Glossary
24-hour customer service window
The period after a customer's last message in which a business may reply freely on WhatsApp.
Last updated:
On the WhatsApp Business Platform, a business can send free-form (non-template) messages within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Outside it, only approved templates may be sent. From 1 October 2026, service messages inside the window are billable per message at the utility rate of the recipient's market.
Sources
- Pricing for non-template messages - Meta for Developers, 2026. Note: Service (free-form) messages become billable per message from 1 October 2026 at utility/authentication rates per market.