WhatsApp bot monthly cost: three worked examples you can redo with your own numbers
A WhatsApp bot's monthly cost is the sum of three bills: a fixed platform plan (₹999, ₹2,999 or ₹7,999 a month plus 18% GST on Convo360), Meta's template message charges paid directly to Meta, and AI usage paid directly to your AI provider. Multiply your template counts by Meta's current category rates and your AI replies by your measured cost per reply.
- Your monthly cost has three lines: a fixed platform plan, Meta template charges and AI usage on your own key.
- Only the platform plan is fixed. With 18% GST, Starter is ₹1,178.82, Pro is ₹3,538.82 and Business is ₹9,438.82 a month.
- As on September 2026, replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window carry no Meta template charge, so inbound-heavy bots cost far less than broadcast-heavy ones today; Meta charges these from 1 October 2026.
- Measure your AI cost per reply from 50 test chats in your provider's dashboard instead of guessing.
- For a D2C brand, marketing templates usually dominate the bill. For an agency, the platform fee divides across clients.
What makes up the monthly cost of a WhatsApp bot?
A WhatsApp bot does not have one price. It has three separate bills, and only one of them is fixed. If you can fill in three lines, you can predict your month quite closely.
| Cost line | Who you pay | Fixed or variable | How to calculate it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform plan | Convo360 | Fixed | Plan price + 18% GST |
| WhatsApp template messages | Meta, directly | Variable | Templates sent in each category × Meta's rate for that category |
| AI usage (BYOK) | OpenAI, Anthropic or Google, directly | Variable | AI replies × your average cost per reply |
On a BYOK platform the second and third lines never pass through the platform, so nobody adds a markup on messages or AI tokens. As on September 2026, replies you send inside the 24-hour customer-service window do not carry a Meta template charge, which is why a bot that mostly answers inbound questions currently costs far less than one that mostly broadcasts. Meta has announced that from 1 October 2026 these replies become chargeable service messages after a free monthly tier per number, so budget for that line from your next renewal. Our WhatsApp Business API pricing guide covers the categories and the October change in detail.
What formula should you use?
Monthly cost = (plan price × 1.18) + (U × utility rate) + (M × marketing rate) + (A × authentication rate) + (R × AI cost per reply)
- U, M and A are the templates you plan to send in each category. Reminders and order updates are utility, offers are marketing, OTPs are authentication.
- Rates: check Meta's current rate card for India. Rates differ by category and change from time to time, so do not rely on a figure from an old blog post.
- R is the number of customer messages the AI answers. Count messages, not chats.
- AI cost per reply: run about 50 realistic test chats, then divide the spend shown in your provider's dashboard by the number of replies. It depends on your model, prompt length and knowledge base, so use your provider's pricing, not someone else's estimate. Our guide to estimating your AI bill shows the token maths.
The fixed line is simple. Starter is ₹999, Pro is ₹2,999 and Business is ₹7,999 a month, excluding GST. With 18% GST that is ₹1,178.82, ₹3,538.82 and ₹9,438.82.
Scenario 1: a dental clinic in Pune
Dr. Kulkarni's clinic wants appointment reminders and a bot that answers timing and fee questions. WhatsApp plus web chat is enough, so the Starter plan fits. All volumes below are illustrative. Replace them with your own.
| Line | Illustrative volume | Rate to look up | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform (Starter) | 1 plan | ₹999 + 18% GST | ₹1,178.82 |
| Utility reminders | 600 (300 visits × 2 reminders) | Meta utility rate | 600 × rate |
| Marketing recall messages | 150 | Meta marketing rate | 150 × rate |
| AI replies | 900 | Your cost per reply | 900 × cost |
Patient questions arrive inside the service window, so they add AI cost but no Meta charge. If the questions are always the same five, a guided bot with buttons removes the AI line completely.
Scenario 2: a D2C skincare brand in Jaipur
Saanvi's brand needs order updates, payment links and festive broadcasts, with Google Sheets and Razorpay connected. That points to the Pro plan. Volumes are illustrative.
| Line | Illustrative volume | Rate to look up | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform (Pro) | 1 plan | ₹2,999 + 18% GST | ₹3,538.82 |
| Utility order updates | 2,400 (800 orders × 3 updates) | Meta utility rate | 2,400 × rate |
| Marketing broadcasts | 8,000 (2 campaigns × 4,000 opted-in contacts) | Meta marketing rate | 8,000 × rate |
| AI replies | 3,000 | Your cost per reply | 3,000 × cost |
Fill this in and you will usually find the marketing line is the largest, well above the platform fee. The lever is not a cheaper plan. It is sending each campaign to a tighter contact group of people who actually engage. See the D2C page for flow ideas.
