Chatbots & automation
WhatsApp Chatbot Development
What it costs to build, what Meta charges per message in India, and what changed on 1 October 2026.
Delivered in 7-10 working days
Fixed price · one-time · no hidden charges
or
Ask on WhatsApp before you buyA real person replies — usually within minutes during the day (IST).
How it works
- Pay ₹7,999Secure Razorpay checkout, one time.
- Number and flowWe verify your Meta business and agree the menu and FAQ flow on WhatsApp.
- Bot liveConnected, tested and live within 7-10 working days.
The short answer
A WhatsApp chatbot costs ₹7,999 one-time at ZoopCoder, built on the official WhatsApp Business Platform and live in 7-10 working days; Meta's message charges are separate, billed to your own account, and small — on Meta's India rate card (unchanged since 1 July 2026, re-checked against the card effective 1 October 2026) a marketing template costs ₹0.8631 per message delivered and a utility or authentication template ₹0.1150. Since 1 July 2025 Meta charges per template message delivered rather than per 24-hour conversation, and the free-form replies your bot sends inside the 24-hour customer service window have been free. That changed on 1 October 2026: Meta now charges for those service messages at the utility rate — ₹0.1150 each in India — with the first 1,000 per business phone number each month free and no roll-over, so a bot sending 5,000 replies in a month moves from ₹0 to about ₹460 in Meta fees.
What you get
- Setup on the official WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)
- Welcome message with up to 3 levels of menus/buttons
- Up to 25 FAQ replies
- Lead capture flow saving name, need and number
- Leads delivered to a Google Sheet or email
- Human handoff: flags chats that need a person
- Up to 3 message templates submitted for Meta approval
- Handover call and 14 days of fixes
| Price | ₹7,999 (fixed) |
|---|---|
| Platform | Official WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) |
| Delivery | 7-10 working days |
| Menus | Up to 3 levels |
| FAQ replies | Up to 25 |
| Templates | Up to 3 submitted for Meta approval |
| Meta cost — marketing template (India) | ₹0.8631 per message delivered |
| Meta cost — utility / authentication template (India) | ₹0.1150 per message delivered |
| Meta cost — service message (India) | Free to 30 Sep 2026; then ₹0.1150 after 1,000 free per number per month |
| Lead output | Google Sheet or email |
| Support | 14 days of fixes after go-live |
What we need from you
- A phone number not currently signed in to the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app
- Meta Business account access (or we guide you to create one)
- Your menu structure and FAQ answers
Not included
- Meta's per-message charges — billed by Meta to your own account (India: ₹0.8631 marketing, ₹0.1150 utility/authentication per message delivered)
- Service messages after 1 October 2026 — ₹0.1150 each beyond the first 1,000 per number per month
- Third-party BSP subscription, if you prefer one
- AI (LLM) replies and their usage fees — available as an add-on
- Bulk promotional messaging campaigns
About this service
A WhatsApp chatbot replies instantly to every customer, shows a menu of options, answers the common questions and collects enquiry details while you sleep. We build it on the official WhatsApp Business Platform, not on unofficial automation tools that get numbers banned. That needs a verified Meta Business account and a phone number that is not already signed in to the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app, and we walk you through both. What almost nobody quotes honestly is the running cost, so here it is: Meta bills you directly, per message delivered, at published per-country rates — ₹0.8631 for a marketing template and ₹0.1150 for a utility or authentication template in India — and since 1 October 2026 the free-form replies your bot sends inside the 24-hour customer service window are no longer free either, with 1,000 per number per month included. For a business answering a few hundred enquiries a month that is still rupees, not thousands. When a chat needs a human, the bot flags it so your team can reply from the same number. If you are working out the running cost of a whole storefront rather than just the bot, our e-commerce website cost guide itemises the rest.
Questions before you buy
How much does a WhatsApp chatbot cost in India?
₹7,999 one-time to build and connect it, with no monthly fee from us, then Meta's own per-message charges billed straight to your account: ₹0.8631 per marketing template message delivered and ₹0.1150 per utility or authentication template, on Meta's India rate card effective 1 July 2026.
Is a WhatsApp chatbot free?
The build is not, and Meta messaging is not entirely free either. Meta charges per template message delivered. Free-form replies inside the 24 hours after a customer messages you were free until 30 September 2026; since 1 October 2026 Meta charges for those too, at the utility rate, after the first 1,000 per business phone number each month.
What changed on 1 October 2026?
Two things. Meta started charging for service messages — the free-form replies a bot sends inside an open 24-hour customer service window — at the same rate as utility messages in your market, with 1,000 free per business phone number per month that do not roll over. And utility templates sent in reply to a user inside that window, free since 1 July 2025, became chargeable again.
Can I use my current WhatsApp number?
Only if you remove it from the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app first; a number cannot be on the app and the API at the same time. Many businesses use a new number for the bot.
Is this an unofficial WhatsApp tool?
No. We use the official Business Platform, so your number is not at risk from unofficial automation.
Can the bot use AI to answer freely?
Yes, as an add-on. AI replies need an API key and that usage is billed separately.
Can I send bulk promotions with it?
Setup of broadcast campaigns is not included, and Meta requires opt-in and approved marketing templates for them.
How do I keep the Meta bill low?
Let customers start the conversation wherever you can — a click-to-chat link, a WhatsApp button on your site, a QR code on your packaging — because replying to an incoming message costs far less than reaching out, and keep the ₹0.8631 marketing templates for messages that genuinely earn their cost.
Often ordered with this
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