# Meta ads vs WhatsApp marketing > Meta ads find new people. WhatsApp marketing messages reach people who opted in. Cost, rules and when to use each, with India rates checked 20 Oct 2026. - **Author**: Marxx - **Published**: 2026-11-15 - **Category**: Channels - **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-compare/meta-ads-vs-whatsapp-marketing --- Meta ads find new people. WhatsApp marketing messages reach people who already gave you their number and said yes. Use Meta ads to grow your list and WhatsApp to sell to that list again. Click-to-WhatsApp ads join the two. ## Side by side | | Meta ads | WhatsApp marketing messages | |---|---|---| | Who you reach | New and existing people, picked by targeting | Only people who gave you their number or username and opted in | | How you pay | An ad auction, within the budget you set | A fee for each message delivered | | India price | Varies with your auction | INR 0.8631 per marketing message | | Permission | None needed to show an ad | Opt-in needed before you message | | Best for | Finding buyers, testing creative | Repeat sales, cart reminders, order updates | | Weak spot | Costs rise as audiences tire | You cannot reach people who are not on your list | The WhatsApp rate comes from Meta's India rate card for the WhatsApp Business Platform, in rupees, effective 1 October 2026 (checked 2026-10-20). That platform charges per message. Meta says it may change rates only on the first day of a quarter, so the next possible change is 1 January 2027 ([Meta's pricing documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/)). ## The three differences that matter **1. Permission.** WhatsApp's policy lets you contact people only if they gave you their number or username and opted in to hear from you ([WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy](https://whatsappbusiness.com/policy/), checked 2026-10-20). A Meta ad needs no list, because Meta shows it. **2. Cost.** Meta charges for delivered messages, not sent ones. It does not charge when a customer messages you. Marketing, utility, authentication and service messages are different categories with different rates. **3. The bridge.** When someone messages you from a click-to-WhatsApp ad, your replies can be free for up to 7 days. The window opens when you reply, and the person must use the Android or iPhone app, not desktop ([Meta's pricing documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing/), checked 2026-10-20). See [what click-to-WhatsApp ads are](/glossary/click-to-whatsapp-ads). ## A worked example Say you sell skincare and 8,000 customers opted in. You plan one festive offer. - **WhatsApp:** 8,000 x INR 0.8631 = INR 6,904.80 if every message is delivered. - **Meta ads:** the same INR 6,905 buys about 46,000 impressions if your [CPM](/glossary/cpm) is INR 150 (6,905 / 150 x 1,000). Impressions count views, not people. Most go to people who do not know you yet. Say each order leaves INR 500 after product costs. The message cost pays back after 14 orders (INR 6,905 / INR 500 = 13.8). That is 14 buyers out of 8,000, or 0.18%. The numbers are made up. Use your own CPM and margin. ## When to use each - **Growing your customer base:** Meta ads. - **Selling again to past buyers:** WhatsApp messages. - **Answering questions before a sale:** a click-to-WhatsApp ad, then chat. - **Collecting numbers:** a lead form or a chat start, with a clear opt-in line. Read [how to advertise on WhatsApp in India](/guides/how-to-advertise-on-whatsapp-in-india) for setup. If you are choosing how to capture leads, compare [click-to-WhatsApp ads vs lead ads](/compare/click-to-whatsapp-vs-lead-ads). To collect numbers with a lead form, Marxx [captures Meta lead ads](/features/leads) within seconds. It keeps each lead's answers and the ad that produced it. We make Marxx. ## FAQ ### Is WhatsApp marketing cheaper than Meta ads? Per person, a message to your own list costs INR 0.8631 in India (checked 2026-10-20). Judge both by cost per sale, because WhatsApp can only reach people already on your list. ### Do I need permission to send WhatsApp marketing messages? Yes. WhatsApp's policy says you need the person's number or username and their opt-in before you contact them. ### Are replies to click-to-WhatsApp ads free? For a window of up to 7 days after you reply, Meta does not charge for marketing, utility, authentication or service messages sent in it. Messages from Meta's own business agent product are still charged. --- - [More Channels articles](https://marxx.ai/library-compare/category/channels) - [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-compare)