.
Volume discounts
Utility and authentication messages have tiers. The more you send in a month, the lower the price per message. Marketing messages have no tiers.
| Utility messages per month | Price in AED | Price in USD | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 100,000 | AED 0.0576 | $0.0157 | - |
| 100,001 - 1,000,000 | AED 0.0547 | $0.0149 | 5% |
| 1,000,001 - 4,500,000 | AED 0.0518 | $0.0141 | 10% |
| 4,500,001 - 40,000,000 | AED 0.049 | $0.0133 | 15% |
| 40,000,001 - 80,000,000 | AED 0.0461 | $0.0126 | 20% |
| Above 80,000,000 | AED 0.0432 | $0.0118 | 25% |
Authentication messages have a larger first tier: full price up to 300,000 messages a month, then the price drops by the same steps. Authentication-international messages have their own tiers with the same thresholds.
3. WhatsApp calls
WhatsApp lets you receive and make voice calls directly from Lynxbe, without a regular phone number.
| Call type | Meta price |
|---|---|
| The customer calls you | Free |
| You call the customer | AED 0.0466 per minute ($0.0127) |
How minutes are counted
- Calls are billed in 6-second units, rounded up.
- You pay only if the customer answered. An unanswered call costs nothing.
- Example: a 56-second call = 10 units = AED 0.0466. A call of 1 minute 5 seconds = 11 units = about AED 0.0513.
Before you call a customer
To call a customer on WhatsApp you first need their permission. The permission request is sent as a message, and it is charged at the message price, not the call price.
Calls to UAE numbers
Meta lists WhatsApp calling as available for UAE numbers. Local telecom rules on internet calling may still affect calls on some networks, so test with a few customers before you plan around WhatsApp calls.
Volume discounts on calls
| Outgoing minutes per month | Price in AED | Price in USD |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 50,000 | AED 0.0466 | $0.0127 |
| 50,001 - 250,000 | AED 0.0393 | $0.0107 |
| 250,001 - 1,000,000 | AED 0.033 | $0.009 |
| 1,000,001 - 2,500,000 | AED 0.025 | $0.0068 |
| 2,500,001 - 5,000,000 | AED 0.0202 | $0.0055 |
| Above 5,000,000 | AED 0.0183 | $0.005 |
4. The same number in the app and in Lynxbe (Coexistence)
With Coexistence you keep working with the WhatsApp Business app on your phone and connect the same number to Lynxbe at the same time. Messages appear in both places.
What it costs
| Sent from | Price |
|---|---|
| The WhatsApp Business app on your phone | Free, as before |
| Lynxbe (templates, automations, bot, team) | Per the prices in sections 2-3 |
Messages sent from the app do not open or extend the 24-hour window in Lynxbe. If a customer wrote two days ago and you replied from your phone, a new message from Lynxbe must be a template.
Calls on a Coexistence number
- Voice and video calls keep working in the app on your phone, for free.
- Calls through Lynxbe are not available on such a number. To receive and make WhatsApp calls from Lynxbe you need a number connected only to Lynxbe.
What changes in the app after connecting
- Maximum sending speed: 20 messages per second.
- You can move the last 6 months of chat history and your contacts into Lynxbe.
- The WhatsApp Business app must be version 2.24.17 or later.
- Catalog, greeting messages and away messages keep working in the app as usual.
5. Examples of a typical month
| Business | Sent in a month | About Meta cost |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic | 2,000 appointment reminders (utility) | AED 115.20 ($31.40) |
| Shop | One campaign to 5,000 customers (marketing) | AED 1,057.50 ($288.00) |
| Service office | 800 replies to customers who wrote (service) | Free (within 1,000) |
| Busy service office | 3,000 replies to customers (service) | 2,000 charged = AED 115.20 ($31.40) |
| Sales team | 1,000 minutes of outgoing calls | AED 46.60 ($12.70) |
| Any business | 500 incoming calls from customers | Free |
6. How to save
- Send every message as the right type. A reminder or confirmation is utility (AED 0.0576), not marketing (AED 0.2115). Meta checks the wording, and a utility template that includes a promotion is classified as marketing.
- Encourage customers to write and call you. Incoming calls are free, and replies within 24 hours are free up to 1,000 a month.
- Use "Send message on WhatsApp" ads. A customer who comes from the ad opens 7 days of free messages.
- Keep your contact list clean. You pay only for delivered messages, but marketing messages to people who are not interested hurt your number's quality rating at Meta.
- A small team working from the phone? Coexistence keeps messages from the app free, and Lynxbe handles automations and campaigns.
7. How you are billed
Meta bills you directly. The costs in this guide do not go through Lynxbe and are not part of the Lynxbe subscription.
- Payment method: add a credit card to your business account at Meta (WhatsApp Manager, under payment methods). Meta charges the card based on usage.
- Currency: Meta bills in the currency set on your WhatsApp Business account. The AED and USD prices above are both official Meta prices.
- Invoices: invoices for messages and calls come from Meta, not from Lynxbe. You can download them from your business account at Meta.
- Without a valid payment method Meta blocks sending templates (marketing, utility and authentication). Make sure the card is valid.
- Tracking: you can see the number of messages and calls by type in Meta's WhatsApp Manager.
8. Frequently asked questions
Does the price depend on the customer's country?
Yes. The price is set by the country code of the number that receives the message. This guide lists the prices for UAE numbers (+971). Other countries have different prices.
If I sent a message and the customer did not read it, do I pay?
Yes, if it was delivered to the device. You pay for delivery, not for reading. A message that was not delivered (invalid number, customer without WhatsApp) costs nothing.
What is the 24-hour window?
When a customer writes to you, a 24-hour window opens in which you can reply with free-form text. After 24 hours without a message from the customer, you can contact them only with an approved template.
Will the prices change?
Meta usually updates its prices every quarter (January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1). Lynxbe will update this guide when the prices for the UAE change.
Where can I see the source?
Meta's official price list: developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing
Call prices: developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/calling/pricing
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