WhatsApp broadcast: one message to many customers, and the rules that apply
Updated October 20, 2026
A WhatsApp broadcast is one message sent to many customers at once, such as "This weekend: 20% off family meals." There are two kinds. In the free WhatsApp Business app, a broadcast list sends to up to 256 contacts, and only those who saved your number receive it. Through the WhatsApp Business Platform (the API), a broadcast is an approved marketing template sent to as many opted-in customers as your messaging limit allows, and Meta charges for each message.
In short
- App broadcast list: free, small, and it only reaches people who saved your number.
- API broadcast: an approved marketing template, charged per message, scaled by your messaging limit.
- Opt-in first: send offers only to customers who agreed to get them, and honor STOP.
- US limit: Meta doesn't deliver marketing templates to US (+1) numbers. In the US, WhatsApp can send order updates but not promotions; use email for offers.
Broadcast list vs API broadcast vs group vs channel
| Broadcast list (Business app) | API broadcast (marketing template) | Group | Channel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recipients | Up to 256 per list | Your opted-in customers, within your daily limit | Members of the group | Followers |
| Who receives it | Only contacts who saved your number | Any opted-in number outside the US (+1) | Everyone in the group | Anyone who follows |
| Replies | Private, to you | Private, to you | Everyone sees them | No replies |
| Approval | None | Each template approved by Meta | None | None |
| Cost | Free | Per delivered message, by country | Free | Free |
What a broadcast costs
Meta charges each delivered marketing message by the country of the customer's number. On Meta's rate card from 1 October 2026, a marketing message costs US$0.0635 to a UK number, US$0.0625 to a Brazilian number and US$0.0397 to a Mexican number. Work out your own with the WhatsApp message cost calculator.
A priced example (UK)
A UK pizzeria sends a weekend offer to 1,200 opted-in customers.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Messages | 1,200 |
| Cost at US$0.0635 | US$76.20 |
| Orders it needs to cover the cost at a US$8 gross profit each | 10 |
If its number can send to 1,000 people a day, the first 1,000 go out on day one and the rest the next day. (Illustrative.)
Rules to follow
- Opt-in. Meta's policy requires customers to have agreed to hear from you; see WhatsApp opt-in.
- Make leaving easy. Respect STOP and every request to stop, on or off WhatsApp.
- Send less, better. Customers who block or report you lower your number's quality, which can limit what you can send.
- Pick the audience. A lapsed-regulars message differs from a new-dish message; see RFM segmentation and win-back campaign.
How Menuthere sends WhatsApp broadcasts
- From your own number (Pro). Broadcasts go from your WhatsApp Business number, not a shared one, using approved Marketing templates only.
- Choose who receives it. Type numbers, pick My customers, or upload an Excel or CSV file with a phone column. Duplicates and bad numbers are removed and counted.
- Now or later. Send now, or schedule for a date and time in your local timezone; cancel a scheduled broadcast before it starts.
- Big lists over several days. The screen shows Sent today, Daily limit left and Est. spend today. A list bigger than today's limit isn't refused: the first batch goes now, the rest at 6 p.m. store time each day until everyone is covered.
- Results. Sent, Delivered, Read and Failed for each broadcast, with a downloadable Excel report.
- STOP is respected. Customers who reply STOP go on the Blocklist and never get a broadcast; replying START removes them.
- No markup. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account; Est. spend is an estimate from Meta's rate card, not your bill.
What it doesn't do: broadcasts can't reach US (+1) numbers, and Menuthere doesn't send broadcasts by SMS or email.
Send offers to your own opted-in customers from your own number, billed by Meta with no markup.
Related terms
- WhatsApp marketing template: the message type every API broadcast uses.
- WhatsApp messaging limits: how many people you can reach a day.
- WhatsApp opt-in: the permission you need first.
- Win-back campaign: a broadcast aimed at lapsed customers.
FAQs
What is a WhatsApp broadcast?
It is one message sent to many people at once. In the WhatsApp Business app it is a broadcast list of up to 256 contacts; through the WhatsApp Business Platform it is an approved marketing template sent to many opted-in customers, charged per message.
Who receives a WhatsApp broadcast list message?
In the WhatsApp app, only contacts who have saved your number in their phone receive messages from a broadcast list. Each reply comes to you privately, as a normal chat.
How much does a WhatsApp broadcast cost?
Broadcast lists in the WhatsApp Business app are free. Broadcasts sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform are charged per delivered marketing message by the customer's country, for example US$0.0635 to a UK number on Meta's rate card from 1 October 2026.
Can I send WhatsApp broadcasts to customers in the US?
No. Meta does not deliver marketing templates to US (+1) numbers, so promotional broadcasts don't reach them. In the US, WhatsApp can send order updates but not promotions; use email for offers.
What is the difference between a WhatsApp broadcast and a group?
A broadcast sends your message to each person separately, and replies come only to you. In a group, every member sees the message and everyone else's replies.
Sources (5)
- WhatsApp Help Center, How to use broadcast lists (up to 256 contacts per list; only contacts who saved your number receive the message; mobile app only): https://faq.whatsapp.com/861663048350950/ (read 20 Oct 2026 through search results quoting the article; the page renders by script, see Facts)
- Meta for Developers, Marketing Messages API: Get started (marketing messages to US WhatsApp users not delivered from 1 April 2025): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/marketing-messages/get-started (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, last updated 23 Sep 2026 (opt-in; respect requests to stop, on or off WhatsApp): https://whatsappbusiness.com/policy/ (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: Broadcasts, updated 6 Oct 2026 (approved Marketing templates only; Enter manually / My customers / Upload Excel with a phone column; duplicates and bad numbers removed; Send now / Schedule; Sent today, Daily limit left, Est. spend today; batches at 6 PM store time; Sent, Delivered, Read, Failed; Excel report; Blocklist; START to rejoin; Est. spend is an estimate): https://menuthere.com/docs/whatsapp/broadcasts (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: Opt-outs and the blocklist, updated 6 Oct 2026: https://menuthere.com/docs/whatsapp/opt-outs-and-the-blocklist (accessed 20 Oct 2026)