Conversation Category
One of four labels Meta assigns to a WhatsApp conversation — Marketing, Utility, Authentication, or Service — that determines its price and rules.
Last updated: 2026-05-03
Definition
Meta classifies every business-initiated WhatsApp conversation into one of four categories. **Marketing** covers promotional content, offers, abandoned cart, product launches — the highest-priced category. **Utility** covers transactional notifications tied to an existing relationship: order confirmations, payment receipts, shipping updates, appointment reminders — significantly cheaper than Marketing. **Authentication** covers one-time passwords and login codes — same low rate as Utility, with an authentication-specific template type. **Service** covers any message a business sends in response to a customer-initiated conversation within the 24-hour service window — these are free.
How it applies in India
Indian businesses cut WhatsApp bills 70–85% by carefully routing transactional messages through Utility templates instead of Marketing. WatEase auto-classifies messages by detecting their context (linked order, payment status, appointment record) and selects the cheapest valid category. Mis-categorisation gets templates rejected by Meta's reviewers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send a marketing message as a Utility conversation to save money?
No. Meta's reviewers will reject the template, and repeat misclassification flags your phone number quality rating. Categories are based on content, not the cheapest available option.
What happens if my Utility template is reclassified to Marketing by Meta?
Meta auto-reclassifies templates whose actual usage looks promotional. The template stays usable but bills at Marketing rates from that point. You're notified through the WABA dashboard and can submit a revised version for re-review.
Related terms
- Conversation-Based PricingMeta's pricing model for the WhatsApp Business API: businesses are charged per 24-hour conversation, with rates that depend on category and country.
- WhatsApp Template MessageA pre-approved message format that a business can send to a customer outside the 24-hour service window — required for any business-initiated conversation.
- Service Window (24-hour)A 24-hour period after a customer's last inbound message during which the business can reply free of charge with any non-template content.
Try WatEase free
Run your WhatsApp commerce on the platform built for India — Cloud API, GST invoices, UPI checkout, opt-in tracking, and a Free Forever plan.
Start Free Today