# WhatsApp Messaging Rules When you use **WhatsApp Business API**, all your messages must follow WhatsApp’s messaging policies. These policies are designed to **protect users from spam, irrelevant, or offensive content** and to ensure a safe communication environment. {% embed url="" %} *** ### 4 Categories of WhatsApp Messages ### 1. **Session Messages** * **What it means**: When a customer sends you a message, a **24-hour session window** starts from the time of their last reply. * **What you can do**: Within this window, you can send **free-form messages** (no pre-approval needed). * **Charges**: No charges during this period. ✅ **Example** * Customer: *“Where is my order?”* * Business: *“Your order #1234 has been shipped today. You should receive it by Thursday.”* * Business can also ask follow-up questions like: *“Do you want me to share the tracking link?”* *** ### 2. **Utility Messages** * **What it means**: Transactional updates relevant to a customer’s purchase or account. * **Requirement**: Only **pre-approved templates** can be used. * **Charges**: Pricing depends on the country. ✅ **Examples** * *“Your order #1234 is out for delivery.”* * *“Your payment for order #5678 is confirmed.”* * *“Please share your feedback on the product you received.”* Allowed formats: * Text, images, PDFs (like invoices), videos, payment request links, interactive buttons. *** ### 3. **Marketing Messages** * **What it means**: Messages intended to promote, upsell, or re-engage customers. * **Requirement**: Only **pre-approved templates** can be used. * **Charges**: Pricing depends on the country. ✅ **Examples** * *“Hurry! 20% OFF on all products this weekend. Shop now 👉 \[link].”* * *“Your favorite product is back in stock! Click below to order.”* * *“Buy 1 Get 1 Free – valid until midnight.”* Allowed formats: * Text, carousel messages, coupons, images, videos, PDFs, interactive buttons. *** ### 4. **Authentication Messages** * **What it means**: For sending secure OTPs or login codes. * **Requirement**: Only **pre-approved templates** can be used. * **Charges**: Pricing depends on the country. ✅ **Example** * *“Your verification code is 457890. Do not share this code with anyone.”* *** ### Quick Comparison | Category | Approval Needed? | Charges | Use Case Example | | ------------------ | ---------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------- | | **Session** | ❌ No | Free | Customer asks about delivery → You reply | | **Utility** | ✅ Yes | Paid | Order updates, invoices | | **Marketing** | ✅ Yes | Paid | Offers, promotions, back-in-stock | | **Authentication** | ✅ Yes | Paid | OTPs, login codes | {% hint style="success" %} 👉 **Golden Rule:** Always make sure your messages are **relevant, timely, and user-centric**. Irrelevant or spammy content can lead to **user complaints** and even **WhatsApp account restrictions**. {% endhint %} ## WhatsApp Messaging Limits When using the **WhatsApp Business API**, your messaging capacity is governed by **Messaging Limits**.\ These limits define **how many unique customers** you can start conversations with in a rolling 24-hour period. {% hint style="success" %} Note: Limits apply **only to business-initiated conversations** (Utility, Marketing, Authentication). They do **not** apply to customer-initiated **Session messages**. {% endhint %} {% embed url="" %} ### Types of Messaging Limits #### **Tier 1 – 1,000 Customers per 24 Hours** * Every new verified business starts here. * You can initiate conversations with up to **1,000 unique customers** in a day. ✅ Example:\ An eCommerce store can send order updates or offers to 1,000 customers per day. *** #### **2. Tier 2 – 10,000 Customers per 24 Hours** * Once you reach good engagement and low complaint rates, WhatsApp upgrades your limit. * You can now message **up to 10,000 customers daily**. ✅ Example:\ A brand runs a flash sale and promotes it to 10,000 opted-in customers in one day. *** #### **3. Tier 3 – 100,000 Customers per 24 Hours** * With consistent, compliant messaging, you get further upgraded. * Now you can reach **100,000 customers daily**. ✅ Example:\ A large eCommerce platform sends shipping updates or promotions to 1 lakh customers each day. *** #### **4. Tier 4 – Unlimited Messaging** * Reserved for the largest verified enterprises. * You can send messages to an **unlimited number of users daily**. ✅ Example:\ A marketplace like Amazon or Flipkart can message their entire user base as needed. *** ## How to Increase Your Limit 1. **Get business verification** approved by Meta. 2. **Send quality messages** (no spam, only relevant updates). 3. **Maintain good customer response rates** (avoid blocks & reports). 4. WhatsApp automatically reviews your account and upgrades limits if: * You consistently reach the current limit * You maintain high-quality ratings *** ### Important Notes * Limits are **based on unique customers**, not the number of messages.\ (Sending 10 messages to the same customer counts as **1**). * Customer-initiated sessions are **unlimited** – you can reply to all incoming chats freely within 24 hours. * Violating policies (spam, irrelevant offers) can downgrade your limits. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.pickyassist.com/whatsapp-commerce/getting-started/whatsapp-messaging-rule.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. 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