WhatsApp API pricing · Malaysia
WhatsApp API pricing in Malaysia: Meta's RM rates by category and a worked monthly bill
Meta's per-message rates for Malaysian numbers in RM and US$, what is free, how Singapore and Indonesian numbers are priced, a worked RM bill for a Kuala Lumpur store, and where the platform fee fits.
By Broadchat teamPublished 6 min read
In short
For Malaysian (+60) numbers, Meta charges RM0.3467 per delivered marketing message and RM0.0564 per delivered utility, authentication or paid service message (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026). Each business number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, and chats that start from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad are free for up to 7 days. Your provider's platform fee comes on top; Broadchat partners quote theirs.
Key takeaways
- Marketing to Malaysian numbers costs RM0.3467 per delivered message and utility RM0.0564 (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026): marketing is about six times utility.
- The first 1,000 service messages per business number per month are free; after that each costs RM0.0564 at the same rate card.
- Utility templates are charged even inside an open 24-hour window since 1 Oct 2026.
- You pay the recipient's country rate: messages to Singapore or Indonesian numbers are priced differently from Malaysian ones.
- Utility and authentication have monthly volume tiers per market, counted across your whole business portfolio.
Meta's rates for Malaysian numbers
Meta charges per delivered template message. The price depends on two things: the template's category and the country code of the number you send to. For +60 numbers, Meta's rate card effective 1 Oct 2026 lists:
| Category | What it is for | MYR rate card | USD rate card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, new arrivals, re-engagement | RM0.3467 | US$0.0860 |
| Utility | Order, booking, delivery and account updates the customer expects | RM0.0564 | US$0.0140 |
| Authentication | One-time passwords and login codes | RM0.0564 | US$0.0140 |
| Service | Free-form replies inside the 24-hour window, after the free 1,000 per number per month | RM0.0564 | US$0.0140 |
These match Meta's 1 Jul 2026 card, the first on which Malaysia was priced as a market of its own. Meta changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October and gives a month's notice, so check Meta's pricing page at the start of each quarter. Meta also publishes the same cards in other currencies; which one applies to an account is fixed when its Messaging account is created.
What is free, and what stopped being free on 1 Oct 2026
- Service messages: 1,000 free per business phone number per month. These are the non-template replies you send inside the 24-hour customer service window. From the 1,001st in a month, Meta charges the service rate. The allowance does not roll over.
- Utility templates inside an open window are charged. From 1 Jul 2025 to 30 Sep 2026 they were free when the window was open; since 1 Oct 2026 they are not.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads. When a customer starts a chat from your ad and you reply within 24 hours, your messages to them are free for up to 7 days (the free entry point window).
- Reactions stay free and do not count towards the 1,000.
Older Malaysian articles that say 'replies within 24 hours are free' or describe a 72-hour ad window were written before these changes.
Customers in Singapore and Indonesia
Meta prices by the recipient's country, not yours. A Johor Bahru car rental or a Melaka homestay with many Singapore guests, or a Penang supplier selling into Indonesia, should budget with these rows of the MYR card (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026):
| Recipient | Marketing | Utility and authentication |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia (+60) | RM0.3467 | RM0.0564 |
| Singapore (+65) | RM0.2951 | RM0.0646 |
| Indonesia (+62) | RM0.1657 | RM0.1008 |
Note the flip: marketing to Singapore numbers is cheaper than to Malaysian ones, but utility costs more.
A worked monthly bill in RM
This example is illustrative. Aisyah runs Butik Seri Melati, an online modest-fashion store in Kuala Lumpur on Shopify, with one WhatsApp number. In a normal month:
| Messages | Count | Meta rate (rate card effective 1 Oct 2026) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmed and shipped (utility) | 4,000 | RM0.0564 | RM225.60 |
| Hari Raya collection launch to opted-in customers (marketing) | 3,000 | RM0.3467 | RM1,040.10 |
| Login codes for her members' area (authentication) | 300 | RM0.0564 | RM16.92 |
| Customer-service replies: 2,500, of which 1,000 free | 1,500 | RM0.0564 | RM84.60 |
| Meta total | RM1,367.22 |
Three-quarters of the bill is one marketing campaign. Two changes would cut it without losing sales: send the launch only to customers who bought or clicked in the last six months instead of the whole list, and run a Click-to-WhatsApp ad for the launch so new conversations fall inside the free 7-day window. Moving the launch into a 'utility' template is not an option; Meta reviews categories and recategorises promotional content as marketing.
Volume tiers
Utility and authentication have volume tiers: once a business portfolio sends enough of them to one market in a calendar month, the rate steps down. Tiers are counted per market and category across all numbers in the portfolio and reset every month. Marketing has no tiers. Most SMEs will not reach the first step, so budget at the standard rate.
Where the platform fee fits
Meta's charges are only half the bill. Every provider also charges for its software, in one of three ways:
| Model | How you pay | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription plus Meta at cost | A monthly plan; Meta bills you directly or passes rates through | Which features are in which plan, and the number of users |
| Bundled per-message price | No monthly fee; each message costs more than Meta's rate | The markup over Meta's rate card per category |
| Subscription plus marked-up wallet | A monthly plan; you prepay a messaging wallet at the provider's rates | The rate per category against Meta's card, and the wallet currency |
On Broadchat, businesses buy through a partner, who sets the plan price and the messaging rates over Meta's base rate; partner prices are quoted on request. Whichever provider you choose, ask for its rate per category next to Meta's rate card and whether tax such as SST is included or added. Providers we checked are compared in WhatsApp API providers in Malaysia; partners who want to resell can see how partner margins work.
How to spend less
- Put routine updates in utility templates (no promotion in them) and keep marketing for campaigns.
- Answer quickly: replies inside an open window are free up to 1,000 a month per number.
- Use Click-to-WhatsApp ads for acquisition, so the first week of the conversation is free.
- Segment marketing sends; every message to someone who never reads costs RM0.3467 at Meta's rate card effective 1 Oct 2026.
- Send OTPs only when needed, and expire them, so customers do not request a second code.
For what the API itself does and how to connect a number, start at WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia.
Other editions of this page
Sources
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform (rate cards effective 1 Oct 2026, MYR and USD) — Meta for Developers, checked 1 November 2026
- WhatsApp Business Platform changelog (service message charges, free entry point window) — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- Template categorization — 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 is one WhatsApp marketing message in Malaysia?
RM0.3467 per delivered marketing template to a Malaysian number, or US$0.0860 on the USD card (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026). Your provider's own fee or markup comes on top.
Are WhatsApp replies free in Malaysia?
Partly. Each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages a month for free-form replies inside the 24-hour window. After that, each service message costs RM0.0564 (Meta rate card effective 1 Oct 2026). Utility templates are charged even inside the window.
Is SST charged on WhatsApp API fees?
Meta's rate card lists the per-message rates; whether Malaysian service tax is added depends on who bills you and how. Ask your provider to show tax separately on its quote and check the treatment with your accountant.
Does Meta charge for messages that fail?
Meta charges per delivered message. A template that is not delivered, for example because the number is not on WhatsApp, is not charged by Meta. Some providers charge their own fee per attempt, so check your provider's terms.
Do prices change when Meta updates the rate card?
Meta changes rates only on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October, with at least a month's notice. Platforms that sync Meta's rate card, as Broadchat does daily, apply the new base rate from its effective date; your provider's markup sits on top.