SMS and WhatsApp Price Index, October 2026
Updated · Data reviewed October 11, 2026
Short answer
As of October 2026, the median SMS list price across 77 countries is $0.0380 per message, and Asia has the lowest regional median. A WhatsApp marketing message costs more than an SMS in 44 of 73 comparable countries (median 1.6x), while WhatsApp authentication is below the SMS price in 66. Prices are USD list prices before volume discounts and taxes.
Key findings
- The median SMS list price across 77 countries is $0.0380 per message; the lowest is $0.0022 (India) and the highest is $0.0840 (Switzerland).
- Among regions with at least 5 countries, Asia has the lowest median SMS price ($0.0340, 14 countries) and Europe the highest ($0.0650, 15 countries).
- In 44 of the 73 countries where both a Meta WhatsApp rate and an SMS price are listed, a WhatsApp marketing message costs more than an SMS; the median ratio of marketing to SMS price is 1.6x.
- A WhatsApp authentication message is priced below an SMS in 66 of those 73 countries; the median ratio of authentication to SMS price is 0.3x, which matters for one-time passcodes.
- At 5 million SMS per month the rate card prices a message a median of 40% below the list price.
- Where a business-day range is published, sender ID registration takes a median of about 8 business days (midpoint of the published range, 63 countries); 10 countries use free-form sender IDs with no formal registration.
SMS price by region
Country SMS list prices in USD per message, grouped by region and sorted by median.
| Region | Countries | Median | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 2 | $0.0133 | $0.0095 | $0.0170 |
| Asia | 14 | $0.0340 | $0.0022 | $0.0520 |
| Latin America | 9 | $0.0360 | $0.0280 | $0.0400 |
| Africa | 18 | $0.0370 | $0.0280 | $0.0520 |
| Middle East and North Africa | 17 | $0.0440 | $0.0123 | $0.0720 |
| Oceania | 2 | $0.0460 | $0.0460 | $0.0460 |
| Europe | 15 | $0.0650 | $0.0300 | $0.0840 |
Highest and lowest SMS prices
10 highest SMS prices
| Country | Region | SMS (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Europe | $0.0840 |
| Germany | Europe | $0.0800 |
| France | Europe | $0.0750 |
| Norway | Europe | $0.0720 |
| Comoros | Middle East and North Africa | $0.0720 |
| Italy | Europe | $0.0700 |
| Belgium | Europe | $0.0700 |
| Netherlands | Europe | $0.0680 |
| Spain | Europe | $0.0650 |
| Sweden | Europe | $0.0640 |
10 lowest SMS prices
| Country | Region | SMS (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| India | Asia | $0.0022 |
| Bangladesh | Asia | $0.0027 |
| Pakistan | Asia | $0.0034 |
| Indonesia | Asia | $0.0070 |
| Philippines | Asia | $0.0080 |
| United States | North America | $0.0095 |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East and North Africa | $0.0123 |
| Qatar | Middle East and North Africa | $0.0151 |
| Jordan | Middle East and North Africa | $0.0155 |
| Oman | Middle East and North Africa | $0.0156 |
WhatsApp vs SMS by country
73 countries have both a Meta WhatsApp rate for their market and an SMS price. WhatsApp rates are per delivered message. The ratio divides the WhatsApp marketing price by the SMS price.
| Country | WhatsApp marketing | WhatsApp utility | WhatsApp authentication | SMS | Marketing / SMS | Meta market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0540 | 0.4x | Rest of Africa |
| Angola | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0480 | 0.5x | Rest of Africa |
| Argentina | $0.0618 | $0.0260 | $0.0260 | $0.0360 | 1.7x | Argentina |
| Australia | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0460 | 1.8x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Bahrain | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0159 | 2.5x | Rest of Middle East |
| Bangladesh | $0.0732 | $0.0037 | $0.0037 | $0.0027 | 27.1x | Bangladesh |
| Belgium | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0700 | 0.8x | Rest of Western Europe |
| Bolivia | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 1.8x | Rest of Latin America |
| Botswana | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0360 | 0.6x | Rest of Africa |
| Brazil | $0.0625 | $0.0068 | $0.0068 | $0.0364 | 1.7x | Brazil |
| Cambodia | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 2.1x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Cameroon | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x | Rest of Africa |
| Canada | $0.0250 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0170 | 1.5x | North America |
| Chile | $0.0889 | $0.0200 | $0.0200 | $0.0340 | 2.6x | Chile |
| Colombia | $0.0125 | $0.0008 | $0.0008 | $0.0300 | 0.4x | Colombia |
| Côte d’Ivoire | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0360 | 0.6x | Rest of Africa |
| Ecuador | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0380 | 1.9x | Rest of Latin America |
| Egypt | $0.0644 | $0.0036 | $0.0036 | $0.0280 | 2.3x | Egypt |
