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Meta-owned instant messaging app WhatsApp has introduced a new pricing model that will make using chatbots based on rival AI models—such as ChatGPT and Claude—significantly more expensive for business accounts. This means that if a WhatsApp business account holder utilizes AI models from these third-party apps, the cost could be substantial. Starting October 1, the cost of AI conversations powered by third-party models on WhatsApp could be nearly double that of Meta AI for business accounts. Currently, WhatsApp does not charge any fees for the use of AI agents.

**Meta AI Cheaper; Third-Party Bots Costlier**
According to *The Economic Times*, a sample calculator based on WhatsApp’s updated developer documentation (released on July 1) revealed that complex interactions powered by other bots could cost business accounts up to $968 (approximately ₹92,285) per 10,000 messages—depending on token usage—whereas using Meta AI would cost between $400 (approx. ₹38,134) and $500 (approx. ₹47,668).

**Large Companies Will Need to Re-evaluate**
Experts suggest that this move could disadvantage business partners who have built chatbots using models such as Claude, GPT, Mistral, Qwen, and Kimi. Aniket Jain, co-founder of enterprise messaging startup Fyno, stated that this price difference is not a discount but a penalty for choosing a specific model. He noted that it penalizes Indian startups that have expanded their businesses by leveraging superior models. He added that this could lead some clients to decide to abandon WhatsApp entirely. 

Token-based systems can lead to higher bills.
Another concern for companies is that token-based pricing can sometimes result in "bill shock"—a sudden spike in costs—because usage cannot always be predicted in advance. CleverTap noted that token-based pricing requires proper governance. Since the cost difference between a simple query and a long, complex interaction can be significant, brands need visibility into usage levels, spending alerts, fallback rules, and routing logic. Furthermore, they must clearly understand when automation is truly beneficial and when a simpler workflow is preferable.

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