WhatsApp Business API for restaurants: what it does, what it costs in your country, and how to get it
Updated October 20, 2026
The WhatsApp Business API lets a restaurant send messages from its own WhatsApp number automatically: an order confirmation, "your food is on the way" with a tracking button, a bot reply with your menu link when someone writes "Hi", and offers to customers who opted in. Meta charges per delivered message, by message type and by the country of the customer's number. From 1 October 2026, an order update costs US$0.0034 to a US or Canadian number, £0.0159 to a UK number and INR 0.115 to an Indian number. Replies inside a chat the customer started are free for the first 1,000 a month on each number. With Menuthere Pro (US$39 a month), you connect your number with a Facebook sign-in, keep using the WhatsApp Business app on it, and Meta bills you directly with no markup.
In short
- The app is for chatting; the API is for automation. The free Business app is you typing on a phone. The API lets software send order updates, run a bot and send approved templates.
- Four message types, four prices. Marketing costs the most. Utility (order updates), authentication (login codes) and service (replies) cost the same per market.
- 1,000 free service replies a month per number. From the 1,001st, service messages are charged. Templates are never free, except inside a free entry point window after a Click-to-WhatsApp ad.
- US numbers don't get marketing templates. Meta doesn't deliver them. In the US, WhatsApp can send order updates but not promotions; use email for offers.
- No markup with Menuthere. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account. Menuthere adds nothing per message.
What is the WhatsApp Business API?
It's Meta's way for software to send and receive WhatsApp messages on a business number, officially the WhatsApp Business Platform. Most businesses use Meta's Cloud API through a provider, so nobody on your team writes code. For a longer explainer, read what the WhatsApp Business API is.
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sends | You or your staff, by hand | Your ordering system, automatically, plus your staff from an inbox |
| Order updates | Typed one by one | Sent at each status change |
| Message templates | Not used | Needed for any message outside the customer's 24-hour window, approved by Meta first |
| Cost | Free | Per delivered message, set by Meta |
| Can both run on one number? | Yes. Meta lets a Business app number connect to the API and keep working ("coexistence"). |
Full comparison: WhatsApp Business app vs API.
What a restaurant sends on the API, and what each message counts as
| Message | Meta category | When it goes | In Menuthere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reply to "Hi" with an Order now link | Service | The customer writes first | Welcome flow; the link signs the customer in, valid 23 hours |
| Order placed, with View Order | Utility | The order is placed (online orders once paid) | Order placed flow |
| Accepted / food ready | Utility | You change the status | Order flows |
| Out for delivery, with Track Order | Utility | The order is dispatched | Order dispatched flow, with driver details when known |
| Completed, with Reorder | Utility | The order is completed | Order completed flow |
| Login code at checkout | Authentication | The customer signs in | Sent from Menuthere's number, or from yours if support sets it up |
| Cart reminder, "we're open again", comeback offer | Marketing (outside the 24-hour window) | Your rules | Ready-made flows and comeback messages |
| An offer to many customers | Marketing | You choose | Broadcasts, with STOP handling |
Order flows start switched off, so you choose how many updates each order gets. Two or three updates cost less than six, and the order tracking page is a web page, so customers can check it as often as they like for free.
How WhatsApp Business API pricing works in 2026
- Per delivered message. Meta charges when a message is delivered, not for messages customers send you.
- By category and by the customer's country. The price depends on the country code of the number you message, not where your restaurant is.
- Service messages: 1,000 free a month per number from 1 October 2026. Meta charges from the 1,001st; the free tier doesn't roll over. Before that date, service messages were free.
- Utility messages inside the customer's 24-hour window are charged again from 1 October 2026. They were free from 1 July 2025.
- Free entry point window. When a customer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, a window opens that "may remain open for up to 7 days", and every category is free inside it. See Click-to-WhatsApp ads.
- A payment method on file. Meta warned that businesses with no payment method by 30 September 2026 may lose service message delivery once the free tier is used.
