WhatsApp can be your best growth channel, or your most confusing bill. Wati’s site shows plan cards, usage meters, and a new message-based model. If you sell in the US, here is a clean summary that sticks to Wati’s own pages.
Summary at a glance
Wati sells three core plans in USD for the US market, shown on its pricing page as Growth, Pro, and Business. The page also shows who can add extra users and how much they cost.
Wati now bills per message by category. Service messages are free on newer plans. The pricing page links to a rate card, and Wati’s docs confirm the shift to message-based billing starting July 1, 2025.
Add-ons matter in your forecast. Wati shows a Shopify add-on at $4.99 per month, paid automation trigger top-ups, AI reply add-ons, and other items in its Help Center.
If you want predictable platform cost while you build deeper flows, Heltar uses a per-session meter, with a simple markup over Meta and unlimited team members in the base subscription.
Is WhatsApp API free?
The WhatsApp Business app is free for basic usage. The API is not. With Wati or any BSP you pay a plan fee and usage. Wati’s pricing page shows the plan tiers and makes it clear that per-message charges vary by category. The page links to a Wati rate card. Service messages are free on newer plans.
Wati plans in the US - What the cards show?
Feature | Growth | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
Included users | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Extra users | Not available on Growth | 24 dollars per user per month | 69 dollars per user per month |
Support | 24x5 email | 24x7 email and chat | Priority 24x7, paid TAM available |
Automation triggers per month | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 |
API calls per month | 10,000 | 200,000 | 20,000,000 |
Webhooks | None | Limited | Extensive |
AI Support Agent replies per month | Not listed | 250 | 1,000 |
Broadcasts | 15k per month, standard rates | Unlimited, standard rates | Unlimited, volume discounts |
CTWA analytics | Launch CTWA | Source tags and click tracking | Advanced analytics with scale features |
Integrations | 2 select Commerce or CRM integrations | 5 integrations incl. HubSpot | Unlimited integrations incl. Salesforce |
Shopify add-on | Requires 4.99 dollars per month add-on | Requires 4.99 dollars per month add-on | Requires 4.99 dollars per month add-on |
Notes on billing view | “Additional charges apply for messages” | “Additional charges apply for messages” | “Additional charges apply for messages” |
Annual billing note | Up to roughly 25 percent off with annual plans | Same | Same |
Practical takeaway
If you run a large team, extra user pricing only shows on Pro and Business. If you are on Growth, you cannot buy more seats. If you need heavy automation, watch the automation trigger and AI reply meters. When you cross them, you will buy add-ons.
The new usage model - What changes in your math?
Wati has moved from conversation-based to message-based pricing. Your WhatsApp bill now depends on how many template messages you send, and which category you use. The pricing page states this clearly and links to a rate card. Wati’s Help Center also states that on newer plans, service messages are free. It also confirms the effective date for the switch to message-based billing, July 1, 2025.
What this means for forecasting in the US:
Plan your pushes by message count per campaign, not just the number of audience members.
If your journeys use follow-ups and reminders, your message volume climbs.
For service, replies are free on newer plans, so you do not pay per service message on those tiers.
Add-ons and paid extras you should factor
Wati lists add-ons on the pricing page and explains more in its Help Center.
Shopify add-on: $4.99 per month on the plan comparison page.
Automation trigger top-ups: buy more triggers if you hit the monthly limit on your plan.
AI Support Agent replies: add packs when you cross the included replies, shown as 250 on Pro and 1,000 on Business.
Chatbot, Keyword, Teams add-ons: Wati’s Help Center lists prices such as $100 per month for extra chatbot capacity and $30 per 1,000 extra AI replies.
Account credits: Wati’s docs mention a minimum $10 credit in your account for usage estimation and continuity.
These line items are easy to miss in a quick scan, but they drive real cost at scale.
Pros & Cautions
Where Wati fits?
You want a WhatsApp tool with CTWA analytics, smart broadcasts, a helpdesk, and a catalog, with per-message billing you can tie to campaign volume.
You are fine with paid seat expansion on Pro or Business, and you do not need to add users on Growth.
What to watch?
Per-message billing means more steps in a journey raise your bill.
Automation caps and AI reply caps can pause automation if you forget to top up.
Key ecommerce add-on costs, like Shopify at $4.99 per month, sit outside your plan fee.
How Heltar compares for US teams?
Heltar prices per WhatsApp number with a small per automated session fee after free credits. A session covers one end-to-end flow for a customer inside a 48-hour window. Adding checks or reminders inside that session does not change the Heltar platform fee for that contact. Heltar also includes unlimited team members and the full Automation plus CRM stack in the base subscription.
Starter 50 dollars per number per month, per session 0.03 dollars, markup over Meta 10 percent
Growth 80 dollars per number per month, per session 0.02 dollars, markup 8 percent
Pro 150 dollars per number per month, per session 0.001 dollars, markup 5 percent
PS: All prices exclude taxes and Meta fees.
Category | Wati (USA) | Heltar |
|---|---|---|
Platform meter | Per message by category | Per automated session after free credits |
Seats | Growth fixed at 3, Pro and Business can add users $24 or $69 each | Unlimited team members included |
Automation caps | Triggers and AI replies have monthly caps, paid top-ups | Build as many steps as you want inside the same session |
Notable add-on | Shopify $4.99 per month | WhatsApp flows and hybrid AI included |
Forecasting | Cost rises with campaign depth and follow-ups | Platform spend stays steady while you deepen flows |
If your plan is to run richer, multi-step journeys with many touch points, Heltar keeps platform spend predictable. You can scale automation without chasing new caps or adding per-message load as flows get deeper.
Read about WhatsApp API pricing in different countries here.
Try Heltar today!
Start with our free trial and experience the difference in service and support. Choose Heltar for a straightforward, feature-rich approach to WhatsApp Business communications that won't strain your budget.
