Read this first
One rule.
You pay when the message arrives on their phone. Not when you tap send.
The customer never pays. The store pays Meta.
Only 3 types
The type sets the price. Like a cheap ticket vs an expensive ticket.
Sale
Marketing
Discount. New drop. Buy now.
Expensive. In Egypt about 6 cents per message.
You always pay. Even if they texted you yesterday.
Order update
Utility
Your order is confirmed. It shipped. Here is the bill.
Cheap. In Egypt about 0.36 cents. About 18 times cheaper than a sale.
You pay when you send it to confirm an order. Not free.
Code
Authentication
Login code. Prove this is their phone.
Cheap, like an order update.
You pay if you start the chat.
If the customer texts you
They send you a message. Then you can reply in normal chat. What they send you is always free. You might pay for your reply.
If they came from an ad
They tapped WhatsApp on Facebook or Instagram. You reply fast. Then your messages are free for 3 days. Even sales. This does not change in October.
Brand Name’s example. What does it pay?
Brand Name confirms a clothes order. It messages Sara.
| When | Who | Said | Today | From Oct 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Brand Name | The sale is live. Tap here. Sale | Pays | Pays |
| Then | Sara | Do you have my size? From the customer | Free | Free |
| Reply | Brand Name | Yes. Want me to pack it? Normal chat | Free | Free until 1,000 |
| Confirm | Brand Name | Your order is confirmed. #1024. Order update | Free — still chatting | Pays |
| Next day | Brand Name | It shipped. Arrives tomorrow. Order update | Pays — Sara went quiet | Pays |
Today Brand Name pays for 2 messages: the sale, and the shipping update after Sara went quiet.
From October Brand Name pays for 3: the sale, the confirmation, and the shipping update. The chat reply is free if it is still inside the first 1,000.
How much in Egypt?
Meta bills in dollars. These numbers are from July 2026. They can change in January, April, July, or October.
| Country | Sale | Order update / code |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | $0.0644 | $0.0036 |
| Saudi Arabia | $0.0455 | $0.0107 |
| UAE | $0.0499 | $0.0157 |
| Rest of Middle East | $0.0341 | $0.0091 |
Example: 1,000 sale messages to Egypt ≈ $64. 1,000 order updates ≈ $3.60.
If you send a lot of order updates
The more order updates you send in a month, the cheaper each one gets. Sales never get cheaper. Replies: first 1,000 a month are free. After that, same price. The counter goes back to zero next month.
What changes on 1 October?
Normal replies: first 1,000 a month are free per WhatsApp number. From 1,001 you pay. Order updates in the chat: you pay. What the customer sends you: always free. If they came from an ad: still free for 3 days.
Add a card or payment method on WhatsApp before 30 September. If you don’t, replies may stop on 1 October.
The 3 expensive mistakes
- Sending a sale to confirm an order. In Egypt that is about 18 times more expensive.
- Sending 5 replies when 1 is enough. After the first 1,000, each reply costs money.
- Paying for a sale to someone who just came from an ad. The first 3 days were free.
What does this mean for Brand Name?
Brand Name sends the order update. That is the cheap message. Not the expensive sale. Same Meta price. No extra fee. If the customer replies, we keep chatting. After the first 1,000 replies that month, each extra reply costs money. So a short message saves cash.
Start confirming ordersMeta’s price. No extra fee
Easy questions
How much does a WhatsApp message cost in Egypt?
A sale is about 6 cents. An order update is about 0.36 cents. So a sale is about 18 times more expensive. Meta bills in dollars when the message arrives. These numbers are from July 2026 and can change every 3 months.
Is WhatsApp order confirmation free?
No. It is cheap, but you pay. Normal chat replies are free until 30 September. From 1 October the first 1,000 replies a month are free, and you pay from 1,001. If they came from a Facebook or Instagram ad, chat is free for 3 days.
Does the customer pay for the message?
No. The store pays. What the customer sends you is always free.
What is the difference between a sale and an order update?
A sale = discount. New drop. Buy now. Expensive, and you always pay. An order update = your order is confirmed. It shipped. Cheap, and not an ad.
What changes on 1 October 2026?
The first 1,000 normal replies a month are free per WhatsApp number. From 1,001 you pay. You pay for order updates. What the customer sends you stays free. If they came from an ad: still free for 3 days. Add a payment method before 30 September.
Source: Meta’s official price page. developers.facebook.com
Prices can change 4 times a year. Meta’s number is the bill. This page is a simple guide, not an invoice.