WhatsApp Business users could see their messages stop being delivered from October 1 if their accounts do not have a payment method on file. As part of the change, Meta has warned Solution Providers and businesses using direct integrations that it will stop delivering service messages for accounts that have not added a payment method by September 30. Meta is introducing per-message charges for service messages starting today, ending a period when these messages were not charged.
In a blog post, the company wrote, “For any Solution Provider or directly-integrated businesses that does not have a payment method on file by September 30, 2026, Meta will stop delivering service messages as of when they become charged on October 1, 2026. The change applies to non-template service messages sent in response to users within an open 24-hour customer service window. Businesses in these categories need to have a payment method associated with their messaging accounts by September 30 to avoid service-message delivery being stopped from October 1. They are different from messages powered by Meta Business Agent, which became a separate category in July 2026. Meta says it is introducing the changes as part of its H2 2026 pricing updates. Service messages will be charged per message starting October 1, and utility messages sent in response to users within an open 24-hour customer service window will also become chargeable that day.
Meta has therefore asked affected businesses to add a payment method for their messaging accounts before the deadline. The change applies to Solution Providers and businesses that directly integrate with the WhatsApp Business Platform. Service messages are non-template messages powered by a customer service representative or a third-party AI solution. Meta will charge for delivered service messages rather than simply messages sent by businesses. The charge will be calculated per message, with rates varying by market.