Glossary
Which WhatsApp accounts keep free service messages beyond 1,000 a month?
Meta's paid_exempt webhook subtype marks government and non-profit WhatsApp accounts that keep unlimited free service messages after the 1,000-per-number monthly allowance, through 31 Dec 2027.
By Broadchat teamPublished 3 min read
Definition
Paid exempt: Paid exempt is the webhook subtype (paid_exempt) Meta uses to mark a WhatsApp Business Platform account that is excused from the 1,000-free-service-message-per-number monthly cap introduced on 1 October 2026. Meta keeps service messages free without limit for eligible government and non-profit accounts until 31 December 2027, after which the exemption's future has not been announced. Other message categories, such as marketing, utility and authentication templates, are still charged as normal.
Also called: paid_exempt, Service message exemption, Non-profit WhatsApp pricing exemption
What the exemption covers
Since 1 October 2026, every WhatsApp business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages per month; replies after that are charged (India: ₹0.115 per delivered message, Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026, excl. GST). Meta carved out an exception for eligible government and non-profit accounts, which keep free service messages beyond that allowance until 31 December 2027. Meta's changelog added the paid_exempt pricing subtype on 12 October 2026 so these accounts can identify the exempt messages in their billing webhooks.
The exemption applies to service messages specifically, meaning the free-form replies a business sends inside an open customer service window. It does not change how marketing, utility or authentication templates are billed; those follow the normal rate card whichever type of account sends them.
Who qualifies
Meta's documentation describes the exemption as being for "eligible government and non-profit accounts" without publishing a public self-service form for claiming it in this file's sources. In practice this means the exemption is tied to how Meta has classified the business during business verification and account review, not something a business can switch on by itself. An organisation that believes it should qualify and is not seeing paid_exempt on its billing should raise it with Meta support or with the partner that manages its WhatsApp Business account.
Why it matters
- Budgeting for NGOs and public bodies. An eligible organisation running a high-volume helpline or citizen-service number does not need to budget for service-message charges past 1,000 a month, unlike a commercial account on the same volume.
- Check your own webhooks. If your organisation expects the exemption, look for the
paid_exemptsubtype on your pricing webhooks to confirm it is actually applied, rather than assuming eligibility. - It has an end date. 31 December 2027 is the date Meta has committed to today; plan budgets past that date on the assumption that normal service-message pricing could apply unless Meta extends the exemption.
- Not a general discount. Marketing, utility and authentication templates sent by an exempt account are billed the same as for any other account.
Where this fits for Broadchat partners
Broadchat and its partners bill messaging against Meta's published rate card (see WhatsApp API pricing); the paid_exempt flag is set by Meta on the underlying account, not inside a reseller panel. An NGO or public-sector client running its helpline through a Broadchat partner should confirm with Meta, or ask its partner to check, whether its account carries the exemption before planning high-volume service-message use.
Related terms
Sources
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers, checked 5 November 2026
- WhatsApp Business Platform changelog — Meta for Developers, checked 5 November 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
What does paid_exempt mean on a WhatsApp billing webhook?
It marks a service message that was free because the account is an eligible government or non-profit account exempted from the 1,000-free-message-per-month cap Meta introduced on 1 October 2026. The exemption runs until 31 December 2027.
Does the exemption cover marketing or utility templates too?
No. It covers service messages, the free-form replies sent inside an open customer service window. Marketing, utility and authentication templates are billed at the normal rate card regardless of this exemption.
Can any non-profit apply for this exemption?
Meta's own documentation does not publish a public self-service application process in the sources checked for this page. Eligibility is tied to how Meta has reviewed and classified the account; ask Meta support or the partner managing the WhatsApp Business account to check.
What happens after 31 December 2027?
Meta has not announced what happens to the exemption after that date. Eligible organisations should plan for the possibility that normal service-message pricing could apply from 2028 unless Meta extends it.