What Conversation Category means
A category is the classification Meta applies to a message, and it determines the rate. The categories mirror template categories plus a service type: Marketing, Utility, Authentication and Service.
Business-initiated messages take the category of the template used — Marketing (charged on every delivered marketing template, with no volume discount), Utility (free inside an open 24-hour customer service window, otherwise charged) or Authentication (charged per delivered message). Service messages are free-form replies a business sends inside the window after a customer starts the thread; these are free today, though Meta plans to begin charging for service messages from 1 October 2026. Rates differ by category and by country, and Meta periodically updates its pricing model.
Because category drives cost, planning your template mix has a direct effect on spend. InfiQ shows the live rate card in the dashboard and provides cost calculators so you can model different mixes before you send.
