UAE WhatsApp Rate Card & Marketing Law (2026)

A plain, factual reference for what a WhatsApp Business message costs in the United Arab Emirates, how Meta bills for it, the messaging limits that apply, and the UAE law that governs WhatsApp marketing. Rates are set by Meta, are approximate, and change over time — always verify the current figures before you budget.

Last updated 17 July 2026 · Maintained by Adjoltz

Meta's WhatsApp rates in the UAE (AED)

Every message you send through the WhatsApp Business Platform falls into one of four categories, and Meta charges a different rate for each. The figures below are Meta's approximate per-delivered-message rates for the United Arab Emirates. They are Meta-set and change from time to time, so treat them as a guide and verify against Meta's current pricing documentation.

Rates are approximate, set by Meta, and subject to change. Confirm the current figures in Meta's WhatsApp pricing documentation before budgeting. USD conversions are indicative.

How WhatsApp billing works (2026)

Since 1 July 2025, WhatsApp bills on a per-message model (PMP). Meta moved away from the earlier per-conversation model, so you are now charged for each delivered template message by its category rather than for a 24-hour conversation window. Three rules shape the actual bill:

• Per-message pricing (PMP). Each delivered template message is charged at its category rate — marketing, utility or authentication. Service replies are the exception and stay free inside the service window.
• The 24-hour service window. When a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer-service window opens during which your replies are free. The window resets each time the customer messages you again, so an active conversation can run at no message cost.
• The 72-hour free entry point. When someone reaches you through a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook-page call-to-action, that opens a 72-hour free window in any category. Messages you send inside that window are free, which makes ad-driven entry points an efficient way to start conversations.

Messaging limits

Meta caps how many business-initiated conversations you can start in a rolling 24 hours, and the cap rises as your number builds a track record. The tiers scale with your quality rating:

• Tier 1 — 1,000 business-initiated conversations per 24 hours
• Tier 2 — 10,000 business-initiated conversations per 24 hours
• Tier 3 — 100,000 business-initiated conversations per 24 hours
• Tier 4 — unlimited business-initiated conversations per 24 hours

You move up the ladder by maintaining a healthy quality rating and sending to people who want to hear from you. Poor engagement, blocks and spam reports drag the rating down and can hold you at a lower tier, so consent and relevance are what unlock scale.

Platform fee vs message fee + markup

There are two separate line items in WhatsApp marketing, and it helps to keep them apart. The first is Meta's message fee — the per-message rates in the table above, which Meta charges. The second is the platform fee — what your provider charges to give you the software, inbox, automation and support around the channel. They are independent of each other.

The catch is that some providers also add a per-message markup on top of Meta's rate, commonly around 20%. Because that surcharge applies to every single message, it scales with your volume and can quietly outgrow the monthly subscription. Adjoltz passes Meta's rate through at 0% markup and charges a flat platform fee from AED 199/month, so the message fee you pay is Meta's rate at cost.

The UAE law on WhatsApp marketing

The UAE regulates marketing messages, and WhatsApp is expressly covered. The summary below is general information, not legal advice — for how the rules apply to your business, consult a qualified UAE lawyer.

Cabinet Decision No. 56 of 2024 on Telemarketing

In force since 27 August 2024, this is the core rule. It expressly covers marketing through social-media messaging apps including WhatsApp, as well as marketing SMS and calls. In broad terms it requires:

• Prior consent from the person before you market to them.
• A local number registered under your own trade licence.
• Clear business identity so the recipient knows who is contacting them.
• Permitted hours of 9:00am to 6:00pm.
• Honouring the TDRA Do-Not-Call Registry.

It applies to all UAE-licensed companies, including free zones. The associated penalties are set out in Cabinet Decision No. 57 of 2024.

Personal data and consumer protection

• Personal Data Protection Law — Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021. Requires consent to use personal data for marketing and gives individuals the right to object. Its executive regulations have not yet been issued.
• Consumer Protection — Federal Law No. 15 of 2020. No marketing use of personal data without explicit consent, and an easy way to opt out.

Free-zone data regimes

Two financial free zones run their own data-protection frameworks: DIFC under its Data Protection Law No. 5 of 2020, and ADGM under its Data Protection Regulations 2021. If you are licensed in either, those regimes apply to you in addition to the federal picture above.

Sources & methodology

The figures and rules on this page are drawn from public, primary sources. Message rates are approximate, are set by Meta, and change over time, so they should be re-checked against current documentation before use.

• Meta WhatsApp pricing documentation — for the per-message rates, message categories, the per-message billing model, the free windows and the messaging-limit tiers.
• UAE official gazette — uaelegislation.gov.ae — for Cabinet Decision No. 56 of 2024, Cabinet Decision No. 57 of 2024, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 and Federal Law No. 15 of 2020.
• TDRA — tdra.gov.ae — for the Do-Not-Call Registry and telemarketing guidance.

Rates quoted here are approximate, Meta-set, and change over time. This page is maintained by Adjoltz and updated as figures and rules change.

Frequently asked questions