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# Can multiple WhatsApp Business conversation windows be open at the same time—and how are they billed?

⚡ Quick answer — Yes — under WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta / WhatsApp), it is possible to have multiple conversation windows open at the same time, and how they are billed depends on their types.

## When should I use this guide?

Read this guide if you need to:

* Confirm whether overlapping windows are normal,
* Forecast charges when sending multiple template types, or
* Troubleshoot why a template did—or did not—create a new billable window.

---

## When multiple windows can be open simultaneously

* You can have concurrent windows of different categories (e.g. “Service” window + “Marketing” window + “Utility” window) open for the same user.
* It’s also possible to have a “free-entry point” 72-hour window alongside any other open window types.
* Each category’s “window” is tracked separately: e.g. a Service-conversation window closes 24 hours after the last user message; a template-based window (Marketing/Utility/Authentication) follows its own expiry rules.

---

## How billing works when multiple windows are open

Because of multiple overlapping windows, charges depend on which window and message type you use:

* Under the current model (post-July 1, 2025), messaging is billed per template message.
* If a user-initiated “Service” conversation is open (within 24 h of their message), you can send free-form messages (free) or even “Utility” template messages for free while that window remains open.
* If you initiate a “Marketing” or “Utility/Authentication” template conversation (i.e. business-initiated), that window is billed per template message — unless you fall under a “Free Entry Point” window (the 72-hour window opened after a user clicked an ad or CTA and you replied) in which case all template messages within that 72h window are free.
* Because of per-message pricing, sending multiple templates across windows means each template counts individually — even if windows overlap.

### Pricing per template:

1. Marketing Conversations — Promotional messages, offers, announcements — Price: ₹0.95 per conversation
2. Utility Conversations — Transactional messages like order updates, reminders — Price: ₹0.13 per conversation
3. Authentication Conversations — One-time passwords (OTPs) and login verifications — Price: ₹0.13 per conversation

---

## WhatsApp Business – Conversation Windows vs Billing Matrix (2025)

A complete decision table for Service, Marketing, Utility, Authentication & Free-Entry windows.

* Free = No Meta charge
* Paid = Template message billed per-message (based on category)
* Not Allowed = WhatsApp system blocks message (e.g., free-form replies after window closed)

### SERVICE WINDOW (User-Initiated) – 24 Hours

| Action / Message Type | Allowed? | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| User sends a message → Business replies within 24h | ✔ | Free |
| Free-form text messages | ✔ | Free |
| Utility template inside the service window | ✔ | Free |
| Marketing template inside the service window | ✔ | Paid |
| Authentication/OTP template | ✔ | Paid |
| Free-form message after 24h | ❌ | Not allowed |
| Template after 24h (starts a new window) | ✔ | Paid |

### FREE ENTRY POINT WINDOW – 72 Hours

(Triggered when the user clicks a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad or Facebook Page CTA and you reply within 24h)

| Action / Message Type | Allowed? | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free-form messaging | ✔ | FREE |
| Utility template | ✔ | FREE |
| Marketing template | ✔ | FREE |
| Authentication template | ✔ | FREE |
| Any number of templates | ✔ | FREE |
| Messages after 72h | Depends | Free-form ❌ / Templates Paid |

During the 72-hour Free-Entry window, all message types are free, regardless of category.

### MARKETING TEMPLATE WINDOW

| Action / Message Type | Allowed? | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Send marketing template (user inactive/outside service window) | ✔ | Paid |
| Follow-up marketing templates | ✔ | Paid (each message) |
| Free-form messages | ❌ | Not allowed |
| Utility or authentication templates | ✔ | Paid |
| If the Free-Entry window is also open | ✔ | FREE |

### UTILITY (Transactional) TEMPLATE WINDOW

| Action / Message Type | Allowed? | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Utility template (order update, reminders) | ✔ | Paid |
| Another utility template | ✔ | Paid (each) |
| Free-form message (outside service window) | ❌ | Not allowed |
| Marketing template | ✔ | Paid |
| If within Service Window | ✔ | FREE |
| If within Free-Entry window | ✔ | FREE |

### AUTHENTICATION (OTP) TEMPLATE WINDOW

| Action / Message Type | Allowed? | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OTP / authentication template | ✔ | Paid |
| Resending OTP template | ✔ | Paid (each) |
| Free-form message | ❌ | Not allowed |
| Utility/Marketing templates | ✔ | Paid |
| If inside the Free-Entry window | ✔ | FREE |
| If the user replies → Service Window opens | ✔ | FREE for free-form |

### WHEN MULTIPLE WINDOWS ARE OPEN

| Active Window Type | Can another window open? | Billing Rule |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Service + Marketing | ✔ | Marketing templates are paid; service messages are free |
| Service + Utility | ✔ | Utility templates free, free-form free |
| Free-Entry + any other | ✔ | Everything is free for 72h |
| Multiple template categories | ✔ | Each template is billed separately (unless in a free window) |

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## Summary (Easy Rule of Thumb)

| Scenario | Cost |
| --- | --- |
| User messages → you reply within 24h | Free |
| User clicks CTA or Ad → you reply within 24h | Everything is free for 72h |
| You send ANY template outside the service/free-entry window | Paid |
| Free-form message outside service window | Not allowed |
| Marketing templates are always paid unless inside the free-entry window | Paid or Free (72h window) |

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