---
title: "SMS and WhatsApp Price Index, October 2026"
description: "Original October 2026 price index: median SMS list price across 77 countries, WhatsApp vs SMS cost per country and sender ID lead times. CSV download."
canonical: "https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-10-20"
publisher: "BroadNet Technologies"
brand: "OmniChannels.ai"
---

# SMS and WhatsApp Price Index, October 2026

Canonical: https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index/
Language: en
Publisher: OmniChannels.ai by BroadNet Technologies

Updated October 20, 2026. Data reviewed October 11, 2026.

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

| 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 |

## 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

| Country | WhatsApp marketing | WhatsApp utility | WhatsApp authentication | SMS | Marketing / SMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0540 | 0.4x |
| Angola | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0480 | 0.5x |
| Argentina | $0.0618 | $0.0260 | $0.0260 | $0.0360 | 1.7x |
| Australia | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0460 | 1.8x |
| Bahrain | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0159 | 2.5x |
| Bangladesh | $0.0732 | $0.0037 | $0.0037 | $0.0027 | 27.1x |
| Belgium | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0700 | 0.8x |
| Bolivia | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 1.8x |
| Botswana | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0360 | 0.6x |
| Brazil | $0.0625 | $0.0068 | $0.0068 | $0.0364 | 1.7x |
| Cambodia | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 2.1x |
| Cameroon | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x |
| Canada | $0.0250 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0170 | 1.5x |
| Chile | $0.0889 | $0.0200 | $0.0200 | $0.0340 | 2.6x |
| Colombia | $0.0125 | $0.0008 | $0.0008 | $0.0300 | 0.4x |
| Côte d’Ivoire | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0360 | 0.6x |
| Ecuador | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0380 | 1.9x |
| Egypt | $0.0644 | $0.0036 | $0.0036 | $0.0280 | 2.3x |
| Ethiopia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0520 | 0.4x |
| France | $0.0859 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0750 | 1.1x |
| Germany | $0.1365 | $0.0550 | $0.0550 | $0.0800 | 1.7x |
| Ghana | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0320 | 0.7x |
| Hong Kong SAR China | $0.0732 | $0.0260 | $0.0260 | $0.0460 | 1.6x |
| India | $0.0118 | $0.0014 | $0.0014 | $0.0022 | 5.4x |
| Indonesia | $0.0411 | $0.0250 | $0.0250 | $0.0070 | 5.9x |
| Iraq | $0.0341 | $0.0079 | $0.0079 | $0.0450 | 0.8x |
| Ireland | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0600 | 1.0x |
| Italy | $0.0795 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0700 | 1.1x |
| Jordan | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0155 | 2.5x |
| Kenya | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0300 | 0.8x |
| Kuwait | $0.0792 | $0.0440 | $0.0440 | $0.0163 | 4.9x |
| Lebanon | $0.0392 | $0.0091 | $0.0091 | $0.0540 | 0.7x |
| Madagascar | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x |
| Malaysia | $0.0860 | $0.0140 | $0.0140 | $0.0320 | 2.7x |
| Mauritania | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0640 | 0.4x |
| Mexico | $0.0397 | $0.0085 | $0.0085 | $0.0280 | 1.4x |
| Morocco | $0.0414 | $0.0230 | $0.0230 | $0.0440 | 0.9x |
| Mozambique | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x |
| Namibia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0440 | 0.5x |
| Nepal | $0.0732 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0360 | 2.0x |
| Netherlands | $0.1597 | $0.0500 | $0.0500 | $0.0680 | 2.3x |
| New Zealand | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0460 | 1.8x |
| Nigeria | $0.0516 | $0.0067 | $0.0067 | $0.0340 | 1.5x |
| Norway | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0720 | 0.8x |
| Oman | $0.0341 | $0.0247 | $0.0247 | $0.0156 | 2.2x |
| Pakistan | $0.0473 | $0.0150 | $0.0150 | $0.0034 | 13.9x |
| Peru | $0.0703 | $0.0300 | $0.0300 | $0.0320 | 2.2x |
| Philippines | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0080 | 10.5x |
| Poland | $0.0366 | $0.0122 | $0.0122 | $0.0480 | 0.8x |
| Qatar | $0.0341 | $0.0120 | $0.0120 | $0.0151 | 2.3x |
| Romania | $0.0860 | $0.0290 | $0.0290 | $0.0440 | 2.0x |
| Rwanda | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0320 | 0.7x |
| Saudi Arabia | $0.0576 | $0.0107 | $0.0107 | $0.0160 | 3.6x |
| Senegal | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x |
| Singapore | $0.0732 | $0.0160 | $0.0160 | $0.0440 | 1.7x |
| South Africa | $0.0379 | $0.0095 | $0.0095 | $0.0280 | 1.4x |
| Spain | $0.0707 | $0.0200 | $0.0200 | $0.0650 | 1.1x |
| Sri Lanka | $0.0732 | $0.0020 | $0.0020 | $0.0340 | 2.2x |
| Sweden | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0640 | 0.9x |
| Switzerland | $0.0592 | $0.0171 | $0.0171 | $0.0840 | 0.7x |
| Taiwan | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0520 | 1.6x |
| Tanzania | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0340 | 0.7x |
| Thailand | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0340 | 2.5x |
| Tunisia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0460 | 0.5x |
| Türkiye | $0.0109 | $0.0009 | $0.0009 | $0.0320 | 0.3x |
| Uganda | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0340 | 0.7x |
| Ukraine | $0.0860 | $0.0298 | $0.0298 | $0.0480 | 1.8x |
| United Arab Emirates | $0.0576 | $0.0157 | $0.0157 | $0.0123 | 4.7x |
| United Kingdom | $0.0635 | $0.0220 | $0.0220 | $0.0300 | 2.1x |
| United States | $0.0250 | $0.0034 | $0.0034 | $0.0095 | 2.6x |
| Uruguay | $0.0740 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0400 | 1.8x |
| Vietnam | $0.0842 | $0.0113 | $0.0113 | $0.0360 | 2.3x |
| Zambia | $0.0225 | $0.0040 | $0.0040 | $0.0380 | 0.6x |

