About the new WhatsApp pricing scheme
In this article, you will find information about the new WhatsApp pricing scheme.
About the rules of the new pricing model
- What happens if I don't want to accept these WhatsApp changes?
If you do not want to accept these changes, you will be able to use other communication channels since you will no longer be able to use WhatsApp starting February 2022.
However, it is mandatory to accept the changes. You will be able to disable WhatsApp as a channel whenever you want (https://go.botmaker.com/#/integrations/channels)
Although these changes are strictly by WhatsApp, they will have an impact on the use of our platform. Therefore, you must accept them, regardless of whether or not you will be using WhatsApp in the future.
The changes are considered accepted after pressing the "I understand and accept the changes" button. If you do not accept the changes (by pressing the button), as of January 31, 2022, you will not have credit to use the platform. Therefore, you will not be able to start or reply to conversations.
- What are the two types of WhatsApp conversations about?
From February 2022, WhatsApp will have two types of paid conversations (also called "sessions"). The first 1,000 conversations per month will be free of charge from WhatsApp.
Type 1- User-initiated conversation: WhatsApp will start charging for user-initiated conversations as of February 2022.
Type 2- Company-initiated conversation: This includes all conversations that start with a message from the company by sending notifications with HSM templates.
Both types of conversations last 24 hours from the first message sent by the company, either a notification or a reply to a user's message.
- What are the costs of each type of conversation?
The cost of conversations varies according to the type of conversation (user-initiated or company-initiated). These costs will be paid based on prices according to the end user's country.
Check the prices corresponding to your region in the link below:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/conversationpricing/
The affected costs are exclusively for products paid to WhatsApp.
- What is considered a "conversation"?
A 24-hour session is considered a conversation. A session starts with the delivery of a message sent by the company or with the delivery of a business reply to a message sent by the user. The session ends 24 hours after the delivery of the first message by the company.
- What happens if users I am not interested in write to me, do I always have to pay for them?
Your company will only pay for conversations initiated by a user that are answered by an agent or bot. If the conversation is not answered, that conversation will have no cost.
From Botmaker, you will have controls to block certain numbers, countries and limit daily and monthly budget spending. These controls will be available shortly before February 2022.
- How is WhatsApp payment from Botmaker?
Payments to WhatsApp will be made through Botmaker. They will be detailed in your monthly invoice and will be debited from the payment method you have entered into your account.
WhatsApp has established that the costs of its platform will be charged through its BSPs (Business Solution Providers). This makes Botmaker the intermediary between WhatsApp and your company; however, Botmaker does not add any margin on WhatsApp's price.
What alternatives does Botmaker offer me?
- Can I connect other channels to replace WhatsApp?
Yes, you can connect multiple text and voice channels to communicate with your customers. Botmaker integrates with more than 20 channels, such as Instagram Direct, Facebook Messenger, WebChat, Telegram, Twitter, Google Business Messages, among others.
Learn more about our channels at … You can connect them directly in this section: https://go.botmaker.com/#/integrations/channels
- Connect Webchat on your sites
We recommend that you include a WebChat on your site to reply to queries from your current customers and leads, conduct sales, campaigns, and much more.
- Connect Telegram as a chat channel
As another messaging app option, you can connect Telegram to Botmaker and have a bot or multiple customer service agents. Telegram is a robust platform that allows you to carry out many of the conversations you have on other channels such as WhatsApp.
- Add a private chat channel in your mobile app with Botmaker
If your company has a mobile app for iOS and Android that your customers use, you can choose to add the Botmaker chat inside your app with our plug-ins and adapt logos, color palette, and styles. This way, you can reduce direct traffic to WhatsApp and manage your conversations from your app.
If you want to do this and discuss it, feel free to contact your Botmaker Account Manager or request a call with our support team.
- Connect Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter
Add links to chats on social media to grow in these channels. With Botmaker, you can reply to all the queries in your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter posts with a bot or multiple agents simultaneously. Also, you can connect a bot to your direct conversations and automate the entire flow of customer service, sales, campaigns, or whatever you need.
- Limit WhatsApp by country to minimize costs
Within the platform, we will include a functionality for you to manage your costs by country. This way, you will be able to prioritize the countries you consider most relevant for your business.
- Alternatives with budget limits
Within the platform, in the account section, you will be able to set a daily and monthly budget limit to designate the conversations. Once this budget reaches its limit, messages will stop being sent and replied to until a new day/month starts, or you manually modify the limit.
- Discriminate the use of WhatsApp only for certain use cases
Another alternative you have to manage costs is to use different channels for different use cases, for example: keep WhatsApp as a channel to send push notifications (offers, news, etc.) and divert the traffic of queries and customer service to other similar channels such as Telegram.
About WhatsApp prices
- ¿How much does WhatsApp cost under this model?
Conversations will be paid based on fixed rates according to the receiving country. Find out the prices for your region by clicking on the link below:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/conversationpricing/
The affected costs are exclusively for products paid to WhatsApp.