- No monthly fee from Meta. See does the WhatsApp Business API have a monthly fee?
WhatsApp API prices by country (US$, from 1 October 2026)
Utility covers order updates. Authentication and service messages beyond the free 1,000 cost the same as utility in every market on this card.
| Market (customer's number) | Marketing | Utility, authentication, service | An order with 4 updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States and Canada (North America) | $0.025 (not delivered to US numbers) | $0.0034 | $0.0136 |
| United Kingdom | $0.0635 | $0.022 | $0.088 |
| India | $0.0118 | $0.0014 | $0.0056 |
| Brazil | $0.0625 | $0.0068 | $0.0272 |
| Mexico | $0.0397 | $0.0085 | $0.034 |
| Colombia | $0.0125 | $0.0008 | $0.0032 |
| Argentina | $0.0618 | $0.026 | $0.104 |
| Germany | $0.1365 | $0.055 | $0.22 |
| France | $0.0859 | $0.03 | $0.12 |
| Spain | $0.0707 | $0.02 | $0.08 |
| Italy | $0.0795 | $0.03 | $0.12 |
| Netherlands | $0.1597 | $0.05 | $0.20 |
| United Arab Emirates | $0.0576 | $0.0157 | $0.0628 |
| Saudi Arabia | $0.0576 | $0.0107 | $0.0428 |
| Kuwait | $0.0792 | $0.044 | $0.176 |
| Qatar | $0.0341 | $0.012 | $0.048 |
| Malaysia | $0.086 | $0.014 | $0.056 |
| Singapore | $0.0732 | $0.016 | $0.064 |
| Indonesia | $0.0411 | $0.025 | $0.10 |
| Pakistan | $0.0473 | $0.015 | $0.06 |
| South Africa | $0.0379 | $0.0095 | $0.038 |
| Nigeria | $0.0516 | $0.0067 | $0.0268 |
Meta also publishes the card in 15 other currencies. Work out your own order flow with the free WhatsApp cost calculator, which covers all 47 markets.
What it costs in your market: worked examples
Each example is one restaurant: 500 orders a month with 4 updates each (2,000 utility messages), its "Hi" replies inside the free 1,000 service messages, and one offer to 1,000 customers who opted in. Prices are Meta's local-currency rates from 1 October 2026.
United States and Canada
Order updates cost US$0.0034 each, so 2,000 updates are US$6.80 a month. Meta doesn't deliver marketing templates to US (+1 with a US area code) numbers, so the offer can't go to US customers at all. Canadian numbers are priced in the same North America market, at US$0.025 per marketing message (US$25 for 1,000). About a third of US adults use WhatsApp, and 56% of Hispanic adults do (Pew Research Center, 2026), so lead with order updates and use email for offers. See WhatsApp ordering in the USA and marketing to US numbers.
United Kingdom
£0.0159 per update makes £31.80 for 2,000 updates; the offer to 1,000 customers costs £45.80 at £0.0458 each. UK marketing needs consent under PECR. Read WhatsApp marketing under UK GDPR and PECR, the UK API guide and UK API pricing.
India
INR 0.115 per update makes INR 230 for 2,000 updates; the offer costs INR 863.10 at INR 0.8631 each. India is among the cheapest markets on the card. See WhatsApp ordering in India.
Brazil and Mexico
Brazil: R$0.035 per update, R$70 for 2,000; R$0.3217 per marketing message, R$321.70 for the offer. Mexico: MX$0.1565 per update, MX$313; MX$0.7298 per marketing message, MX$729.80. See Brazil and Mexico.
