Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eat-now.io/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
24-Hour Window
When a message is sent or received via the WhatsApp Business API, a 24-hour window opens. All exchanges between the business and the customer during this period are considered a single conversation and billed accordingly.- If the business initiates the conversation (via a Meta-approved template), pricing differs based on the message category.
- If the customer initiates the conversation, the business can respond without using a template as long as the 24-hour window is open.
Types of Conversations
Meta distinguishes several categories of conversations, each with a different cost:- Service Conversations (free): when the business replies to a customer within the 24-hour window. Meta now makes these free for all businesses — so chatting with and replying to your customers costs nothing.
- Utility Conversations (billed): notifications tied to a transaction or important update. The automatic messages EatNow sends (confirmations, reminders, cancellations…) belong to this category.
- Marketing Conversations (billed): promotional or informational messages.
- Authentication Conversations (billed): messages used to verify a user’s identity.
What’s free vs billed, in practice
- Receiving messages, and replying within 24 hours: free. This covers your inbox conversations and the AI agent’s replies.
- Automatic messages you send (templates): billed by Meta as Utility (or Marketing) conversations. This is why a payment method must be on file with Meta to send them.