Glossary
What is a free entry point on WhatsApp?
How chats that begin from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad become free for up to 7 days, what is excluded, and why old '72 hours' and 'Page button' claims are out of date.
By Broadchat teamPublished Updated 2 min read
Definition
Free entry point: A free entry point is a way a customer can start a WhatsApp chat that makes the business's messages free for a limited time. Today it means a Click-to-WhatsApp ad: when a customer messages through the ad and the business replies within 24 hours, Meta does not charge for messages in that chat for up to 7 days, except Meta Business Agent messages. The period was 72 hours before.
Also called: Free entry point window, Free entry point conversation, FEP
How the WhatsApp free entry point works
- A customer taps a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on Facebook or Instagram and sends you a message.
- You reply within 24 hours of that message.
- From then, messages in that chat are free for up to 7 days, including templates you send during that period.
- Messages from Meta Business Agent, Meta's own AI agent, are charged even inside this window.
If you miss the 24-hour reply deadline, you only have the normal customer service window rules and charges.
Out-of-date claims to avoid
- "72 hours free": the window was 72 hours. Meta extended it to up to 7 days (changelog, 28 Sep 2026).
- "Facebook Page button chats are free": older versions of Meta's pricing page listed the Page call-to-action button as a free entry point. The current page lists only Click-to-WhatsApp ads, so do not plan budgets around Page buttons.
Worked example
Rangoli Home runs a Click-to-WhatsApp ad for block-printed bedsheets at ₹2,349. On Friday at 8 pm, Priya taps the ad and asks whether the queen size comes in indigo. Meera replies at 9 am on Saturday, inside 24 hours, so the free window starts.
Over the next few days Meera sends photos, a product list, the payment link and, on Wednesday, an order confirmation template. All of these fall inside the up-to-7-day window and are free. Ten days later, a delivery update template is charged at the utility rate, because the free window has ended.
Why it matters
For businesses that sell through ads, this is the cheapest way to hold a long sales conversation on WhatsApp. It also rewards fast replies: a lead who waits more than a day costs you the free window as well as the sale. Check current categories and rates on WhatsApp API pricing.
Free entry point chats in Broadchat
Broadchat chatbots have a Click-to-WhatsApp ad trigger, set up under Chatbots → Chatbots, so an ad lead gets an instant first reply and lands in CRM → Live Chat for an agent to continue. The chatbot builder page shows the trigger list, and the WhatsApp Business API explainer covers how pricing fits together.
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
Is the WhatsApp free entry point 72 hours or 7 days?
Up to 7 days. Meta extended it from 72 hours; the change appears in the WhatsApp changelog on 28 Sep 2026 and on the current pricing page.
Do I have to reply within 24 hours?
Yes. The free window starts only if the business replies within 24 hours of the customer's message from the ad. A chatbot first reply helps you meet that deadline at night and on holidays.
Are templates free during the free entry point window?
Yes, messages of all categories in that chat are free during the window, except messages from Meta Business Agent, which are always charged.