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What is a WhatsApp session
3 min
Created by KM on 2/7/2023 5:53 PM
Updated by Karine Moreira on 2/1/2024 5:43 PM

The WhatsApp Business API service provides several advantages for businesses, with the primary one being the ability to allow multiple users to use the same WhatsApp line. At Zenvia Conversion, we use the official WhatsApp API. However, as the use of this API by various companies is common, WhatsApp has established some rules to prevent abuse.

One of these rules is related to the initiation of sessions, which occurs when sending message templates pre-approved by WhatsApp, incurring associated costs. This rule is essential to ensure the responsible use of the application.

What Represents a "Session" on WhatsApp

There are two forms of sessions:

User-Initiated Session

When a user sends a message to the company, a 24-hour session is opened, allowing unlimited message exchanges between the company and the customer. This session has an associated cost, charged with the first customer message, and the 24-hour period is renewed with each subsequent customer message.


Company-Initiated Session

There are two categories of templates that can be sent by Zenvia Conversion: Marketing and Utility. 

When the company sends a template to initiate an interaction with its customer, the cost of the session initiated by the company is charged. However, the 24-hour window opens only upon the customer's response. 

Once the customer responds, the company can send and receive unlimited messages within the 24-hour window at no additional cost. If the company sends a new template without the customer responding or outside a 24-hour window, there will be a new charge.

Extended Window

If a new message is sent by the customer or the company within 24 hours of the customer's last message, this is considered the start of a new session, without the need to use a message template. This scenario is known as an extended window.

Cost and Country

It's important to note that charges are not per message but for the initiation of the session. The cost to start a session varies depending on the country where your company has legal presence, as indicated during registration in Zenvia Conversion.

In summary, the session-based charging is a measure to prevent spam, and WhatsApp establishes differentiated costs for sessions initiated by the company, aiming to ensure responsible platform use.