If your WhatsApp blasts are growing fast, the platform fee you choose can swing your bill by a lot. Twilio adds a small fee to every message you send. Heltar charges per automated session and keeps the platform fee near zero at scale. The difference shows up the moment you run multi-message flows to big lists.
TL;DR
Twilio adds $0.005 per WhatsApp message on top of Meta fees. Add optional add-ons like link tracking, and the per-message total grows again.
Heltar pricing is subscription plus a small per-session fee after free credits, excluding Meta charges. At higher tiers, the per-session fee drops sharply.
For bulk messaging with multi-step flows, per-message fees stack up fast on Twilio. A per-session model like Heltar’s can keep platform costs predictable.
If you need a no-code broadcast and automation stack, Heltar is built for marketing at scale with clear pricing and fast setup.
WhatsApp bulk messaging - Quick context
Two cost pieces always exist on WhatsApp Business:
Meta’s charges based on template category and region, and
Your platform’s own fees.
Twilio’s WhatsApp pricing adds a $0.005 fee per message you send or receive, then passes through Meta’s fees. It also lists a small fee for failed message processing and paid add-ons like link tracking or scheduling.
Heltar follows a different path. We price by subscription tier plus a per automated session charge after free credits, excluding Meta charges. A session covers the automated workflow with a contact. That means whether your flow sends two messages or ten, the Heltar platform fee stays the same for that session.
Pricing, side by side
Below is the platform fee comparison. Meta fees apply in both cases and will be added separately.
Twilio Platform Fees
$0.005 per WhatsApp message, inbound or outbound, billed on top of Meta’s fees.
Failed message processing fee of $0.001 per message if a message ends in Failed.
Engagement add-ons like link shortening or message scheduling are $0.015 per message after the first 1,000 per month. Twilio fees still apply.
If you choose Conversations API for chat style threads, there is per active monthly user pricing on top of standard WhatsApp rates.
Heltar Platform Fees
- Starter (2,000-10,000 conversations per month)
1) Platform subscription $50 per WhatsApp number per month
2) 1 WABA included, each extra WABA $25 per month
3) Meta marketing and utility or authentication markup 10% over Meta actuals
4) Meta user-initiated messages are free
5) $0.03 per automated session after free credits, excluding Meta charges
- Growth, 10,000-50,000 conversations per month
1) Platform subscription $80 per WhatsApp number per month
2) 1 WABA included, each extra WABA $40 per month
3) Markup 8% over Meta actuals
4) Meta user-initiated messages free
5) $0.02 per automated session after free credits, excluding Meta charges
- Pro, 50,000-100,000 conversations per month
1) Platform subscription $150 per WhatsApp number per month
2) 2 WABAs included, each extra WABA $75 per month
3) Markup 5% over Meta actuals
4) Meta user-initiated messages free
5) $0.001 per automated session after free credits, excluding Meta charges
Cost Math (to put things into perspective)
To keep this fair, let’s compare platform fees only, and state the same assumption for both sides: Meta fees will apply on top.
Case 1, mid-scale campaign
Setup: 5-message flow to 20,000 contacts in a month
Twilio platform fee: 5 x 20,000 x $0.005 = $500
Heltar Growth platform fee: 20,000 sessions x $0.02 = $400
Result: Heltar is $100 lower on platform fees for the same reach and flow depth.
Case 2, larger campaign with rich flows
Setup: 6-message flow to 100,000 contacts in a month
Twilio platform fee: 6 x 100,000 x $0.005 = $3,000
Heltar Pro platform fee: 100,000 sessions x $0.001 = $100
Result: Heltar is $2,900 lower on platform fees at scale.
If you also turn on Twilio Engagement Suite features like link tracking or message scheduling, add $0.015 per message beyond the first 1,000 in a month. That pushes the Twilio total up further on large sends.
Features that matter for bulk messaging
Twilio
- API first. You get Programmable Messaging with template support and a clear model for customer service windows. Great for teams that already build with Twilio.
Conversations API adds rich chat features, but it brings a per active user fee on top of standard WhatsApp rates. For pure bulk marketing, many teams stay on Programmable Messaging.
- Add-ons like link tracking and scheduling are charged per message, which can raise costs on large broadcasts.
Heltar
- Built for WhatsApp growth teams. Run broadcasts, segment lists, and build flows without code. See how the drag-and-drop flow builder works.
- Per-session platform pricing keeps costs steady as you add steps to your journey, so you can experiment with richer flows without watching a per-message meter.
- Shared team inbox, template manager, smart retries, and analytics help your team run day-to-day ops with less overhead.
- Clear pricing by tier with user-initiated messages free, and low per-session fees after free credits.
Quick Comparison
Area | Heltar | Twilio |
|---|---|---|
Pricing model | Subscription per WhatsApp number + per automated session after free credits | Per-message platform fee + Meta fees |
Typical platform fee | Starter: $50/mo per number, $0.03/session. Growth: $80/mo, $0.02/session. Pro: $150/mo, $0.001/session. | $0.005 per message sent or received |
Add-ons | Included features for automation, broadcasts, segmentation | Engagement Suite link tracking and message scheduling $0.015 per message, first 1,000 free each month |
Conversation limits | No cap on flow steps inside a session | Every message step adds cost |
WABA allowance | Starter 1 WABA, Growth 1, Pro 2 | Not applicable |
Extra WABA | Starter $25/mo, Growth $40/mo, Pro $75/mo | Not applicable |
Meta pass-through | Markup over Meta actuals: Starter 10%, Growth 8%, Pro 5% | Meta fees passed through, varies by template and region |
User-initiated messages | Free | Still counted if messages are sent or received via Twilio |
When to pick Twilio, when to pick Heltar?
Choose Twilio if you are already all-in on Twilio’s stack across SMS, email, and voice, and you want to keep every channel under one engineering pattern. You will trade that convenience for per-message platform fees, and you should plan your broadcast design with that meter in mind.
Choose Heltar if WhatsApp is a core channel for marketing, activation, and support, and you want pricing that stays predictable as your flows get deeper and your list gets larger. You also get a no-code stack that lets your team ship campaigns without heavy lift.
Final word
If your WhatsApp plan involves bulk messaging and multi-step flows, a per-message platform fee can grow faster than you expect. Heltar’s per-session model plus simple subscription tiers give you clear control of platform costs as you scale. Want to see your own numbers on a live account? Book a short demo and we will walk you through a cost and flow setup tailored to your use case.
