01/10/2026 · Meta Cloud API
Marketing, utility, authentication or service on WhatsApp?
A category follows the message purpose and type. A lower rate is not a reason to call a promotion utility. Meta decides template classification and approval.
Marketing: promotional purpose
Offers, cart recovery and reactivation are examples of promotional objectives. A template mixing transaction updates with an incentive to buy may be marketing. The Brazil USD list rate is $0.0625 per delivery. An eligible FEP is a fee exemption, not a category change.
Utility: transaction context
An order confirmation or delivery update tied to a transaction is an example of utility. Adding a coupon can change the purpose. From October, the 24-hour window does not guarantee a free utility delivery. Portfolio tiers can reduce billed message costs.
Authentication: identity verification
Login and identity codes use authentication. These templates have specific rules and formats. International authentication can have different rates in eligible markets and needs a separate estimate. Do not pool login codes with utility to reach discounts earlier.
Service: every reply counts
Free-form text, audio or image replies produced by people or third-party AI in a customer service window are service examples. A customer message opens that window; the window is not a billing unit. For one number with 100 interactions and 12 delivered replies each, the delivered message count is 1,200. Outside FEP, 200 exceed the allowance and cost $1.36.
Examples to check before calculating
| Example | Likely category | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Your coupon expires today | Marketing | Promotional objective |
| Your order is out for delivery | Utility | Specific transaction, no promotion |
| Your code is 123456 | Authentication | Identity template rules |
| We open at 9 | Service | Free-form reply in an open window |