Short answer
Yes, the WhatsApp Business app is free: download it, use it and reply to customers with no Meta fee. Paid extras are optional, such as marketing messages. The WhatsApp Business Platform (API) is charged per message, with the first 1,000 service replies per number per month free.
Two things called “WhatsApp Business”
| — | Business app | Business Platform (API) |
|---|---|---|
| What | A phone app with business tools | An API that connects your number to a system or agent |
| Meta cost | Free to use | Per delivered message, by category and customer country |
| Replying | Free, by you | First 1,000/month per number free, then SAR 0.0401 (Saudi) |
| Marketing | Paid per message, in selected countries | SAR 0.2159 (Saudi) |
Rates: Meta's official SAR rate card, effective Oct 1, 2026 (calculator).
Free in the app
- Your business profile (address, hours, description).
- Greeting, away and quick replies under Tools (how).
- Your short link (more links with ready messages).
- Replying yourself, with no limit or fee from Meta.
Paid
- Marketing messages from the app: charged per message delivered within five days of sending, priced by recipient country, available in selected countries.
- The Platform (API): per-message pricing by category, with the first 1,000 service messages per number per month free (app vs API).
Why pay for an AI agent if the app is free?
Because in the app, you are the one replying. AQIL replies like a person on the same number while the app stays on your phone. You pay:
- The AQIL plan, from the current prices.
- Meta's fees separately, billed by Meta to your Meta account; replies to customers who wrote to you are service messages, first 1,000 a month free per number.
Try an agent that replies for you
Try it free for 7 daysMonthly plan SAR 299All prices
FAQ
Is the Business app free?
Yes, free to download and use, and replying to customers carries no Meta fee.
Does it use phone credit?
It uses internet data, like regular WhatsApp.
What's the WhatsApp API price in Saudi Arabia?
Marketing 0.2159, utility/authentication 0.0401, service 0.0401 after 1,000 free (SAR, from Oct 1, 2026). Work out yours in the calculator.
Are marketing messages free?
No. You pay for each delivered marketing message, priced by the recipient's country.
App and API on the same number?
Does AQIL need a new number?
No. You connect the same number by scanning a code from the app, and chats show on your phone and in your dashboard.
Sources: WhatsApp Business FAQ, WhatsApp Help Center and Meta's WhatsApp Platform pricing page. Meta rates effective October 1, 2026.