How much does an AI WhatsApp chatbot cost in Spain (2026): Meta, connection and setup

How to read the figures. Meta's rates come from its official rate card for Spain in euros, in force from 1 October 2026, consulted on 30 September 2026. Xera Chat prices are those on our pricing page on that same date, and are excluding VAT. The bill examples are our own calculations with those rates, not client cases. Xera Chat is our own product: we say so here up front, so that you can take it into account as you read.

Quick answer

The cost of an AI WhatsApp chatbot is not one figure: it is three layers, and each is charged by someone different. With Xera Chat there are only two bills: Meta's and Xera Chat's.

The layer that is most often misunderstood is the first. From 1 October 2026, Meta includes 1,000 free service messages per month per number; beyond that it charges €0.0166 per service message in Spain, and also utility templates sent within the 24-hour window. Until 30 September those replies were not charged.

Layer 1: what Meta charges per message

Since 1 July 2025 Meta charges per delivered message, not per conversation. This is the rate for Spain, in euros, in force from 1 October 2026:

Three rules that change the bill:

• 24-hour service window. When a customer writes to you, a 24-hour window opens. From 1 October 2026, messages that are not templates count as service messages (1,000 free per month per number, then €0.0166 each) and utility templates sent within the window are also charged at €0.0166.
• 72-hour window from an ad. If the customer arrives from a Facebook or Instagram ad that opens WhatsApp, or from the WhatsApp button on a Facebook page, Meta applies its own conditions to that 72-hour window; check them in its current rate card before calculating, because Meta revises them.
• Marketing is the expensive one. A marketing message costs a little over 3.5 times a utility one (€0.0585 against €0.0166).

Example of a monthly Meta bill (calculated with the rates above; the volumes are hypothetical):

In this example, €33.20 of the €59.05 comes from service messages above the 1,000 free ones; with 1,000 or fewer per month, that item stays at €0. Every marketing message you add costs €0.0585.

Layer 2: the connection to the WhatsApp Business API

Xera Chat connects to Meta's official WhatsApp Business API: there is no intermediary platform fee. The layer 1 rates are paid by the client directly to Meta, at the prices of the rate card in force.

If you compare with other providers, this is the point where the model changes: some charge a fixed fee, others charge per user or add a surcharge on top of Meta's rates. Our comparison of WhatsApp Business API providers covers the main options.

Layer 3: setup and chatbot fee

This is what Xera Chat charges, excluding VAT:

To have the chatbot on WhatsApp, the route is Conecta Plan + official WhatsApp integration (Meta). The Web Plan does not include WhatsApp. Conditions: minimum term of 3 months; Meta's rates are paid separately, by the client, directly to Meta. Our "conversations" are those of the plan; Meta counts per message.

First year with WhatsApp, excluding VAT (calculated with the prices above):

The same calculation for a web-only chatbot, with the Web Plan: €298 setup fee + €588 in fees (12 × €49) = €886 the first year, with no Meta.

What to ask any provider so that the quotes are comparable

1. Who pays Meta's rates, and are they passed on to you as they are or with a surcharge? The official rate is public; ask whether what they bill you is exactly that.
2. Is the platform subscription included or separate? It is the item most often left out of the quote.
3. How many conversations or messages does the fee include, and how much does the excess cost?
4. Is there a one-off setup fee, and what does it cover? Channel configuration, number verification, templates.
5. How long is the minimum term?
6. In whose name is the WhatsApp Business account? Ask also what happens to the number and the conversation history if you leave the provider.

Sources

• Meta, WhatsApp Business platform rates, Spain, in EUR, in force from 1 Oct 2026 (consulted on 30 Sep 2026): Meta pricing documentation and platform pricing page.
• Xera Chat, plans, setup fees and conditions (30 Sep 2026): proxera.es/precios-xera-chat.

Published on 30 September 2026 by Robert Graf and Miller Espinosa, from Proxera. Meta updates its rate card from time to time (the latest we record here is that of 1 October 2026): before deciding, check on its website the one in force on the date you read this. Updated on 10 October 2026: Xera Chat connects to Meta's official WhatsApp Business API, with no intermediary platform, and for now serves WhatsApp only.