What Are WhatsApp Sending Limits (Tiers)?

When your WhatsApp API number is first opened, it usually starts with Tier 1 (1,000 unique users per day). As your business grows, this limit may not be enough.

Tier Levels (Old System)

• Tier 1: 1,000 unique users in 24 hours.
• Tier 2: 10,000 unique users in 24 hours.
• Tier 3: 100,000 unique users in 24 hours.
• Tier 4: Unlimited.

(Note: As of October 2025, Meta introduced changes – limits are now calculated at the business portfolio level. The following information describes the legacy per-number system.)

How Did the Limit Increase? (Automatic Upgrade)

Meta would automatically increase your limit if you met these conditions:

1. Quality Score: Your number's rating should not be "Low" (Red).
2. Volume: You needed to send messages to about half of your current limit (e.g., if your limit was 1,000, send to 500 users over a 7-day period).

Strategy: If you wanted to increase your limit, you would spread out broadcast campaigns over several days to approach the current limit without dropping quality. Always avoid actions that could lower your quality score.

2025 Update: Portfolio-Based Limits

Starting October 2025, WhatsApp moved to portfolio-based messaging limits, rather than per-number limits. All phone numbers under your business now share one combined limit:

• If any number in your portfolio had a high limit, new numbers instantly gain that higher shared limit.
• Any new number added to your business (once verified) can immediately use the full portfolio limit without a warm-up period.

Initial default limits were also adjusted:

• Unverified business: Starts at 250 messages per day (per portfolio).
• Verified business: Starts at 1,000 messages per day.
• First auto-increase: The jump from 1,000 to 2,000 now happens much faster; the system checks criteria every 6 hours instead of 24.

Another key change is the quality status: The "Flagged" status was removed. Now, even if your number's quality rating drops, your messaging limit will not instantly decrease, making your sending capacity more stable.

Limit Raising Strategies (Current)

1. Maintain High Quality: Keep your quality rating high (Green). As long as you're not in the Red, limit increases will come automatically. While quality dips no longer reduce your existing limit immediately, you likely won't get upgrades until it improves.
2. Gradually Ramp Up Volume: New portfolios start at 250 or 1,000. Increase engagement and send messages approaching your limit (without spamming) to trigger growth. The system can now upgrade limits within hours when conditions are met.
3. Leverage New Number Advantages: When you add a new phone number, if your portfolio has already achieved a high limit, that number can use the high limit immediately. No more lengthy "warm-up" for additional lines.
4. Complete Verification: Make sure your business is verified. Unverified businesses are capped at 250 per day. Verification moves you to 1,000 and beyond much quicker.

Remember, under the new system your limits are considered as a pool across your business. This makes scaling easier, but it also means your overall messaging practices (quality and volume) affect all numbers. Stay updated with Meta's announcements and documentation to keep up with limit changes.