## Sender ID lead time by country

| Country | Typical lead time |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 10-14 business days |
| Angola | 10-14 business days |
| Argentina | 7-14 business days |
| Australia | 5-10 business days |
| Bahrain | 5-7 business days |
| Bangladesh | 5-10 business days |
| Belgium | Free-form |
| Bolivia | 10-14 business days |
| Botswana | 5-7 business days |
| Brazil | 5-10 business days |
| Cambodia | 7-14 business days |
| Cameroon | 7-14 business days |
| Canada | 3–6 weeks (short codes, after txt.ca approval) |
| Chile | 5-10 business days |
| Colombia | 5-10 business days |
| Comoros | 10-14 business days |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 7-10 business days |
| Djibouti | 10-14 business days |
| Ecuador | 7-14 business days |
| Egypt | 7-14 business days |
| Ethiopia | 10-14 business days |
| France | 5-10 business days (alphanumeric) |
| Germany | Free-form (numeric preferred) |
| Ghana | 5-7 business days |
| Hong Kong SAR China | Free-form (OFCA scheme voluntary) |
| India | 3-7 business days (DLT header registration) |
| Indonesia | 5-10 business days |
| Iraq | 7-14 business days |
| Ireland | No published time (ComReg registry) |
| Italy | 5-7 business days |
| Jordan | 5-7 business days |
| Kenya | 5-7 business days |
| Kuwait | 5-7 business days |
| Lebanon | 3-5 business days |
| Madagascar | 10-14 business days |
| Malaysia | 5-7 business days |
| Mauritania | 10-14 business days |
| Mauritius | 5-7 business days |
| Mexico | 5-10 business days |
| Morocco | 5-10 business days |
| Mozambique | 10-14 business days |
| Namibia | 5-10 business days |
| Nepal | 7-14 business days |
| Netherlands | Free-form |
| New Zealand | Free-form |
| Nigeria | 5-10 business days |
| Norway | Free-form |
| Oman | 5-10 business days |
| Pakistan | 7-14 business days |
| Palestinian Territories | 7-10 business days |
| Peru | 5-10 business days |
| Philippines | 5-10 business days |
| Poland | 5-10 business days |
| Qatar | 5-7 business days |
| Romania | 5-10 business days |
| Rwanda | 5-7 business days |
| Saudi Arabia | 5-10 business days |
| Senegal | 7-10 business days |
| Singapore | About 19 calendar days (SGNIC) |
| South Africa | Free-form (no pre-registration) |
| Spain | Up to 1 month (CNMC alias registry) |
| Sri Lanka | 5-10 business days |
| Sweden | Free-form |
| Switzerland | Free-form |
| Taiwan | 5-10 business days |
| Tanzania | 5-10 business days |
| Thailand | 5-10 business days |
| Tunisia | 5-7 business days |
| Türkiye | 5-7 business days |
| Uganda | 5-10 business days |
| Ukraine | 7-14 business days |
| United Arab Emirates | 5-7 business days |
| United Kingdom | Free-form (no formal registration) |
| United States | 7-14 business days (10DLC) |
| Uruguay | 5-10 business days |
| Vietnam | 7-14 business days |
| Zambia | 5-10 business days |

## Methodology and sources

- SMS: OmniChannels.ai published rate card reviewed September 24, 2026; lowest operator list price per country.
- WhatsApp: Meta's official rate card effective October 1, 2026 (https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing); Meta's fees per delivered message.
- USD, list prices before volume discounts, excluding taxes. Voice and RCS are not included.

## How to cite

OmniChannels.ai, "SMS and WhatsApp Price Index", October 2026, https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index/

CSV: https://omnichannels.ai/data/messaging-price-index.csv

### 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.