UAE and Saudi Arabia
UAE: AED 0.0576 per update, AED 115.20 for 2,000; AED 0.2115 per marketing message, AED 211.50 for the offer. Saudi Arabia: SAR 0.0401 per update, SAR 80.20; SAR 0.2159 per marketing message, SAR 215.90. See UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Europe (euro)
Prices vary widely inside the eurozone, so check the country of your customers' numbers:
| Customer's number | Update (€) | 2,000 updates | Marketing (€) | Offer to 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 0.0456 | €91.20 | 0.1131 | €113.10 |
| France | 0.0248 | €49.60 | 0.0712 | €71.20 |
| Spain | 0.0166 | €33.20 | 0.0585 | €58.50 |
| Italy | 0.0248 | €49.60 | 0.0658 | €65.80 |
| Netherlands | 0.0414 | €82.80 | 0.1323 | €132.30 |
| Rest of Western Europe | 0.0142 | €28.40 | 0.049 | €49.00 |
Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
Malaysia: RM0.0564 per update, RM112.80 for 2,000; RM0.3467 per marketing message, RM346.70 for the offer. Singapore: S$0.0205 per update, S$41; S$0.0937 per marketing message, S$93.70. Indonesia: Rp356.65 per update, Rp713,300; Rp586.33 per marketing message, Rp586,330. See Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
South Africa, Nigeria and Pakistan (US$)
South Africa: US$0.0095 per update, US$19 for 2,000; US$0.0379 per marketing message, US$37.90 for the offer. Nigeria: US$0.0067, US$13.40; US$0.0516, US$51.60. Pakistan: US$0.015, US$30; US$0.0473, US$47.30. See South Africa, Nigeria and Pakistan.
How to get the WhatsApp Business API
You need a Meta business portfolio, a phone number you control and a display name that matches your business. Then there are three routes:
| Route | What it involves | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Direct with Meta (Cloud API) | Your developer builds the sending, webhooks and templates | Chains with an in-house tech team |
| A messaging provider (BSP) | A chat tool on top of the API; you still need an ordering system | Businesses whose main need is a shared inbox |
| Your ordering system | The API comes connected to your menu, orders and order statuses | Restaurants that want order updates and a bot without extra tools |
More: what a business solution provider is and do I need a Meta business portfolio?
Connect your number with Menuthere
- Press Connect WhatsApp. In your Menuthere dashboard, open Sales channel, WhatsApp. Until a number is linked, the screen shows one card with a Connect WhatsApp button.
- Sign in with Facebook and pick your number. Sign in with the login that manages your WhatsApp Business account and choose the number to link. You can link the number you already use on the WhatsApp Business app.
- Check the status. Back in Menuthere, the number shows Connected, with its Meta quality rating and daily sending limit under Number settings.
- Turn on the order flows you want. Open Flows and switch on Order placed, accepted, food ready, dispatched, completed or cancelled. Edit the wording if you like.
- Add a payment method in Meta. Meta bills message charges to your own WhatsApp Business account, so add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager.
Can I keep the WhatsApp Business app on the same number?
Yes. Meta's "coexistence" lets a number on the WhatsApp Business app connect to the Cloud API and keep working in the app, with chats kept in sync. Meta's rules for it:
- The app must be version 2.24.17 or later. See do I need a recent app version?
- Messages you send from the app stay free; messages sent through the API are billed at API rates.
- Some app features are affected on a connected number, such as broadcast lists, disappearing and view-once messages, and live location.
- Keep the phone in use. Meta may disconnect a number whose Business app phone has been inactive for about 14 days.
- Throughput is fixed at 20 messages a second for coexistence numbers.
How many customers can I message a day?
Meta limits how many different customers you can start a conversation with in 24 hours. A new business portfolio starts at 250. Verifying your business, or sending 2,000 delivered high-quality messages in 30 days, can raise it to 2,000 after Meta reviews your quality, and it then scales automatically to 10,000, 100,000 and unlimited. Messages inside a customer's open 24-hour window don't count toward it. Menuthere shows each number's limit and quality, and a broadcast bigger than today's limit is sent in batches over the next days instead of being refused. More: daily messaging limits and the 24-hour rule.
