WhatsApp Business templates are divided into three Meta-defined categories: Utility, Authentication, and Marketing. These categories guide Meta’s review process and determine when and how messages can be sent to customers.

🔧 1. Utility Templates (Transactional)

• Purpose: Share important, time-sensitive updates after a customer action.
• Nature: Non-promotional.
• Common use cases:
• Order confirmations or shipping updates
• Appointment reminders
• Payment receipts or account alerts
• Example:Hi , your appointment on is confirmed. We'll see you at .

🔐 2. Authentication Templates

• Purpose: Deliver secure one-time passwords (OTP) or login codes to verify identity.
• Nature: System-triggered, non-promotional.
• Common use cases:
• Login via phone number
• Account recovery
• Transaction verification
• Example:Your verification code is . It will expire in 10 minutes.

📌 Note: Authentication templates may only be available after Meta approval for this feature.

📢 3. Marketing Templates (Promotional)

• Purpose: Promote products, re-engage users, or run offers.
• Nature: Requires customer opt-in and stricter policy checks.
• Common use cases:
• Product recommendations or launches
• Flash sales or discount campaigns
• Win-back messages for inactive users
• Example:Hi , enjoy 20% off all accessories today only! Shop now: .

📊 Comparison of Template Categories

ℹ️ Important Notes

• ✅ Categories affect Meta approval: promotional wording in Utility templates = rejection.
• ⏱️ Any message sent outside the 24-hour customer window must use an approved template.
• 📊 Templates are created, categorized, and tracked in Meta WhatsApp Manager or via MyOperator.

📎 Related FAQs

• How do I create a WhatsApp template?
• Why was my template rejected?
• How do template categories affect message delivery rules?

✨ Pro Tip: Choose the correct category upfront. Misclassification (e.g., adding a discount in a Utility template) will slow down approval and may impact your compliance score.