WhatsApp Broadcast: Limits, Pricing & Best Practices

WhatsApp broadcast messages are the closest thing to email newsletters inside a chat app — except open rates routinely beat email by 3–5x. Here is how broadcasts actually work, what limits apply, and how to run them without hurting your number's reputation.

How WhatsApp broadcast works

A broadcast sends one message to many recipients, each delivered as an individual chat. Replies come back privately. On the API, broadcasts to customers who have not messaged you recently must use approved template messages.

The limits you need to know

• Recipient limit: starts at 250 unique customers per day and scales up automatically as your quality rating stays high — up to tens of thousands.
• Opt-in required: every recipient must have explicitly agreed to receive messages from you.
• Quality rating: Meta scores your number (High/Medium/Low) based on blocks and reports. Low quality throttles your limits.
• Templates only for cold outreach: inside an active 24-hour conversation you can send anything; outside it, templates only.

What broadcasts cost

Meta bills marketing conversations per 24-hour window, priced per country. Your platform may add its own fee. Plan campaigns around conversation windows: one well-crafted broadcast that earns replies is cheaper than three ignored ones. Details: WhatsApp Business pricing explained.

Best practices that protect your number

1. Segment before you send

"Everyone" is not a segment. Split by purchase history, interests, or lifecycle stage. Targeted broadcasts get more replies and fewer blocks — and replies are a positive quality signal.

2. Write for chat, not email

Keep it under 3–4 lines, one idea per message, one clear call to action. Add a button or quick reply so responding takes one tap.

3. Time it like a human

Send when your customers are awake and likely shopping — late mornings and early evenings outperform 2 AM blasts. Avoid more than 2–3 broadcasts per week per segment.

4. Always offer an exit

Include "Reply STOP to opt out" periodically. Easy opt-outs reduce blocks, which protects your quality rating far more than the few unsubscribes cost you.

5. Test templates first

Send to a small internal group, check rendering (variables, media, buttons), then roll out. Rejected or broken templates waste money and momentum.

Running broadcasts in SocialGeniex

With SocialGeniex broadcasts you can segment contacts, personalize with variables, schedule sends, and see delivery, read, and reply rates per campaign — then follow up with non-openers automatically through flows.

FAQ

How many people can I broadcast to per day?

It depends on your tier: 250/day to start, scaling automatically to 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000+ as quality stays high.

Do recipients know it is a broadcast?

No. Each recipient gets a normal-looking individual message, and replies are private between you and them.