What Menuthere does with the API, and what it doesn't
Included on Pro: your own number connected by Facebook sign-in; several numbers with a default sender; six order flows; a no-code bot with keywords, buttons, questions, conditions and delays; templates written and sent for Meta's review from the dashboard; broadcasts with STOP opt-outs; comeback messages; message analytics with the free 1,000 counter; an API to list and send your templates from your own software.
Not built in: ordering and paying inside the chat (customers order on your web menu from the link), AI replies, SMS, and a staff assignment queue in the inbox.
then try Pro free for 7 days (a card is needed to start). Questions?
More: all Menuthere integrations · WhatsApp automation · free WhatsApp ordering system · WhatsApp QR code generator · WhatsApp cost per order in 47 markets · plans
FAQs
Is the WhatsApp Business API free?
No. Meta charges per delivered message. Service replies inside a chat the customer started are free for the first 1,000 a month on each number from 1 October 2026, and every template, such as an order update or an offer, is charged.
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost per message?
It depends on the message type and the country of the customer's number. From 1 October 2026 an order update costs US$0.0034 to US and Canadian numbers, £0.0159 to UK numbers and INR 0.115 to Indian numbers. Marketing messages cost several times more.
Can I use my existing WhatsApp Business number?
Yes. Meta lets a number on the WhatsApp Business app connect to the API and keep working in the app, if the app is version 2.24.17 or later. Messages you send from the app stay free.
Can a restaurant send WhatsApp promotions to US customers?
No. Meta doesn't deliver marketing templates to US phone numbers. Order updates still work, so in the US use WhatsApp for updates and email for offers.
Does Menuthere add a markup to WhatsApp messages?
No. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account directly, and Menuthere adds nothing per message. The API comes with the Pro plan, at US$39 a month.
How many customers can I message a day on the API?
A new business portfolio can start conversations with 250 different customers in 24 hours. Verifying your business, or sending 2,000 high-quality messages in 30 days, can raise it to 2,000, and it then scales automatically.
Can customers order and pay inside WhatsApp with Menuthere?
No. Customers tap the order link and order on your web menu, signed in with their WhatsApp number. Order updates then come back in the same chat.
Sources (8)
- Meta for Developers, Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform (per-message pricing; "Businesses are only charged when a message is delivered"; free entry point window "may remain open for up to 7 days"; rate card effective October 1, 2026): developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Pricing updates ("a free tier of 1,000 service messages per month"; "charges as of the 1,001st service message"; utility in the window
free_customer_service→regularas of October 1, 2026; payment method by September 30, 2026): developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/updates-to-pricing/ (accessed 20 Oct 2026) - Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform per-currency rate cards effective 1 October 2026 (USD, GBP, INR, BRL, MXN, AED, SAR, EUR, MYR, SGD, IDR), as transcribed in menuthere.com/en/whatsapp-cost-calculator (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Per-user marketing template message limits ("WhatsApp does not currently deliver marketing template messages to WhatsApp users with United States phone numbers"; error 131049): developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits/ (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Onboarding WhatsApp Business app users (coexistence: app version 2.24.17 or higher; app messages "will continue to be free"; 20 mps throughput; unsupported features; inactivity disconnect): developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/embedded-signup/custom-flows/onboarding-business-app-users (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Messaging limits (250 for new portfolios; 2,000 after verification or 2,000 delivered messages in 30 days; automatic scaling to 10,000, 100,000 and unlimited): developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/messaging-limits (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Pew Research Center, Americans' Use of Social Media in 2026 (fact sheet, 19 Oct 2026; survey 30 Jan to 18 Jun 2026; WhatsApp: men 34%, women 33%, Hispanic 56%): pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/ (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere Docs, What you can do on WhatsApp; Connect your WhatsApp number; Several numbers and the primary number; Order updates to customers; The 24-hour window; Message templates; Broadcasts; Message analytics; What WhatsApp messages cost; Order link taps; API: list and send WhatsApp templates: menuthere.com/docs/whatsapp/…, /docs/integrations/api-list-and-send-whatsapp-templates (accessed 20 Oct 2026)