Buyer's guide · WhatsApp Business API · Checked
WhatsApp Business API providers in India: platform fees and message costs
Every WhatsApp Business API provider in India charges you Meta's per-message fee plus, usually, its own platform fee, so compare the platform fee and the tools you get. You can also use Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API directly with no provider. AiSensy lists Meta's rates for Indian users as ₹1.09 per marketing message and ₹0.145 per utility, authentication or service message, effective 1 October 2026, with 1,000 free service messages per number each month. Gupshup adds $0.001 per message, Twilio $0.005 per message, and 360dialog €49 per number a month. Pick a provider for its inbox, chatbot and support; pick the Cloud API direct if you have a developer.
Disclosure: ChikuOS sells some of the options below, and they're labelled "ChikuOS". No vendor paid to be listed or placed, and we earn no commission or affiliate fee from any link on this page. Prices and features of other products are as listed on their own sites on 18 October 2026; follow the links to check current terms.
WhatsApp Business API options for India compared (as listed by each provider)
How we chose and ordered these: Going direct to Meta comes first, then providers from the lowest listed platform fee. Prices are from each provider's own pricing page on the date above. Meta's per-message rates change, so we quote them only as a provider lists them and link to the source. How we compare.
| Option | Platform fee | Meta message fees | What you get | Good fit when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta WhatsApp Cloud API (direct) | No provider fee | Meta's rates, billed by Meta | The API itself; you build or host the inbox, bot and webhooks | You have a developer and want no middleman |
| AiSensy | Free Forever plan; paid plans on its pricing page; chatbot builder add-on ₹2,500/month | Lists ₹1.09 marketing, ₹0.145 utility, authentication and service, per message for Indian users from 1 Oct 2026; 1,000 free service messages per number a month | Team inbox, broadcasts, no-code chatbot add-on | A small Indian business that wants a dashboard, not code |
| Gupshup | $0.001 per message | Meta's fees at actuals | API and platform, with Meta's fees passed on at cost | Volume senders who want a low per-message markup |
| Twilio | $0.005 per message, inbound or outbound | Meta's template fees passed through | API alongside Twilio's SMS and voice | You already use Twilio |
| 360dialog | €49 per number a month (Regular); €99 (Marketplace) | Meta's fees | Direct API access with a flat monthly fee | Developers who want API access with a flat fee |
| ChikuOS WhatsApp Business API Setup | $249 one-off | Meta's rates, billed by Meta to you | We set up the official Cloud API for you: verified number, templates and a working webhook | You want the direct Cloud API without doing the setup yourself |
How WhatsApp API pricing works
Meta charges per delivered template message, by category: marketing, utility, authentication and, from 1 October 2026, service. Both Gupshup and AiSensy note that Meta now charges for service messages from that date, with 1,000 free service messages per WhatsApp Business number a month. Providers then add their own fee: per message (Gupshup, Twilio), per number per month (360dialog), or a subscription for their dashboard (AiSensy and similar). Check Meta's current rate card through your provider before you budget, as rates change.
Which one should you pick?
- You want a dashboard your team can use today: a provider with a team inbox and broadcast tools, such as AiSensy, which lists its prices in rupees.
- You send high volumes through code: Gupshup's per-message fee is the lowest listed markup here.
- You already use Twilio: keeping WhatsApp there is simpler, at $0.005 a message on top of Meta's fees.
- You don't want a monthly platform fee: use Meta's Cloud API directly. It needs a developer for the webhook and any bot. Our $249 setup does that once, and our $399 WhatsApp bot adds FAQ answers and bookings.
FAQ
What is the cheapest WhatsApp Business API provider in India?
Using Meta's Cloud API directly has no provider fee, only Meta's message charges, but you need a developer. Among providers, Gupshup lists the lowest per-message markup here at $0.001 a message, and AiSensy has a Free Forever plan.
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost per message in India?
AiSensy lists Meta's rates for Indian users as ₹1.09 per marketing message and ₹0.145 per utility, authentication or service message, effective 1 October 2026, with 1,000 free service messages per number a month. Providers' own fees are on top.
Are WhatsApp service messages free?
Not entirely from 1 October 2026: Gupshup and AiSensy both say Meta now charges for service messages, with 1,000 free service messages per WhatsApp Business number each month.
Do I need a provider to use the WhatsApp Business API?
No. Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API can be used directly. Providers add an inbox, chatbot builder, support and billing in local currency.
How much does WhatsApp API setup cost?
Providers' platform fees range from AiSensy's Free Forever plan to 360dialog's €49 per number a month; our one-off setup on the official Cloud API is $249, as listed on each provider's site on 18 October 2026.
How this guide was made: researched and drafted with AI assistance, then every price and claim was checked against the linked source on 18 October 2026. Editorial responsibility: ChikuOS. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@chikuos.com and we'll correct it.