Guide
What WhatsApp actually costs a South African business.
There are two bills, not one, and most people are surprised by how small the Meta half is. This is what each one covers, in Rands, with Meta's own rate card as the reference.
Two bills, and they pay for different things
Meta is the delivery network. Every provider in this market pays Meta the same published rates, and what differs between providers is whether they pass that through at cost or mark it up. The platform is the software on top: the agent, the shared inbox, the automation. You are not paying twice for the same thing, and it helps to see the two separately before comparing anyone's prices.
The Meta half is often R0
This is the part almost nobody expects. Once a customer messages you, any reply you send inside the next 24 hours is free at Meta, with no monthly cap. That window covers almost all support, enquiries and bookings. If your customers message you first and you do not run marketing broadcasts, your Meta bill is R0.
| Message | Rate |
|---|---|
| Any reply inside the 24-hour windowFree at Meta once a customer has messaged you, which covers almost all support, enquiries and bookings. | R0 |
| Utility messageOrder updates, appointment reminders, delivery notices. Free while the customer is still inside the 24-hour window. | about R0.14 |
| Authentication messageOne-time passcodes and verification. | about R0.14 |
| Marketing messagePromotions and campaigns. Five times the price of utility in South Africa. | about R0.70 |
Meta's published South African rates as at their card effective 1 July 2026, converted at R18.50 to the dollar. Meta revises rates quarterly, so treat this as a planning aid rather than a quote and check Meta's own rate card for the figure on the day.
What that looks like in practice
A marketing broadcast to 2 000 recipients is roughly R1 400 at Meta. The same 2 000 people answering you, and your agent replying inside the 24-hour window, is R0.
Categorising templates correctly is the biggest lever
Marketing costs five times what utility costs in South Africa, and a utility message sent while the customer is still inside the 24-hour window is free. An appointment reminder, an order update and a delivery notice are utility. Sending those as marketing is the single most expensive mistake available on this platform, and it is a categorisation choice rather than a technical one.
The software half, and the markup question
The second bill is the platform. Gojify starts at R1 650 a month, billed in Rands, with the AI allowance included rather than sold as an add-on and no per-seat charge on any tier. Gojify adds nothing to any of it and takes no cut. Meta bills you directly against your own WhatsApp Business Account, so you can check the figure yourself rather than taking ours.
That last point is worth checking on whoever you compare. A markup on Meta's fees does not appear on a pricing page, it appears on your invoice months later, and the only way to know is to ask whether conversation fees are billed against your own WhatsApp Business Account at Meta's published rate.
Questions about Meta's fees
Why do I pay Meta as well? That feels like paying twice.
They are two different things. Gojify is the software: the agent, the shared inbox, the automation. Meta is the delivery network, and every provider in this market pays them the same published rates. What differs is whether a provider passes that through at cost or marks it up. We pass it through, billed against your own WhatsApp Business Account so you can verify it yourself.
How much will Meta cost me on top?
Often nothing, which surprises people. Any reply inside the 24-hour window after a customer messages you is free at Meta, and that covers almost all support, enquiries and bookings. If your customers message first and you do not run marketing broadcasts, your Meta bill is R0.
And where Meta does charge?
South African rates as at Meta's card effective 1 July 2026, converted at R18.50/$, are about R0.14 per utility or authentication message and about R0.70 per marketing message. So a 2 000-recipient marketing broadcast is roughly R1 400. Rates change periodically, so check Meta's current card for the figure on the day.
Is utility really cheaper than marketing?
Substantially. Marketing is five times the price of utility in South Africa, and a utility message sent while the customer is still inside the 24-hour window is free. Categorising your templates correctly is one of the biggest levers on your Meta bill, and we help you do it.
Rates on this page are Meta's, not ours, and are subject to change by Meta. Credit and conversation figures elsewhere on this site are measured on the live platform and offered for planning. See the full FAQ for the rest.