# What is frequency capping on WhatsApp? > Frequency capping is the limit WhatsApp puts on how many marketing templates one person receives over a period, from all businesses combined; a capped message is neither delivered nor charged. ## The definition in two minutes Meta calls this rule “per-user marketing template message limits”. “Frequency capping” is the marketing term: capping how often a person receives messages. WhatsApp can limit how many marketing templates a person receives from any business in a given period, when they are less likely to be receptive. The cap belongs to the person, not to you. ## How the cap is set - It depends on several factors, including the person’s recent read rate on marketing messages and how many messages they already have in their inbox from friends, family and businesses. - It adapts automatically, based on the person’s recent engagement. - Each marketing template delivered counts towards the cap. - If the person replies, a 24-hour window opens. Marketing messages sent within that window do not count. Meta’s documentation gives no figure, because the cap varies from one person to another and over time. Meta states that your ability to reach the most engaged people does not change. A person can also tell WhatsApp they are not interested in a business’s messages. That can affect the cap between them and that business. ## What happens when the cap is reached - The message is not delivered. Your software receives an error: status “failed” and code 131049. - A message that is not delivered is not charged: Meta only charges delivered messages. - Wait at least 24 hours before sending the template to that person again. Resending sooner gives more errors. - Repeated resends within 24 hours can block sending to that person for up to 24 hours. Your other recipients are not affected. ## Not to be confused with - **The messaging limit**: It caps how many different customers your business portfolio can message outside the service window in a rolling 24 hours. Frequency capping caps what each person receives, from all businesses combined. - **The person stopping your messages**: They chose to stop receiving your business’s marketing messages (error 131050). Do not retry. - **Meta’s test group**: A very small share of WhatsApp users receive no marketing template from any business, unless a customer service window or a free entry point window is open with that business. The error is then 130472, and Meta does not charge. - [Messaging limits explained](https://wyp.chat/en/guides/whatsapp-messaging-limits) ## What a small business can do You do not control a person’s cap, but you can reduce its effects. - Send your marketing templates to customers who have opted in and who expect your messages. - Avoid chaining reminders to the same person. - Invite your customers to reply: their reply opens a 24-hour window in which your marketing messages do not count towards the cap. - Check your software for undelivered messages and their error code. - [WhatsApp consent: rules and wording](https://wyp.chat/en/guides/whatsapp-consent) - [WhatsApp campaigns](https://wyp.chat/en/features/whatsapp-campaigns) ## Example Illustrative case: a wine merchant sends a promotion to its customers on a Saturday. A customer who has already received many marketing messages from other shops may have reached their cap. WhatsApp does not deliver the merchant’s message. Its software shows “not delivered” with code 131049, and Meta charges nothing. The merchant waits at least 24 hours before trying again. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the cap on marketing messages per person? Meta gives no figure. The cap is specific to each person and adapts to their recent engagement. ### Is a capped message charged? No. Meta only charges delivered messages, and a capped message is not delivered. ### Why is a customer not receiving my marketing template? There are several reasons: their number is not on WhatsApp, they have stopped your marketing messages, they have reached their cap, or they are in Meta’s small test group. The error code in your software tells you which. ### How long should I wait before resending a capped message? At least 24 hours, according to Meta. Resending sooner gives more errors, and repeated attempts can block sending to that person for up to 24 hours. ### Does frequency capping affect my replies to customers? No. It applies to marketing templates. Your free-form replies within the 24-hour window do not count, and neither do marketing messages sent in a window opened by the customer’s reply. ### Is it the same as the messaging limit? No. The messaging limit caps how many customers your business portfolio can message in 24 hours. Frequency capping caps what a person receives from all businesses. ## Related terms - [Messaging limit](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/limite-envoi) - [Broadcast](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/broadcast) - [Opt-in (consent)](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/opt-in) - [Template categories: marketing, utility, authentication](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/categories) - [Message template](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/modele) **Read more** - [Messaging limits explained](https://wyp.chat/en/guides/whatsapp-messaging-limits) - [All glossary terms](https://wyp.chat/en/glossary) ## Sources 1. Meta, per-user marketing template message limits: [developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits) ( checked on 20 October 2026) 2. Meta, marketing templates and user preferences: [developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates) ( checked on 20 October 2026) 3. Meta, WhatsApp error codes: [developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/support/error-codes](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/support/error-codes) ( checked on 20 October 2026) 4. Meta, marketing message experiments: [developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/support/experiments](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/support/experiments) ( checked on 20 October 2026) 5. Meta, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing: [developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing) ( checked on 20 October 2026) --- Source: https://wyp.chat/en/glossary/frequency-capping · Updated on 20 October 2026