How many WhatsApp messages can a business send per day? The official tiers, what counts, what does not, and how a ReplyKit plan fits
Owners ask this for two reasons: fear of a ban, and planning for a busy season. The answer depends on which WhatsApp you are on and who started the conversation.
Quick answer
On the official WhatsApp Business Platform, replies to customers who messaged you in the last 24 hours are not limited. Conversations your business starts (template messages) are capped per rolling 24 hours by a tier: 250 different customers for an unverified business, then 1,000, 10,000, 100,000 and unlimited, rising automatically as you send good-quality volume. In the WhatsApp Business app there is no published number, but bulk or automated sending breaks the terms and gets numbers banned. ReplyKit runs on the platform; your plan's monthly reply allowance (1,000, 5,000 or 20,000 AI replies) is a ReplyKit limit, and Meta's tiers only matter for reminders and follow-ups you start.
The official tiers
Meta's messaging limits apply to business-initiated conversations: template messages sent to customers who have not messaged you in the last 24 hours. The limit is the number of different customers you can open such conversations with in a rolling 24-hour window.
| Tier | Business-initiated conversations per 24 hours | How you get there |
|---|---|---|
| Unverified | 250 | Any number after registration |
| Tier 1 | 1,000 | Business verification, or a display name approval and good quality |
| Tier 2 | 10,000 | Send to at least half your current limit in 7 days with good quality |
| Tier 3 | 100,000 | Same rule again |
| Tier 4 | Unlimited | Same rule again |
Meta also raises tiers based on quality over time without you reaching the threshold, and lowers them if the quality rating falls. The tier is shown in WhatsApp Manager and on ReplyKit's Agents page.
What does not count
- Replies inside the 24-hour window. When a customer messages you, you can reply freely for 24 hours from their last message, and none of it counts against the tier. This is the whole of what an enquiry-answering agent does.
- Replies to a message that came from an ad or a click-to-chat link. Same window.
- Utility templates sent inside an open window. Delivered as part of the conversation.
So a business that answers every enquiry, confirms bookings in the same chat, and sends reminders to a few dozen customers a day is nowhere near even the lowest tier.
The WhatsApp Business app
The free app has no published daily number. Broadcast lists reach up to 256 contacts who have saved your number, and the terms forbid bulk and automated messaging. Numbers that send many identical messages to people who did not save them get restricted or banned, with no tier and no warning. The app is fine for a person replying by hand; it is the wrong place for volume or software.
How ReplyKit's plans fit
ReplyKit's plans include a monthly allowance of AI replies: 1,000 on Starter, 5,000 on Growth, 20,000 on Pro, with extra replies at $10 per 1,000. A reply is one AI message sent on WhatsApp or the website widget. That is a ReplyKit allowance, not a Meta limit, and because almost all of it is replies inside the 24-hour window, Meta's tiers rarely come into play. Where they do is reminders and follow-ups, which ReplyKit sends through approved templates: those count as business-initiated conversations when the customer has not messaged in the last 24 hours, and ReplyKit stops sending them if Meta reports the number as restricted. See which plan.
If you need more volume
- Verify the business in Meta Business Manager; it moves the number from 250 to 1,000 and unlocks the display name.
- Send well-received messages to opted-in customers; the tier rises on its own.
- Add numbers on the Growth or Pro plan; each has its own tier.
- For campaigns of tens of thousands, a marketing-focused provider with list management is the right tool. ReplyKit's broadcasts (Growth and Pro) suit lists in the hundreds or low thousands.
Frequently asked questions
How many WhatsApp messages can a business send per day?
On the official platform, replies to customers who messaged you are unlimited. Conversations you start are capped by tier: 250, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000 or unlimited different customers per 24 hours.
Do replies count against the limit?
No. Replies inside the 24-hour window after a customer's last message do not count.
How do I raise my tier?
Verify the business, then send good-quality templates to opted-in customers; Meta raises the tier automatically.
Is there a limit in the WhatsApp Business app?
No published number, but bulk or automated sending breaks the terms and gets numbers banned. Broadcast lists reach 256 saved contacts.
Does ReplyKit limit replies?
Plans include 1,000, 5,000 or 20,000 AI replies a month, with extra at $10 per 1,000. There is no hourly cap.
Room for every enquiry
Unlimited in-window replies on Meta's side; 1,000 to 20,000 AI replies a month on ours. 7-day free trial.
Sources and further reading
- Meta for Developers, WhatsApp Business Platform messaging limits and quality rating
- Meta Business Help Center, About quality rating and messaging limits
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing · per-message pricing for the official API, for comparison
- WhatsApp Terms of Service
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.