| Ethiopia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0520 | 0.4x | Rest of Africa |
| France | $0.0859 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0750 | 1.1x | France |
| Germany | $0.1365 | $0.0550 | $0.0550 | $0.0800 | 1.7x | Germany |
| Ghana | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0320 | 0.7x | Rest of Africa |
| Hong Kong SAR China | $0.0732 | $0.0260 | $0.0260 | $0.0460 | 1.6x | Hong Kong |
| India | $0.0118 | $0.0014 | $0.0014 | $0.0022 | 5.4x | India |
| Indonesia | $0.0411 | $0.0250 | $0.0250 | $0.0070 | 5.9x | Indonesia |
| Iraq | $0.0341 | $0.0079 | $0.0079 | $0.0450 | 0.8x | Iraq |
| Ireland | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0600 | 1.0x | Rest of Western Europe |
| Italy | $0.0795 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0700 | 1.1x | Italy |
| Jordan | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0155 | 2.5x | Rest of Middle East |
| Kenya | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0300 | 0.8x | Rest of Africa |
| Kuwait | $0.0792 | $0.0440 | $0.0440 | $0.0163 | 4.9x | Kuwait |
| Lebanon | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0540 | 0.7x | Rest of Middle East |
| Madagascar | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x | Rest of Africa |
| Malaysia | $0.0860 | $0.0140 | $0.0140 | $0.0320 | 2.7x | Malaysia |
| Mauritania | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0640 | 0.4x | Rest of Africa |
| Mexico | $0.0397 | $0.0085 | $0.0085 | $0.0280 | 1.4x | Mexico |
| Morocco | $0.0414 | $0.0230 | $0.0230 | $0.0440 | 0.9x | Morocco |
| Mozambique | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x | Rest of Africa |
| Namibia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x | Rest of Africa |
| Nepal | $0.0732 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0360 | 2.0x | Nepal |
| Netherlands | $0.1597 | $0.0500 | $0.0500 | $0.0680 | 2.3x | Netherlands |
| New Zealand | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0460 | 1.8x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Nigeria | $0.0516 | $0.0067 | $0.0067 | $0.0340 | 1.5x | Nigeria |
| Norway | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0720 | 0.8x | Rest of Western Europe |
| Oman | $0.0341 | $0.0247 | $0.0247 | $0.0156 | 2.2x | Oman |
| Pakistan | $0.0473 | $0.0150 | $0.0150 | $0.0034 | 13.9x | Pakistan |
| Peru | $0.0703 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0320 | 2.2x | Peru |
| Philippines | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0080 | 10.5x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Poland | $0.0366 | $0.0122 | $0.0122 | $0.0480 | 0.8x | Poland |
| Qatar | $0.0341 | $0.0120 | $0.0120 | $0.0151 | 2.3x | Qatar |
| Romania | $0.0860 | $0.0290 | $0.0290 | $0.0440 | 2.0x | Romania |
| Rwanda | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0320 | 0.7x | Rest of Africa |
| Saudi Arabia | $0.0576 | $0.0107 | $0.0107 | $0.0160 | 3.6x | Saudi Arabia |
| Senegal | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x | Rest of Africa |
| Singapore | $0.0732 | $0.0160 | $0.0160 | $0.0440 | 1.7x | Singapore |
| South Africa | $0.0379 | $0.0095 | $0.0095 | $0.0280 | 1.4x | South Africa |
| Spain | $0.0707 | $0.0200 | $0.0200 | $0.0650 | 1.1x | Spain |
| Sri Lanka | $0.0732 | $0.0020 | $0.0020 | $0.0340 | 2.2x | Sri Lanka |
| Sweden | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0640 | 0.9x | Rest of Western Europe |
| Switzerland | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0840 | 0.7x | Rest of Western Europe |
| Taiwan | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0520 | 1.6x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Tanzania | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0340 | 0.7x | Rest of Africa |
| Thailand | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0340 | 2.5x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Tunisia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0460 | 0.5x | Rest of Africa |
| Türkiye | $0.0109 | $0.0009 | $0.0009 | $0.0320 | 0.3x | Turkey |
| Uganda | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0340 | 0.7x | Rest of Africa |
| Ukraine | $0.0860 | $0.0298 | $0.0298 | $0.0480 | 1.8x | Ukraine |
| United Arab Emirates | $0.0576 | $0.0157 | $0.0157 | $0.0123 | 4.7x | United Arab Emirates |
| United Kingdom | $0.0635 | $0.0220 | $0.0220 | $0.0300 | 2.1x | United Kingdom |
| United States | $0.0250 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0095 | 2.6x | North America |
| Uruguay | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 1.8x | Rest of Latin America |
| Vietnam | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0360 | 2.3x | Rest of Asia Pacific |
| Zambia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x | Rest of Africa |
Sender ID lead time by country
Typical time to register an alphanumeric sender ID, from the coverage data. Some countries need no formal registration.
