The short version
Most of the confusion about WhatsApp chatbot pricing comes from mixing three different bills. The agency or developer charges for building and maintaining the agent. Meta charges for certain messages sent through the WhatsApp Business API. Your business solution provider (BSP), such as Interakt, AiSensy, Gupshup or WATI, charges for its inbox and broadcast software. AI model usage, from Claude or OpenAI, is a fourth, usually smaller line that grows with message volume.
When you compare quotes, ask every vendor to split these out. A low monthly number that hides message charges, or a build quote that excludes integrations, is not comparable to an all-in quote.
Every cost line, in one table
| Cost item | What it covers | Who you pay | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build (one-time) | API setup, AI agent trained on your products and policies, integrations, flows, testing | Your implementation partner | Fixed quote; at Silvane from ₹50,000 |
| Run (monthly) | Monitoring, fixes, new flows, prompt and knowledge updates | Partner, or your own team | Monthly; at Silvane from ₹40,000 a month |
| Meta message charges | Marketing, utility and authentication template messages | Meta, usually billed through your provider | Per message, by category; check Meta's current rate card for India |
| Provider (BSP) platform | Shared inbox, broadcast tool, API access, analytics | Interakt, AiSensy, Gupshup, WATI and similar | Monthly plan or a markup on messages |
| AI model usage | The language model that reads and writes replies | Anthropic, OpenAI or similar | Per use; scales with message volume and length |
How Meta charges for WhatsApp messages
Meta moved the WhatsApp Business Platform to per-message pricing for template messages in July 2025. Templates are pre-approved messages you send first, and they fall into three categories: marketing (offers, broadcasts, re-engagement), utility (order updates, appointment reminders, payment confirmations) and authentication (one-time passwords). Marketing messages cost the most per message; rates differ by country and change from time to time, so check the current India rate card on Meta's developer site or with your provider.
Service messages, meaning your replies when a customer messages you first, are free inside the 24-hour customer service window. Utility templates sent inside an open window are also free. This is why a well-designed WhatsApp AI agent saves money: if most conversations start with the customer, through a website button, a QR code at the counter or a click-to-WhatsApp ad, most of the agent's replies cost nothing in Meta fees. Conversations that start from a click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook Page button also open a free entry-point window (72 hours at the time of writing).
What changes the build price
- Number of jobs the agent does. Answering FAQs is simpler than taking orders, booking slots and collecting payments.
- Integrations. Shopify, a CRM, Tally, a booking system or your own database each add work.
- Languages. English, Hindi and Hinglish are standard; each extra language needs testing.
- Knowledge to load. A two-page price list is quick; five hundred product SKUs with variants take longer.
- Hand-over and inbox. Routing chats to the right team member with context needs rules and training.
- Compliance. Opt-in capture, healthcare or financial data and audit logs add design time.
Chatbot or AI agent: which do you need?
| Menu-based WhatsApp chatbot | WhatsApp AI agent | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Buttons and fixed flows | Understands free-text questions and answers from your data |
| Best for | A few predictable journeys | Varied questions, orders, bookings, support |
| Hindi and Hinglish | Only what you script | Understood naturally |
| Build effort | Lower | Higher, but covers far more questions |
| Risk | Customers get stuck in menus | Needs guardrails and testing so answers stay accurate |
Many businesses end up with both: buttons for the three most common paths and AI for everything else. That keeps costs predictable and answers accurate.
Checklist before you buy
- Ask for the build, monthly, Meta and provider costs as separate lines.
- Confirm the WhatsApp Business API account and number are registered to your business, not the vendor's.
- Ask how the agent is kept from inventing prices or policies, and what happens when it doesn't know.
- Check that chats hand over to a person with a summary, inside a shared inbox your team will use.
- Make sure opt-in is captured for broadcasts, and there is a frequency limit to protect your quality rating.
- Agree how you will measure success: response time, chats resolved without a person, orders or bookings.
- Get a test period on real customer questions before the agent goes live on your main number.
How long it takes
Expect about one week for the audit and plan, then two to six weeks to build, test and launch, depending on integrations. Meta's business verification and template approvals can add a few days, so start them early. The green tick (verified badge) is a separate application that Meta decides on; nobody can guarantee it.
How Silvane prices a WhatsApp AI agent
Every project starts with a 30-minute discovery call and AI audit, ₹199 for founding members while seats last (normally ₹15,000). Within 48 hours you get a one-page plan with a fixed build price, starting from ₹50,000, and an optional monthly plan from ₹40,000 a month. Meta and provider charges are paid directly by you, at cost. See WhatsApp automation and AI agents or the full pricing page.