Scenario 3: an agency in Kochi with six clients
Arjun's agency runs bots for six local businesses. The Business plan gives unlimited workspaces, so each client gets a separate workspace with their own WhatsApp number and their own AI key.
| Line | Calculation | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Platform (Business) | ₹7,999 + 18% GST = ₹9,438.82 | Agency |
| Platform share at 6 clients | ₹9,438.82 ÷ 6 = ₹1,573.14 per client | Recovered in the retainer |
| Platform share at 12 clients | ₹9,438.82 ÷ 12 = ₹786.57 per client | Recovered in the retainer |
| Meta template charges | Each client's volumes × Meta's rates | Client, directly to Meta |
| AI usage | Each client's replies × cost per reply | Client, directly to the provider |
Because every client connects their own accounts, the agency never carries a variable bill. Its real cost is the platform share plus staff time. Agencies that prefer per-client billing can join the partner programme, where a per-client platform fee is paid from a prepaid wallet. Partner pricing is on request.
How do you keep the bill predictable on Convo360?
- In the Flow Builder, use the Send Template block only where a message must go out after the 24-hour window, and file transactional messages as Utility.
- Place Buttons or a List Menu before the AI Reply block so routine questions never touch your AI key. Guided (no-AI) bots need no key at all.
- Pick the model per agent. Use a smaller model for FAQs and keep the knowledge base tight, because long context raises the cost of every reply.
- Set a monthly spend limit in your AI provider's dashboard. If the key fails or runs out, Convo360's provider health alert tells you clearly.
- Pay the plan from the prepaid wallet. GST tax invoices are issued automatically for your accounts.
- Once a month, compare Meta's billing in WhatsApp Manager and your provider's dashboard against your worksheet, then correct your volumes.
The plan comparison sits on the pricing section, and our 2026 pricing guide explains the two-bill model.
Which costs do people forget?
- GST. Plan prices are quoted excluding 18% GST. Budget with the GST-inclusive figure.
- Yearly billing. Paying annually is about 10% cheaper. Starter at ₹10,789 a year works out to roughly ₹899 a month before GST.
- Voice minutes. If you add AI voice calls on Pro, call minutes are paid to your telephony provider at their rates. Incoming call charges depend on the provider and plan.
- Human time. Someone still handles live-chat handovers and reviews flows each month. Put a value on those hours.
- Wasted marketing sends. Every template to an uninterested contact is paid for. Honour STOP requests and prune inactive groups before each campaign.
Redo the worksheet after your first full month. Real volumes replace guesses, and the second month's estimate is normally close.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a WhatsApp bot per month in India?
It is the sum of three bills: a platform plan (₹999, ₹2,999 or ₹7,999 a month plus 18% GST on Convo360), Meta's template message charges, and AI usage on your own key. The last two depend entirely on your volumes, so calculate them with your own numbers.
Does Meta charge for every WhatsApp message a bot sends?
Meta charges for template messages by category, which are marketing, utility and authentication. As on September 2026, replies sent inside the 24-hour customer-service window after a customer writes to you do not carry a charge, but Meta has announced this changes from 1 October 2026. Always check Meta's current rate card.
How do I estimate the AI cost of a WhatsApp chatbot?
Run about 50 realistic test conversations, note the spend in your AI provider's dashboard, and divide by the number of replies. Multiply that cost per reply by your expected monthly replies. The figure varies with model choice, prompt length and knowledge base size.
Is a BYOK WhatsApp bot cheaper than a per-message platform?
It is usually more transparent. With BYOK you pay Meta and the AI provider directly at their rates and the platform charges a flat fee with zero markup. On a per-message model the platform adds its margin to each message, so costs grow faster as volume rises.
Can I run a WhatsApp bot without any AI cost?
Yes. A guided, rule-based bot built with buttons, list menus and questions needs no AI key, so the AI line in your worksheet becomes zero. You still pay the platform plan and Meta's charges for any templates you send.
Which Convo360 plan does an agency with several clients need?
The Business plan at ₹7,999 a month plus GST includes unlimited workspaces, so each client gets a separate workspace with their own WhatsApp number and AI key. Agencies that want per-client wallet billing can apply for the partner programme. Partner pricing is on request.
Related reading
Available across India — see WhatsApp & AI calling automation by state and city.