Pricing
WhatsApp API reseller pricing: models, wallet markup and margin maths
The four revenue lines of a WhatsApp API reseller, how prepaid wallets and percentage or flat markups work, a labelled illustrative margin calculation, and the pricing mistakes that eat profit.
By Broadchat teamPublished 7 min read
In short
WhatsApp API reseller pricing usually combines four lines: a one-time setup fee, a recurring plan per client, a markup on the client's prepaid messaging wallet, and paid services such as chatbot builds. Your margin is your plan price minus your platform cost per client, plus the markup on Meta's charges. Keep messaging prepaid, prefer percentage markups over flat ones, and avoid lifetime plans when your own cost per client recurs every year.
Key takeaways
- Price four things separately: setup, the recurring plan, messaging markup and project work.
- Your plan margin is your price per client minus the platform's cost per client account for the same period.
- Prepaid messaging wallets remove credit risk: business-initiated messages stop when the balance runs out.
- A flat markup weighs far more on cheap utility and authentication messages than on marketing ones; a percentage scales fairly.
- Never sell lifetime plans if your own cost per client is charged again every year.
WhatsApp API reseller pricing has one constraint that SMS or hosting resellers do not face: part of what the client pays is Meta's per-message charge, which you do not set and which changes by category, country and quarter. A good price structure keeps that part transparent and makes your money on the parts you control. This post explains the models resellers use, how wallet markup works on Broadchat, and a worked example with clearly hypothetical figures.
We do not quote Meta's rates here because they change; see WhatsApp API pricing explained and Meta's pricing page for current figures.
The four revenue lines
| Line | What the client pays for | Typical form | Your cost against it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | Number connection, display name and verification help, first templates, first chatbot flow | One-time | Your team's time |
| Plan | Access to the panel: modules, team members, contacts, bots | Monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly | The platform's cost per client account |
| Messaging | Meta's charges for delivered template messages and, beyond the free allowance, service messages | Prepaid wallet with your markup | Meta's base rate |
| Services | New flows, campaign management, integrations, training | Per project or monthly retainer | Your team's time |
Most new resellers underprice the first and last lines and overthink the third. The setup and the services are where your expertise is; messaging markup is a small, steady extra.
How the plan margin works
On a white-label platform you pay a cost per client account for each billing period, and you sell plans at your own prices. On Broadchat that cost is quoted per client account on request, and you create plans under Billing → Plans & Add-ons → Plans with modules, limits, billing cycles and a price per currency. The plan editor shows the cost your partner wallet is charged next to each price you enter, so you see the margin as you set it.
Two practical rules:
- Match billing cycles to your cost. If your cost per client is charged per year, a monthly plan carries risk when a client pays one month and leaves. Many resellers sell quarterly or yearly plans with a discount, and keep monthly plans priced higher.
- Avoid lifetime plans. The plan editor offers a Life Time cycle, but if your own cost per client recurs every year, a one-time lifetime price turns into a loss in year two.
How the messaging wallet and markup work
Clients prepay messaging into a wallet attached to each WhatsApp number. When they send a template, the charge is taken from that balance. On Broadchat the price of one message is:
You set the markup per number in Settings → Channel Manager (Flat Markup and % Margin, per message category), or attach a Channel Markup package to a plan under Billing → Currency & Pricing → Package & Pricing. The difference between the client price and Meta's base rate is your margin; it accrues as each message is charged and is settled into your partner main wallet every week (Monday, 00:00 IST).
Why prepaid matters: if a client's balance is too low, business-initiated messages are not sent. You never carry a client's Meta bill, and clients cannot run up charges they dispute later. Set a low-balance alert on each number so the client tops up before a campaign stalls.
Percentage or flat?
Meta's base rates differ a lot between categories: in India, a marketing template costs several times a utility or authentication template. A flat markup adds the same rupee amount to each message, so it is a small share of a marketing message and a large share of a utility one. That punishes the high-volume, low-cost messages (order updates, OTPs) that make clients stay. A percentage margin scales with the base rate and is easier to explain: "Meta's rate plus 10%".