- In what currency are the prices and charges?
WhatsApp conversation prices are in US dollars. However, for some countries such as Brazil, among others, there is the possibility of invoices being expressed in local currency at the exchange rate of the month to be able to make the payment. We will have more details before February 2022.
- What exchange rate will be applied to these payments?
Payments will be debited from the payment method you have registered in Botmaker. For credit card payments, if the charges are in U.S. dollars, they will be debited at the exchange rate applied by the credit card. If invoices from some countries are expressed in local currency, you will be able to pay them in that currency.
- Can I pay these charges locally in my country?
Payments will be debited from the payment method you have registered in Botmaker. For credit card payments, if the charges are in U.S. dollars, they will be debited at the exchange rate applied by the credit card. If invoices from some countries are expressed in local currency, you will be able to pay them in that currency.
About how to control your budget and your monthly spending
- What resources do I have to limit spending?
Within the platform, in the account section, you can set a general daily and monthly budget limit.
Once this budget reaches its limit, conversations in the account will be automatically paused. To activate it, you will be able to increase the limit you have set whenever you want from the same section.
We have also included a feature for you to manage the costs you have with WhatsApp by country. This way, you can prioritize the countries you consider most relevant for your business.
- How do I limit daily spending?
By setting a daily maximum in the corresponding section of your account. The use of these limits is optional, you can leave them off if you want.
- How do I limit monthly spending?
By setting a monthly maximum in the section corresponding to your account. The use of these limits is optional, you can leave them off if you want.
- How can I see real-time spending during the current month?
You can monitor your expenses in real-time within the platform under the account section.
- How do I limit spending to certain countries only?
Within the platform, you can manage the costs you have with WhatsApp by country. This way, you can prioritize the countries you consider most relevant for your business.
- What happens when I reach the spending limit I set?
You can define a daily and monthly limit after which your account will stop sending and receiving messages. When you reach the limit you have defined, you will receive a notification. You can also limit the use of your account by country. This way, you will be able to control your account expenses.
About the credit limits granted by Botmaker
- What is the Botmaker credit limit?
The credit limit is the maximum amount that Botmaker allows you to consume before making a payment. Since Botmaker assumes responsibility for paying WhatsApp for your consumption, this amount is limited.
The credit limit is not the same as the daily or monthly budget limit that you set. It is a Botmaker credit limit for your consumption as if it were a credit card.
- Where can I check my credit limit?
You can check your credit limit from the "account" section on the platform.
- How do I increase my credit limit?
You can request a credit extension by contacting our team or, if you have an account manager, you can contact them directly.
Another way to extend your credit is to make a prepayment in the account, which increases the available spending limit. This prepayment can be made from the "account" section.
The credit limit is defined by your payment history, consumption amounts, and general credit profile.
- What happens when I reach 80% of my credit limit usage?
Every time you reach 80% of the credit limit of your account, you will receive a notification and the selected payment method will be automatically debited.
- What happens when I reach the 100% credit limit?
When your credit limit is reached, sending and receiving messages will be paused. If this limit has been reached, it is because the payment method you have entered in Botmaker could not be charged.
Please check the "account" section, enter another payment method, or contact our customer service team via the help section.
>About how to make payments
- How to make payments to WhatsApp?
Payments to WhatsApp will be made through Botmaker. They will be detailed in your monthly invoice and will be debited from the payment method you have entered into your account.
WhatsApp has established that the costs of its platform will be charged through its BSPs (Business Solution Providers). This makes Botmaker the intermediary between WhatsApp and your company; however, Botmaker does not add any margin on WhatsApp's price.
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- Where do I enter the payment methods I am going to use?
You can set the means of payment on the platform from the "account" screen.
- What are primary and secondary payment methods?
The primary payment method is the one that will be used to debit the expenses on a monthly basis or when you reach 80% of the credit limit utilization. The secondary payment method is the one to be used if the primary payment method fails.
- What are the accepted payment methods?
Accepted payment methods are commonly accepted credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and others. We use Stripe as a payment processor.
About the cost of the Botmaker platform
- How does WhatsApp´s change impact the cost of the Botmaker platform?
The changes in the pricing model are strictly by WhatsApp Inc. Therefore, the costs for Botmaker services will remain unchanged. Only the new cost for WhatsApp conversations will be transferred to your invoice fulfilling our role as WhatsApp Solution Provider plus the cost of credit card processing.
- What is the difference between the cost of WhatsApp and Botmaker?
The changes in the pricing model are strictly by WhatsApp Inc. Therefore, the affected costs are exclusively for products paid to WhatsApp. The costs for Botmaker services will remain unchanged. You can monitor these costs from our billing section on the platform.
- How much does the Botmaker platform cost?
At Botmaker, we have plans published on our site in the proposals submitted. Check all the details and prices at https://botmaker.com/es/prices.
- How can I see the WhatsApp costs on my bill?
You can find these charges on your bill as "WhatsApp Expenses".