In this guide · 8 sections
- 01What Meta Business Agent is
- 02Is Meta Business Agent available in Singapore?
- 03What Meta Business Agent costs
- 04What turning it on changes in the WhatsApp Business app
- 05Meta Business Agent or your own chatbot?
- 06How to set it up well if you use it
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Meta Business Agent is Meta's AI that replies to WhatsApp customers using your catalogue, website and chat history. In the WhatsApp Business app it is under Tools > AI agent where available, free up to an allowance with more via Meta One; on the API it costs about US$0.04 to US$0.05 a message.
What Meta Business Agent is
At its Conversations 2026 event on 3 June 2026, Meta said more than one million businesses were already using a Business Agent on WhatsApp and Messenger, and that it was expanding the agent to businesses of all sizes globally and to Instagram. Meta lists what the agent can do:
- Answer questions specific to your business
- Recommend products from your catalogue
- Book appointments and qualify incoming leads
- Close sales
- Let you decide when a team member steps in
WhatsApp's help article About using Meta Business Agent is more specific: the agent can answer questions about hours and location, specific products and services, pricing, discounts, payment and shipping. It uses your catalogue, public profiles, websites, business description, address and hours. It is the same product earlier help pages called Business AI, which our guide on Meta AI in WhatsApp covers from the privacy side.
Is Meta Business Agent available in Singapore?
Meta has not published a country list. As of 21 October 2026, WhatsApp's help page says the feature is only available in limited countries to select businesses and may not be available to you yet, and the WhatsApp Business product page says it is available to eligible businesses in select markets, with more launching soon. The language the agent replies in is set by your business phone number, and not all languages are supported.
The quickest way to find out is to look in your own app:
Update the WhatsApp Business app
Install the latest version from the App Store or Google Play on the phone that holds your business number.
Open Tools, then AI agent
WhatsApp's help page says businesses turn the agent on from the Tools tab. If you see it, you are eligible.
If it is not there, join the waitlist
WhatsApp links a waitlist at business.facebook.com/ai/welcome for businesses that cannot turn it on yet.
Check Meta One in the same Tools tab
Meta One plans include more agent replies; the subscription screen shows the plans and the price for your account.
What Meta Business Agent costs
There are two different price models, depending on whether you use the free WhatsApp Business app or the WhatsApp Business Platform (API).
| Where you use it | How Meta charges | Source |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Business app | Free each month up to an included allowance; more responses through Meta One plans (price shown in the app) | WhatsApp Business Meta One page |
| WhatsApp Business Platform (API) | US$2.00 per million tokens; Meta estimates 20,000 to 25,000 tokens, about US$0.04 to US$0.05, per message | Meta pricing docs, effective 1 October 2026 |
| API, inside a free entry point window | Other message types are free, but Business Agent messages are still charged | Meta pricing docs |
The Meta One page for the WhatsApp Business app says the app itself stays free and Meta One is optional, with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Meta's WhatsApp pricing documentation added Meta Business Agent as a fifth message category from 1 July 2026 and notes that more complex replies use more tokens and cost more. For the full picture of API costs, see our guide on WhatsApp Business API costs in Singapore.
What turning it on changes in the WhatsApp Business app
WhatsApp's help page lists side effects that matter for a small team using the app day to day:
Before you switch it on
Under the PDPA you remain responsible for customer data you collect, so mention AI-assisted replies and Meta's role in your privacy notice before switching it on. WhatsApp also warns that AI-generated messages may not be accurate or appropriate, so check what it tells customers about prices and stock.
Meta Business Agent or your own chatbot?
Meta's agent is the quickest route if it is available on your account and your questions are about products, prices and hours. A chatbot you control, run through a WhatsApp API provider or on your website, makes more sense when you need tighter rules or your own data handling.
Meta Business Agent
QuickestFree allowance, then Meta One or about US$0.04-0.05/message on API
- Set up from the Tools tab in minutes
- Learns from your catalogue, website and past chats
- Meta uses chats to improve its AI
- Limited countries and languages so far
Best for: Shops and service businesses with simple, repeated questions.
Your own bot via the API
Most controlProvider fees plus Meta message fees
- You choose the AI model and the answers it may give
- Can connect to bookings, CRM or order systems
- Data handling set by you and your provider
- Takes longer to set up
Best for: Businesses with bookings, order lookups or strict answer rules.
Our guide to WhatsApp chatbot options in Singapore compares provider bots in more detail.
How to set it up well if you use it
If the agent appears in your app and you decide to use it, a little preparation keeps its answers accurate:
- Clean up your catalogue first. Remove discontinued items and make sure prices match your website; the agent quotes what it finds.
- Write clear business details. Hours, address, delivery areas, payment methods and refund rules in your profile and website.
- Use the teach option. WhatsApp has a help article on how to teach the agent; add answers to the questions customers ask most.
- Test it from another phone. Ask awkward questions (discounts, complaints, medical or legal topics) and see what it says.
- Download your data periodically. Tools > Your AI agent > Download your data gives a report of what was shared with Meta.
Do it yourself or get help?
Turning on Meta Business Agent in the app is a do-it-yourself job: it is designed to take minutes. Where you may want help is if you outgrow the app, for example when you need order or booking updates sent automatically, or answers that come only from your own approved content.
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Our WhatsApp Notifications package (S$590) sets up a WhatsApp Business API number through an official provider, with up to 3 message templates triggered from your store, form or booking system and PDPA opt-in handling. Our AI Website Assistant (S$790) is trained on your website, FAQ and documents, has guard-rails so it only answers about your business, and hands over to WhatsApp or email.
Frequently asked questions
In the WhatsApp Business app, Meta says Business Agent is free each month up to an included allowance, with more responses through paid Meta One plans. On the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), Meta charges US$2.00 per million tokens, which it estimates at about 4 to 5 US cents per message, as of October 2026.
Update the WhatsApp Business app, then open the Tools tab and tap AI agent, and follow the set-up steps. If the option is not there, the feature is not yet available for your account or country. WhatsApp's help page links a waitlist you can join.
Yes. WhatsApp's help page says Meta may use your business information and messages in chats where the agent is turned on to improve AI at Meta, and that this continues even if you mute the agent. Only deleting Meta Business Agent stops the sharing. Customers see a notice in the chat.
Possibly not. WhatsApp says turning on Meta Business Agent may stop certain WhatsApp Business app features working, including broadcast lists, disappearing messages, and greeting and away messages. Deleting the agent restores them. Plan which tool handles after-hours replies before you switch it on.
Meta said at Conversations 2026 that Business Agent works on WhatsApp and Messenger and was being expanded to Instagram. Availability varies by country, app and account. Check the AI settings in Meta Business Suite or each app to see whether it is offered to your business.