| Country | Region | Typical lead time | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Middle East and North Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Angola | Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Argentina | Latin America | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Australia | Oceania | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Bahrain | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Bangladesh | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Belgium | Europe | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| Bolivia | Latin America | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Botswana | Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Brazil | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Cambodia | Asia | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Cameroon | Africa | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Canada | North America | 3–6 weeks (short codes, after txt.ca approval) | Sender ID rules |
| Chile | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Colombia | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Comoros | Middle East and North Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Africa | 7–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Djibouti | Middle East and North Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Ecuador | Latin America | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Egypt | Middle East and North Africa | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Ethiopia | Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| France | Europe | 5–10 business days (alphanumeric) | Sender ID rules |
| Germany | Europe | Free-form (numeric preferred) | Sender ID rules |
| Ghana | Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Hong Kong SAR China | Asia | Free-form (OFCA scheme voluntary) | Sender ID rules |
| India | Asia | 3–7 business days (DLT header registration) | Sender ID rules |
| Indonesia | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Iraq | Middle East and North Africa | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Ireland | Europe | No published time (ComReg registry) | Sender ID rules |
| Italy | Europe | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Jordan | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Kenya | Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Kuwait | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Lebanon | Middle East and North Africa | 3–5 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Madagascar | Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Malaysia | Asia | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Mauritania | Middle East and North Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Mauritius | Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Mexico | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Morocco | Middle East and North Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Mozambique | Africa | 10–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Namibia | Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Nepal | Asia | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Netherlands | Europe | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| Nigeria | Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Norway | Europe | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| Oman | Middle East and North Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Pakistan | Asia | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Palestinian Territories | Middle East and North Africa | 7–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Peru | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Philippines | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Poland | Europe | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Qatar | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Romania | Europe | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Rwanda | Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East and North Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Senegal | Africa | 7–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Singapore | Asia | About 19 calendar days (SGNIC) | Sender ID rules |
| South Africa | Africa | Free-form (no pre-registration) | Sender ID rules |
| Spain | Europe | Up to 1 month (CNMC alias registry) | Sender ID rules |
| Sri Lanka | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Sweden | Europe | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| Switzerland | Europe | Free-form | Sender ID rules |
| Taiwan | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Tanzania | Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Thailand | Asia | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Tunisia | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Türkiye | Europe | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Uganda | Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Ukraine | Europe | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East and North Africa | 5–7 business days | Sender ID rules |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Free-form (no formal registration) | Sender ID rules |
| United States | North America | 7–14 business days (10DLC) | Sender ID rules |
| Uruguay | Latin America | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Vietnam | Asia | 7–14 business days | Sender ID rules |
| Zambia | Africa | 5–10 business days | Sender ID rules |
Methodology and sources
- SMS: the OmniChannels.ai published rate card, reviewed September 24, 2026. A country's SMS price is the lowest operator list price per message segment. Volume discounts are shown on each SMS pricing page.
- WhatsApp: Meta's official rate card effective October 1, 2026 (Meta pricing documentation). Rates are Meta's fees per delivered message by category and recipient market; countries in a "Rest of" market use that market's rate. Countries that fall under Meta's "Other" market are not compared. Authentication uses the domestic rate.
- Sender ID lead time: the coverage data reviewed on the same cycle. The median counts countries that publish a range in business days and uses the midpoint of each range.
- Units: USD, list prices before volume discounts, excluding taxes. Prices are indicative; the final quote confirms the cost. Voice and RCS are not part of this index.
How to cite
OmniChannels.ai, "SMS and WhatsApp Price Index", October 2026, https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index/
Full data as CSV: messaging-price-index.csv (77 countries). Published by BroadNet Technologies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median price of an SMS?
Across the 77 countries on the OmniChannels.ai rate card, the median SMS list price is $0.0380 per message (reviewed September 24, 2026). Prices range from $0.0022 in India to $0.0840 in Switzerland. These are list prices before volume discounts and excluding taxes.
Is WhatsApp cheaper than SMS?
It depends on the message category and the country. In 44 of 73 comparable countries a WhatsApp marketing message costs more than an SMS (median ratio 1.6x), while a WhatsApp authentication message is below the SMS price in 66 of them. Meta's rates apply per delivered message and are effective October 1, 2026.
How much is the volume discount on SMS?
On the OmniChannels.ai rate card, the 5 million messages per month tier is a median of 40% below the list price. Lower tiers (100,000 and 1 million per month) sit in between. The country pages under SMS pricing show every tier for every operator.
How was the index calculated?
The SMS price of a country is the lowest operator list price on the rate card reviewed September 24, 2026. WhatsApp rates are Meta's USD rate card effective October 1, 2026, matched to each country through Meta's market definitions. Everything is computed from those two published sources; nothing is estimated.
Can I reuse or cite these figures?
Yes. Cite it as OmniChannels.ai, "SMS and WhatsApp Price Index", October 2026, https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index/ and link to this page. The full country table is available as a CSV file. Prices change, so quote the month and check the country pages for current rates.
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