A shop owner sees a WhatsApp plan for ₹1,500 a month and thinks the cost is settled. A month later the invoice is far higher, and the owner wonders what happened. The answer is almost always the same: the plan fee was only half the story, and the messages themselves made up the rest.
For one published comparison, the page on AiSensy alternative for WhatsApp Business API from MetaReach Marketing sets out platform fees and message rates side by side. This guide shows how to turn such numbers into a monthly estimate you can trust.
Step 1: Count Your Messages by Type
WhatsApp prices messages by category. Marketing messages, such as offers and announcements, cost the most. Utility messages, such as order and delivery updates, and authentication messages, such as OTPs, cost much less. Start by estimating how many of each you will send in a month. A store that sends one offer to 5,000 customers and 3,000 order updates has a very different bill from one that only sends alerts.
Step 2: Find the Platform Fee
Most providers charge a subscription for the software. The page lists AiSensy’s Basic plan at ₹1,500 per month and Pro at ₹3,200, with chatbot and AI add-ons priced separately, and the MetaReach API plan at ₹7,999 for three months. Prices exclude GST and message charges. They were checked on 12 October 2026 and may have changed, so confirm them before you decide.
Step 3: Add the Per-Message Rate
Here the numbers can move a lot. The page cites AiSensy’s marketing message rate at ₹1.09 and its utility and authentication rate at ₹0.145. It cites Meta’s own published rates at about ₹0.86 and ₹0.115, which a provider may pass on at cost or with a markup. The page does not state MetaReach’s own per-message rate, so ask for it in a written quote.
Step 4: Do the Sum
Take 10,000 marketing messages in a month. At ₹1.09 each, that is ₹10,900. At ₹0.86, it is ₹8,600. The difference is about ₹2,300 a month, or around ₹6,900 over three months, before GST. For a business sending heavy broadcasts, that gap can matter more than the plan fee. For a business sending few marketing messages, it matters far less.
Step 5: Add GST and Extras
- 18 percent GST on the invoice
- Add-ons such as chatbots or AI agents
- Extra agents or seats, if you need them
- Any setup or onboarding charges
A complete estimate adds all of these to the plan fee and message charges.
Why the Cheapest Plan Is Not Always Cheapest
A low entry price suits a small team with few messages. As volume grows, the per-message rate starts to dominate, and a higher plan fee with lower message costs can come out ahead. The page itself says AiSensy is cheaper on platform fees, while MetaReach may cost less for heavy marketing senders, though that last point depends on the rate you are actually quoted.
Features Still Matter
- Agents and inbox: how many people can answer chats at once.
- Chatbots: whether they are built in or an extra service.
- Integrations: CRM, store and webhook support.
- Other channels: SMS, RCS or voice if you want them in one place.
- Support: self-serve guides or hands-on help.
A cheaper bill is not much use if your team cannot do its job on the platform.
If You Decide to Switch
The page lists four steps: share your current setup, get a written quote, move your number and test before going live. Display names and approved templates may need to be re-submitted, so allow a short changeover period.
Questions to Ask
- What is my exact cost for my message mix, including GST?
- Do you pass Meta’s rates through at cost?
- How many agents are included in the plan?
- Is there a trial or demo?
A Quick Example
Imagine a clothing store with 6,000 customers on its list. It sends one offer a month and about 2,000 order updates. It counts 6,000 marketing messages and 2,000 utility messages, applies the rate from each quote, adds the plan fee and GST, and compares the totals. One quote looks cheaper on the plan fee, the other on messages. Putting both into a simple sheet shows which one actually costs less for this shop. Your numbers will differ, but the method stays the same.