A worked example (hypothetical figures)
Arjun runs a four-person agency in Jaipur with 15 WhatsApp clients, mostly clinics and online stores.
| Item | Hypothetical figure | Monthly result |
|---|---|---|
| Plan price per client | ₹2,000 a month | |
| Platform cost per client (from the partner quote, averaged per month) | ₹800 a month | |
| Plan margin | 15 × (₹2,000 − ₹800) | ₹18,000 |
| Clients' combined Meta charges at base rate | ₹75,000 a month | |
| Messaging margin at 10% | 10% of ₹75,000 | ₹7,500 |
| Setup fees | 2 new clients × ₹5,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Chatbot and campaign work | 3 small projects × ₹3,000 | ₹9,000 |
| Gross margin before his own costs | ₹44,500 |
Two lessons from the example. First, messaging markup is under a fifth of the total; most of the money is in plans and services. Second, the setup and project lines depend on new work every month. A reseller who stops selling sees revenue fall to the plan and messaging lines, so price those to cover support on their own. All prices are plus GST; see GST and invoicing for WhatsApp API resellers.
Common pricing models, compared
| Model | How it looks to the client | Works best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiered plans + wallet | Starter, Growth, Pro plans; messaging prepaid at Meta's rate plus a stated margin | Most agencies | Too many tiers confuse buyers; two or three is enough |
| Low plan + higher markup | Cheap entry plan, more margin on messaging | High-volume senders, such as ecommerce | Clients compare your message price with others; keep the markup defensible |
| All-inclusive retainer | One monthly fee covering the panel, campaign management and a messaging allowance | Clients who want it done for them | Heavy months eat the margin; cap the allowance in the contract |
| Annual prepaid | One payment for a year, with setup included | Clinics, schools and local shops that prefer one invoice | Refund terms if the client closes early |
Mistakes that eat reseller margins
- Promising free replies. Since 1 Oct 2026 only the first 1,000 service messages per number per month are free, and utility templates sent inside an open 24-hour window are charged again. Clients with busy support inboxes will see these charges; tell them up front.
- Hiding Meta's charges inside a flat plan. One big marketing campaign can cost more than the plan. Keep messaging in the wallet.
- Unlimited plans. Set limits on team members, contacts and bots, and turn on the hard-limit option so they are enforced.
- Discounting setup to win the deal. Onboarding is the most labour-intensive month. If you must discount, discount the plan for the first quarter instead.
- Ignoring support time. A client who sends daily broadcasts and asks for help every week costs more than one who sends order updates. Price tiers by the support they need.
Setting it up on Broadchat
On Broadchat you build the whole structure in the partner panel: plans and add-ons with your prices, coupons, Channel Markup packages, per-number markups in Channel Manager, and client payments by UPI, bank transfer or your own gateway. Your costs are quoted per client account; ask through the partner program. For the overall business plan, read the pillar guide on starting a WhatsApp reseller business.
Sources
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- WhatsApp Business Platform changelog — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
How much margin can a WhatsApp API reseller make?
It depends on your platform cost per client, your plan prices and how much service work you sell. Most of the margin usually comes from plans, setup and services; the messaging markup is a smaller, steady addition. Model it with your real quote before you set prices.
Should I add a markup on Meta's message charges?
A modest, stated percentage markup is common and covers wallet handling and support. Tell clients the charge comes from Meta and varies by category and country, and link them to an explanation of WhatsApp pricing.
Can clients see my markup?
Clients see the price per message you charge, not your cost. On Broadchat you can also choose whether a client sees channel balance, billing logs and the billing category for each number.
When do I receive my messaging margin on Broadchat?
Your margin accrues as messages are charged to the client's wallet and is settled into your partner main wallet weekly, every Monday at 00:00 IST, when the channel currency matches your wallet currency.
Do I charge GST on the messaging wallet?
Prices in India are normally quoted plus GST, but the correct treatment of wallet top-ups and Meta's charges depends on how you structure the service. Ask a chartered accountant before you set up invoicing.