WhatsApp Business message templates

Meta charges for each template message delivered, and the price depends on the category. In India a marketing message costs ₹0.8631, about seven and a half times the ₹0.115 for a utility or authentication message.

Say a clinic sends 500 appointment reminders a month. As utility templates they cost ₹57.50. Add an offer to the same reminder and Meta treats it as marketing, so the 500 cost ₹431.55.

So keep confirmations and reminders plain, and send offers as their own marketing template. Every marketing template here ends with a way to opt out. More on how Meta bills in our WhatsApp Business API pricing guide.

Every template you send through the API is reviewed by Meta first. These are the rules from Meta's documentation that catch people most often.

• Pick the right category. Each template is authentication, marketing or utility. A template that mixes utility and marketing content counts as marketing, and if you choose utility for one Meta sees as marketing, it is approved as marketing.
• Keep the body to 1,024 characters. Every template here is under that.
• Number variables in order. Use {{1}}, {{2}} and so on with no gaps and with both curly braces, and give a sample value for each one.
• Do not start or end with a variable. Meta rejects a body that opens or closes on {{1}}. It also rejects too many variables for a short message, and variables holding characters such as #, $ or %.
• Name it in lowercase. Template names use lowercase letters, numbers and underscores, up to 512 characters, like appointment_reminder.
• Authentication templates have fixed text. Meta writes the wording; you add the code and choose whether to show a security line and an expiry time.
• Allow a day. Review can take up to 24 hours. A rejected template can be appealed, and the appeal must include a sample.

• India rates per category and the 1,000 free service messages: the INR list rates effective 1 October 2026 in Meta's WhatsApp pricing documentation, as set out in our pricing guide.
• The three categories, template names and variable numbering: Meta's message templates overview, checked 15 November 2026.
• Mixed content counting as marketing, and utility templates approved as marketing: Meta's template categorization guide, checked 15 November 2026.
• The 1,024 character body limit and sample values: Meta's template components reference, checked 15 November 2026.
• Rejection reasons, review time and appeals: Meta's template review page, checked 15 November 2026.
• Fixed text for authentication templates: Meta's authentication templates page, checked 15 November 2026.