Utility message
Updated
Quick answer: A utility message is a WhatsApp template in the utility category, used for updates about something the customer did or asked for — order confirmations, shipping updates, booking reminders and payment receipts. In India it costs about ₹0.12 per delivered message in 2026, and utility templates sent while the customer service window is open are free.
The WhatsApp template category for transactional updates.
Utility templates must not contain promotional content; if they do, Meta re-categorises them as marketing.