# Twilio vs Heltar - what's better for your business' WhatsApp?
Author: Manav Mahajan
Author URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/author/manav-mahajan
Published: 2025-09-06
Category: WhatsApp Business API
Category URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/category/whatsapp-business-api
Tags: WhatsApp API Pricing, WhatsApp API Comparison, Twilio
Tag URLs: WhatsApp API Pricing (https://www.heltar.com/blogs/tag/whatsapp-api-pricing), WhatsApp API Comparison (https://www.heltar.com/blogs/tag/whatsapp-api-comparison), Twilio (https://www.heltar.com/blogs/tag/twilio)
URL: https://www.heltar.com/blogs/twilio-vs-heltar-whats-better-for-your-business-whatsapp

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.

![Twilio WhatsApp Pricing 2025: $0.005 Per Message — Are You Bleeding Cash? |  Heltar](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/true-e1605725105317-1746901309874-compressed.png)

TL;DR

- Twilio adds **[$0.005 per WhatsApp message](https://www.heltar.com/blogs/twilio-whatsapp-pricing-dollar0005-per-message-are-you-bleeding-cash-cmavbiyur00dukwl4kkyh63dk)** 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](https://www.heltar.com/blogs/making-whatsapp-bots-with-twilio-value-or-overspend-in-2025), Heltar is built for marketing at scale with clear pricing and fast setup.


## WhatsApp bulk messaging - Quick context

![How to Send Bulk Messages on WhatsApp without Getting Banned (2025 Update)  | Heltar](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/15-1730799331336-compressed.jpg)

Two cost pieces always exist on WhatsApp Business:

1. **Meta’s charges** based on template category and region, and

2. **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

![WhatsApp API Pricing | Heltar](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/24202411252259260001-1732923575835-compressed.png)

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)

![How To Reduce Marketing Cost And Still Get New Customers](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/how-to-reduce-marketing-cost-while-approaching-more-customers-1757164256838-compressed.jpg)

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**

**![Twilio WhatsApp Pricing 2025: $0.005 Per Message — Are You Bleeding Cash? |  Heltar](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/true-e1605725105317-1746901309874-compressed.png)**

- 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**

**![WhatsApp Business API | Heltar](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_clnw4nrag2342701vpmufcj1n2w/images/metaicon-1743285180475-compressed.png)**

- 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](https://www.heltar.com/demo.html) and we will walk you through a cost and flow setup tailored to your use case.**


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