{"id":106079,"date":"2018-08-02T13:35:57","date_gmt":"2018-08-02T13:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=106079"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:12:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:12:45","slug":"whatsapp-business-charging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/whatsapp-business-charging\/","title":{"rendered":"Would you pay to use WhatsApp?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>WhatsApp is to start charging companies to use WhatsApp Business<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/whatsapp-business-is-live-what-is-whatsapp-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WhatsApp Business<\/a> is the latest app from the messaging giant that launched in January. It provides an official way for businesses to represent themselves on WhatsApp and a secure way for individuals to contact them. WhatsApp hopes that over time it\u2019ll create a bridge between businesses and customers that can be trusted. WhatsApp announced yesterday that businesses will soon have to start paying for that trust.<\/p>\n<p>Ever since Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion, it has struggled to monetize the service, despite the messaging service\u2019s 1.5 billion users. This announcement is the latest attempt to do so.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__title\">More from Softonic<\/p>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"Tips to master WhatsApp in 2018\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/tips-to-master-whatsapp-in-2018\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/whatsapp.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Tips to master WhatsApp in 2018<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"5 Tips to boost your WhatsApp security\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/these-5-tips-will-boost-your-whatsapp-security\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2016\/05\/whatsapp-app1.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>5 Tips to boost your WhatsApp security<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"11 Hidden WhatsApp features you should know about\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/11-hidden-whatsapp-features-you-should-know-about\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/04\/whatsapp.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>11 Hidden WhatsApp features you should know about<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"How to try new features on WhatsApp before anybody else\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/how-to-try-new-features-on-whatsapp-before-anybody-else\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2016\/02\/whatsapp2-664x374.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>How to try new features on WhatsApp before anybody else<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<p>As well as the news that businesses will have to pay to use WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp announced some cool features that they\u2019ll get for their money. Businesses will be able to send notifications like shipping confirmations, appointment reminders and event tickets using the new WhatsApp Business service. For the privilege, they\u2019ll have to spend between 0.5 and 9 cents, depending on the country of operation.<\/p>\n<p>The good news for businesses is that if they respond to queries from customers within 24 hours, those subsequent messages will be free. If they take longer than 24 hours, however, they\u2019ll have to pay for the messages sent. This move incentivizes the setting up of WhatsApp type call centers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_106081\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-106081\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-106081 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/shutterstock_700485376.jpg\" alt=\"Businesses have to pay for WhatsApp Business \" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/shutterstock_700485376.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/shutterstock_700485376-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/shutterstock_700485376-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-106081\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Facebook is desperate for WhatsApp to turn a decent profit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>WhatsApp knows that the prices it is charging are higher than the costs of SMS messages, but that users get to send messages for free and are more comfortable chatting in the WhatsApp ecosystem than in the antiquated, unused, and somewhat scary-basic SMS app. Of course, WhatsApp is also offering end-to-end encryption on all messages too. Businesses will be able to store messages, however, so you can expect a \u201cThis chat is being saved for training purposes\u201d message, or something similar, should you contact a company via WhatsApp.<\/p>\n<p>Keep your eyes open for WhatsApp contact number from the companies you\u2019re using, and you\u2019ll be able to start talking to them over WhatsApp rather over the phone. If this puts an end to having to listen to annoying music while on hold, then this is one change we fully endorse.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__title\">More about WhatsApp<\/p>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"Don\u2019t touch this button on WhatsApp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/dont-touch-this-button-on-whatsapp\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/05\/whatsapp-roto1-1024x576-1024x576.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Don\u2019t touch this button on WhatsApp<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"What updates can we expect for WhatsApp?\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/what-updates-can-we-expect-for-whatsapp\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/09\/whatsapp-logo-1024x576-1024x576.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>What updates can we expect for WhatsApp?<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"WhatsApp tips 2018\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/tips-to-master-whatsapp-in-2018\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/whatsapp-1024x576.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>WhatsApp tips 2018<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"8 tricks to strengthen your WhatsApp security\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/8-tricks-to-strengthen-your-whatsapp-security\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/11\/whatsapp-web-screenshot-1024x576-1024x576.png)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>8 tricks to strengthen your WhatsApp security<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<!-- Shortcode [playwire] does not match the conditions -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WhatsApp is to start charging companies to use WhatsApp 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