Guide · Meta pricing 2026
WhatsApp Marketing Messages API: optimised delivery and max price (2026)
How Meta's Marketing Messages API differs from the Cloud API, how the new max price per message works, what the fallback and time-to-live settings do, and which countries get the full feature set. Checked against Meta's developer documentation on 20 October 2026.
The 30-second answer
The Marketing Messages API (MM API, earlier called MM Lite) is Meta's separate sending endpoint for WhatsApp marketing templates. You keep your approved templates and your number and only switch the endpoint to /marketing_messages. Meta then optimises delivery, adds click and conversion metrics, lets you set how long a message keeps trying to deliver (12 hours to 30 days) and, in open beta since October 2026, lets you cap the price per delivered message. Go4whatsup supports all four.
Side by side
Cloud API vs Marketing Messages API
Swipe the table to see every column →
| Feature | Cloud API | Marketing Messages API |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoint | /messages | /marketing_messages |
| Templates and number | Your approved templates | The same templates, no re-approval |
| Delivery optimisation | No | Yes, outside the restricted countries below |
| Time-to-live for marketing messages | No | 12 hours to 30 days |
| Max price per delivered message | No (published rate) | Yes, open beta since 1 October 2026 |
| Click and conversion metrics | Basic delivery metrics | Clicks and conversions, with Meta Pixel and Conversions API |
| Webhook pricing category | marketing | marketing_lite (marketing_lite_dynamic with a max price) |
Max price
How the max price per message works
- It is a ceiling, not a budget. You set the most you will pay per delivered message, and Meta charges that amount or less. It works alongside a daily or lifetime campaign budget.
- It is set per template. In the API it is a
bid_amountper 1,000 deliveries insideoptimization_spec, in your account currency's smallest unit. Meta's example: a max price of ₹0.87 per delivery is 87 paise × 1,000 = 87,000. - You can bid at, below or above the published rate. At the rate to keep delivery while lowering cost, below it to reach more people for less, above it for peak days such as sales and holidays.
- Per-country and per-message multipliers raise or lower the max price for one country, or for one message, without a new template.
- Reach estimates show expected deliveries and cost at different max prices before you send.
- Timeline: limited beta from 15 May 2026, open beta from October 2026, and from Q2 2027 Meta plans to make max price required in eligible countries, with fixed published marketing rates left only on the Cloud API. From 1 November 2026, max-price traffic is billed under its own billing line.
Meta suggests testing before scaling: four groups of about 10,000 sends each, with no max price, max price at the published rate, at 1.5× the rate (1.2× for India and Saudi Arabia) and at 0.9× the rate.
Settings
Fallback and time-to-live
Cloud API fallback
If a marketing message cannot go through the Marketing Messages API, for example because the account or the recipient's country is not eligible, it can fall back to the normal Cloud API so the campaign still sends at the published rate. Templates with a max price cannot fall back: the Cloud API rejects them with error 131061.
Time-to-live (TTL)
Choose how long WhatsApp keeps trying to deliver a marketing message, from 12 hours to 30 days. A flash sale can expire after a day instead of arriving a week late. Messages that cannot be delivered in time are dropped.
Conversion metrics
Clicks and conversions are reported per template, and can be tied to the Meta Pixel and Conversions API, so you see cost per conversion, not only cost per delivered message.
Where it works
Country limits to know before you switch
- EEA, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand: no delivery optimisation and no click or conversion reporting for messages sent from or to numbers there. 360dialog's documentation also states that max price excludes Europe. Time-to-live still applies.
- United States: Meta has not delivered marketing messages to WhatsApp users in the US since 1 April 2025, on any API. US business numbers can still message users in other countries.
- Russia and Belarus: available, without delivery optimisation, conversion metrics or max price.
- Other markets get delivery optimisation and conversion reporting. Max price follows Meta's own list of eligible countries, so check it for each market you send to.
On Go4whatsup
Campaigns through the Marketing Messages API, set up for you
Go4whatsup sends marketing campaigns through the Marketing Messages API with max price per message, Cloud API fallback, Meta's conversion metrics and the time-to-live setting. We onboard your Meta account to it during setup. Meta's message charges are passed through at cost.
Meta WhatsApp pricing by country → · WhatsApp cost calculator →
- Standard plan, unlimited agents
- Broadcasts and campaigns
- Meta charges at cost
- Live in about 24 hours
Questions about the Marketing Messages API
What is the WhatsApp Marketing Messages API?
It is Meta's endpoint for sending WhatsApp marketing templates with delivery optimisation. You use the same templates, number and payload as the Cloud API; only the endpoint changes to /marketing_messages. It adds click and conversion metrics, a time-to-live setting for marketing messages and the max price feature.
Is MM Lite the same as the Marketing Messages API?
Yes. Meta first called it the Marketing Messages Lite API (MM Lite) and now calls it the Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp. Its analytics still use the product type MARKETING_MESSAGES_LITE_API and the webhook category marketing_lite.
What is a max price for WhatsApp marketing messages?
A ceiling on what you pay per delivered marketing message. You set it per template, as an amount per 1,000 deliveries, and Meta charges that amount or less. You can set it at, below or above Meta's published rate. It entered open beta on 1 October 2026, and Meta plans to make it required in eligible countries from Q2 2027.
Do I need new templates to use the Marketing Messages API?
No. Approved marketing templates work as they are. A max price is added to a template with the optimization_spec field, and templates with a max price must be sent through /marketing_messages; the Cloud API rejects them with error 131061.
Does the Marketing Messages API work in the UK and the EU?
Businesses can use it, but Meta does not apply delivery optimisation or click and conversion reporting for messages sent from or to numbers in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand, and 360dialog's documentation states that max price excludes Europe. Message time-to-live still works there.
Can I send WhatsApp marketing messages to the United States?
No. Since 1 April 2025 Meta does not deliver marketing messages to WhatsApp users in the United States, on any API (error 131049). US business numbers can still send marketing messages to users outside the US.
Does Go4whatsup support the Marketing Messages API?
Yes. Go4whatsup sends marketing campaigns through the Marketing Messages API with max price per message, Cloud API fallback, Meta's conversion metrics and the message time-to-live setting. We onboard your Meta account to it as part of setup.
Sources: Meta for Developers, Get started with the Marketing Messages API and Set a max price for marketing messages; 360dialog, Marketing Messages. Checked 20 October 2026; Meta changes beta features often.
Related: Meta's 1 October 2026 pricing change · WhatsApp marketing campaigns · Go4whatsup vs 360dialog
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