WhatsApp Business API pricing in the UAE: AED calculator
Estimate what Meta will charge you each month for WhatsApp messages, in dirhams. Built on Meta's official AED rate card, effective 1 October 2026, including the free service messages and volume discounts.
Estimated Meta charge per month
AED 826.20≈ USD 225.10 on Meta's USD card| Category | Billable | AED |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing messages | 2,000 | 423.00 |
| Utility messages | 3,000 | 172.80 |
| Authentication messages | 0 | 0.00 |
| Service messages | 4,000 | 230.40 |
You pay per delivered message, by category
Since July 2025 Meta has charged for each WhatsApp message it delivers, not for 24-hour conversations. The price depends on two things: the message category and the country code of the customer receiving it. Customers never pay to message you.
From 1 October 2026, replies inside the 24-hour customer service window are billed too, after the first 1,000 service messages a month on each business number. Utility and authentication messages get cheaper as monthly volume grows.
Meta's WhatsApp rates in AED, from 1 October 2026
Price per delivered message at the standard list rate, for the Gulf and the countries UAE businesses message most. Since October 2026 Kuwait and Oman have their own rates (Qatar since July); Rest of Middle East now covers Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen. Every market is listed on the full price list.
| Customer's country | Marketing | Utility | Authentication | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 0.2115 | 0.0576 | 0.0576 | 0.0576 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0.2115 | 0.0393 | 0.0393 | 0.0393 |
| Qatar | 0.1252 | 0.044 | 0.044 | 0.044 |
| Kuwait | 0.2908 | 0.1615 | 0.1615 | 0.1615 |
| Oman | 0.1252 | 0.0907 | 0.0907 | 0.0907 |
| Rest of Middle East | 0.144 | 0.0334 | 0.0334 | 0.0334 |
| Egypt | 0.2364 | 0.0132 | 0.0132 | 0.0132 |
| India | 0.0433 | 0.0051 | 0.0051 | 0.0051 |
| Pakistan | 0.1737 | 0.0551 | 0.0551 | 0.0551 |
| Rest of Asia Pacific | 0.3091 | 0.0415 | 0.0415 | 0.0415 |
| United Kingdom | 0.233 | 0.0808 | 0.0808 | 0.0808 |
Source: Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing · Full price list for all 47 markets
Worked examples for UAE businesses
| Business | Monthly messages | Meta charge |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai clinic | 2,000 appointment reminders and 3,000 replies to patients | AED 230.40 |
| Real estate broker | 5,000 launch offers to opted-in buyers and 4,000 replies | AED 1,230.30 |
| Restaurant group | 8,000 order updates and 800 replies | AED 460.80 |
Four ways to pay Meta less
- Answer quickly. A reply inside the 24-hour window is a service message, the cheapest kind, and the first ones each month are free.
- Use the right category. A booking confirmation is a utility message at AED 0.0576; sending it as marketing costs AED 0.2115.
- Start chats from Click-to-WhatsApp ads. Messages in the free entry window that follows are not charged.
- Send fewer, better campaigns. Marketing messages cost the most, so target customers who opted in and are likely to act.
WhatsApp API pricing questions
Is the WhatsApp Business API free in the UAE?
Not entirely. Replying to customers is free for the first 1,000 service messages a month on each number. Marketing, utility and authentication templates are always charged per delivered message.
Is WhatsApp priced in dirhams?
Yes. Meta publishes an AED rate card, and businesses billed in AED pay these rates. This calculator uses that card.
Does the price depend on where my business is?
No. It depends on the country code of the customer who receives the message. A Dubai business messaging a Saudi number pays the Saudi rate.
What is the 24-hour customer service window?
When a customer messages you, a 24-hour window opens and restarts with every new message from them. Inside it you can reply freely; outside it you must send an approved template.
Does VYZR charge extra for WhatsApp messages?
No. VYZR is an official Meta partner and passes Meta's message rates through with no markup. WhatsApp is included on the Pro, Ultra and Enterprise plans.
An AI agent that answers inside the free window.
VYZR replies to every WhatsApp message in seconds, so most conversations stay as low-cost service messages.