# How to advertise on WhatsApp in India > Three ways to advertise on WhatsApp in India: click-to-WhatsApp ads, ads in Status, and paid marketing messages. Steps, current rates and a worked example. - **Author**: Marxx - **Published**: 2026-10-24 - **Category**: India - **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-advertise-on-whatsapp-in-india --- You can advertise on WhatsApp in India three ways: ads on Facebook and Instagram that open a WhatsApp chat, ads inside WhatsApp's Updates tab, and paid marketing messages to people who opted in. Start with the chat ads, which you set up in Ads Manager. ## The three ways | Way | What it is | What it costs | |---|---|---| | Click-to-WhatsApp ads | An ad with a **Send message** button that opens a chat | You pay for the ad in Ads Manager | | Ads in Status and Channels | Ads in the Updates tab, plus promoted channels | Check your own account | | Marketing messages | Template messages to people who opted in | INR 0.8631 per delivered message | ## Set up click-to-WhatsApp ads Meta's [setup page](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1583303048513172) lists these steps (checked 2026-10-20). 1. Download the WhatsApp Business app and create a Facebook Page for your business. 2. In Ads Manager, click **Create** and pick an objective that supports WhatsApp, such as Messages, Conversions or Traffic. 3. Choose your Page. At the ad set level, find **WhatsApp** under **Message destinations**. 4. Click **Connect account**, enter your WhatsApp Business number and verify it. 5. Write the ad and publish. You can also connect from your Page: **Settings**, then **Linked accounts**, then **WhatsApp**. If you use the WhatsApp Business platform instead of the app, the steps differ. ## What messages cost Meta charges per delivered message from a business to a user. It does not charge when a user messages you. Its India rate card effective 1 October 2026 lists INR 0.8631 for a marketing message and INR 0.115 for a utility message, such as an order update (checked 2026-10-20, [source](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing)). There are two free cases. First, when someone messages you from a click-to-WhatsApp ad and you reply inside the 24-hour customer service window, a free entry point window opens. It can stay open for up to 7 days, and Meta does not charge for marketing, utility, authentication or service messages inside it. Second, each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages a month, and Meta charges from the 1,001st. You can only message people who opted in. ## Ads in Status and Channels WhatsApp's [business site](https://business.whatsapp.com/whatsapp-ads/policy) describes ads in Status and promoted channels, shown in the Updates tab. Personal messages and calls are not used to show ads. The site lists an India policy document. Check your own account to see if the option is live for you. ## A worked example Say a coaching institute spends INR 30,000 on click-to-WhatsApp ads and gets 150 chats, or INR 200 a chat. Staff reply to 120 within minutes, and those replies cost nothing. Thirty families enrol. Cost per enrolment: INR 30,000 / 30 = INR 1,000. A week later it sends a "last seats" template to 400 parents who had opted in. That costs 400 x INR 0.8631 = about INR 345. Twelve more enrol, so those cost about INR 29 each in message fees. Track this as a [cost per acquisition](/glossary/cpa), and count both steps. ## Mistakes to avoid - Replying hours late. Chat ads only work if someone answers fast. - Messaging people who never opted in. - Following the app steps when you use the API, or the reverse. - Skipping a greeting message with quick replies. Not sure whether chats or forms suit you? Read [click-to-WhatsApp ads vs lead ads](/compare/click-to-whatsapp-vs-lead-ads). Before you go live, run through the [Meta ads launch checklist](/templates/launch-checklist-for-meta-ads). For the wider plan, see [how to advertise a D2C brand in India](/guides/how-to-advertise-a-d2c-brand-in-india), and set up billing with [how to add a payment method to Meta ads in India](/guides/how-to-add-a-payment-method-to-meta-ads-in-india). ## FAQ ### Do I need the WhatsApp Business API to run these ads? No. Meta's page covers connecting a number from the WhatsApp Business app. The WhatsApp Business platform has different connection steps. ### Does WhatsApp charge when customers message me? No. Meta says it does not charge for messages from users to businesses. It charges for delivered messages from you to them, except in the free windows. ### Are ads in WhatsApp Status live in India? WhatsApp's business site lists an India policy for them. Availability can differ by account, so look for the option in your own account. --- - [More India articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/india) - [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides)