A WhatsApp message template is a pre-approved message a business uses to start a conversation, or to write to a customer after 24 hours of silence. Below are 40 ready-to-adapt templates for Sri Lankan businesses in English, Sinhala and Tamil, grouped by use, with the category each one belongs to and why that category decides what you pay.
Updated 6 November 2026
- What a template is and when you need one
- Marketing, utility and authentication
- Why the category decides your cost
- Parts, variables and buttons
- Order and delivery templates
- Appointment and channelling reminders
- Payments and invoices
- Verification codes
- Promotions and seasonal campaigns
- Feedback, support and win-back
- Why templates get rejected
- FAQ
- Meta has three template categories: marketing, utility and authentication. Mixed content, such as an order update with a discount, is treated as marketing.
- In Sri Lanka a marketing template costs about 36 times more than a utility template (US$0.073 against US$0.0020 per delivered message on Meta's current rates).
- Sinhala (
si_LK) and Tamil (ta) are both supported template languages, so you can submit native-script templates. - Templates are reviewed automatically, usually within 24 hours. Placeholders at the start or end, vague wording and wrong language codes are common reasons for rejection.
What a template is and when you need one
On the WhatsApp Business Platform (the official API), you can reply freely while a customer service window is open. That window opens when a customer messages you and lasts 24 hours from their last message.
Outside that window, and for any message you start yourself, you must use an approved template. Templates are reviewed by Meta before you can send them. Only templates with an approved status can be sent.
The WhatsApp Business app on a phone does not use templates. If you are moving from the app to the API, see how to get the WhatsApp Business API in Sri Lanka.
Marketing, utility and authentication
Meta sorts every template into one of three categories. The definitions below follow Meta's template categorisation guide.
| Category | What it is for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Anything promotional, and the default for content that is not clearly utility or authentication | Offers, new arrivals, seasonal sales, win-back messages |
| Utility | Non-promotional messages that relate to something the customer did or asked for, or that are essential to them | Order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders, payment receipts |
| Authentication | One-time passcodes for identity verification, using Meta's fixed wording and a code button | Login codes, payment confirmation codes |
Mixed content counts as marketing. Meta classes an order update that also promotes a product as marketing. So does a template whose meaning is unclear, such as one that only says "Congratulations!" Keep receipts and reminders free of offers if you want them priced as utility.
If Meta decides a utility template is really marketing, it now approves it as marketing rather than rejecting it. You normally get one day's notice before an existing template's category changes. Businesses that repeatedly misclassify templates can be temporarily restricted from using utility templates, for 7 or 30 days.
Why the category decides your cost
Meta charges per delivered template message, and the price depends on the category and the customer's country. These are the Sri Lanka rates shown on our WhatsApp pricing page, converted at the rate used there.
A delivery update sent to 5,000 customers costs about US$10 in Meta fees as utility. The same message with a "10% off your next order" line becomes marketing and costs about US$365. Meta's fees are charged at zero markup, and Bloomwire plans start at LKR 8,500 a month. For the full picture, read what changed in WhatsApp pricing on 1 October 2026.
Parts, variables and buttons
A template is built from up to four parts. These limits come from Meta's template components documentation.
| Part | Limit | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Text up to 60 characters (one variable), or an image, video, document or location | A product photo lifts promotions; keep receipts text-only |
| Body | Up to 1,024 characters, with variables | Say who you are and why you are writing in the first line |
| Footer | Up to 60 characters | Use it for "Reply STOP to opt out" on marketing templates |
| Buttons | Up to 10 in total: quick replies, up to 2 website links, 1 phone number, 1 copy-code button; labels up to 25 characters | Two or three clear buttons beat ten |
Variables are placeholders such as {{1}} or named ones such as {{customer_name}}. You fill them when you send. Numbered variables must run in order, and every variable needs an example value when you submit the template.
සුබ අලුත් අවුරුද්දක් වේවා, සඳුනි! 🌼
අවුරුදු විශේෂ දීමනාව ලෙස අප්රේල් 15 දක්වා සියලුම ඇඳුම් සඳහා 15% වට්ටමක්. AVURUDU15 කේතය භාවිත කරන්න.දැන් මිලදී ගන්නපණිවිඩ නවත්වන්නOrder and delivery templates
These are utility templates when they contain no offer. Replace the business names and wording to suit your brand.
Cash on delivery confirmations like template 8 cut wasted rider trips. Our guide to confirming COD orders by WhatsApp and SMS shows the full flow.
Appointment and channelling reminders
Payments and invoices
Verification codes
Authentication templates are different. Meta supplies the wording, and you choose the language, an optional security note and an optional expiry line. You cannot add links, media or emojis. Meta's categorisation guide says only authentication templates may be used to send one-time passcodes.
Need codes to reach customers without WhatsApp too? Compare costs and delivery in OTP over SMS or WhatsApp in Sri Lanka, or see our Verify API with SMS fallback.
Promotions and seasonal campaigns
These are marketing templates. Send them only to customers who agreed to hear from you, and always give a way to stop.
Planning the season ahead? Our December 2026 campaign playbook and Sri Lanka marketing calendar 2027 list the dates and the best channel for each.
Feedback, support and win-back
Why templates get rejected
Meta reviews templates automatically, and the review can take up to 24 hours. Most rejections in practice come from a short list of mistakes.
- Name your business and the reason for the message in the first line
- Number variables in order: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}
- Give realistic example values for every variable
- Choose the language code that matches the script (si_LK for Sinhala, ta for Tamil)
- Keep utility templates free of offers and upsells
- Add an opt-out button or line to marketing templates
- Start or end the body with a variable
- Put two variables side by side, such as {{1}}{{2}}
- Write vague text such as "Hi {{1}}, thanks"
- Use wording that sounds like gambling, such as "win a prize"
- Paste wa.me links into buttons
- Use more than 10 emojis or long runs of blank lines
Approved templates are not approved forever. Meta can pause or disable a template if customers block or report it repeatedly, or if read rates are low. Watch each template's quality in WhatsApp Manager.
Sending templates also depends on your messaging limit, which counts how many unique customers you can start conversations with in 24 hours. New business portfolios start at 250 and can grow to 2,000 and beyond with good quality. Unofficial bulk tools skip these rules, and that is why numbers get banned. Read official vs unofficial bulk WhatsApp senders.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WhatsApp message template?
A message template is a pre-written message that Meta reviews and approves before you can send it. Businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform must use a template to start a conversation, or to message a customer more than 24 hours after their last message.
How long does WhatsApp template approval take?
Meta reviews templates automatically. A template can stay in review for up to 24 hours, and only approved templates can be sent.
Can I send WhatsApp templates in Sinhala and Tamil?
Yes. Sinhala (language code si_LK) and Tamil (language code ta) are supported template languages. Meta does not translate templates for you, so submit a separate version for each language.
What is the difference between marketing and utility templates?
Utility templates are non-promotional messages about something the customer did or asked for, such as an order confirmation. Marketing templates promote products or offers. In Sri Lanka a marketing template costs US$0.073 and a utility template US$0.0020 on Meta's current rates.
Why was my WhatsApp template rejected?
Common reasons include a variable at the start or end of the text, variables placed side by side or out of order, vague wording, a language code that does not match the text, and wording that breaks Meta's policies.
How many buttons can a WhatsApp template have?
Up to 10 buttons in total. That can include quick replies, up to 2 website buttons, 1 phone number button and 1 copy-code button. Each button label can be up to 25 characters.
Related: WhatsApp marketing in Sri Lanka · WhatsApp Business API · free WhatsApp link and QR generator
Sources
- Templates overview (Meta for Developers)
- Template categorisation (Meta for Developers)
- Template components (Meta for Developers)
- Supported template languages (Meta for Developers)
- Messaging limits (Meta for Developers)
- WhatsApp pricing (Meta for Developers)
- Message template approvals and statuses (Twilio)
