Limits and pacing
Does KiliChat limit how many messages I can send?
No. KiliChat doesn't cap the number of messages or broadcasts. The limits that matter come from Meta (WhatsApp), explained below.
How fast does a broadcast go out?
KiliChat sends a broadcast steadily rather than all at once, at up to about 20 messages a second per broadcast. In practice it's often a few messages a second, depending on how quickly Meta answers. As a rough guide:
| Audience | Usually takes |
|---|---|
| 100 contacts | Under a minute |
| 1,000 contacts | A few minutes |
| 10,000 contacts | Up to an hour |
You can close the page while it sends. Sending carries on in the background.
What is Meta's messaging limit?
Meta limits how many different people each business can start conversations with using templates in a rolling 24 hours. New numbers usually start low (for example 250 or 1,000 people a day). Meta raises the limit step by step (1,000, then 10,000, then 100,000, then unlimited) as you send more messages with good quality and complete business verification.
Replies to customers who messaged you first don't count towards this limit.
If you go over the limit, the extra messages fail with a Meta error about the messaging limit. They aren't sent later by themselves.
Check your limit
You can see your current messaging limit and quality rating in Meta's WhatsApp Manager, under your phone number. Or ask the KiliChat team and we'll check for you.
How do I send to a list bigger than my limit?
Split it up:
- Tag your contacts in batches under your limit, for example
Batch 1,Batch 2. See Contacts. - Send the first broadcast to
Batch 1. - Schedule the next one for the following day, and so on.
Sending good, wanted messages also raises your limit over time.
What is the phone number quality rating?
Meta rates your phone number (green, yellow or red) based on how people react to your messages over the last week or so: blocks, reports and "not interested" taps. Low quality can stop your limit from going up, or even bring it down. Admins can see it in Settings → WhatsApp connection, in the Connection checklist next to the number (for example "quality GREEN").
To keep it high, see How do I keep quality high?.
Does Meta limit how many marketing messages one person gets?
Yes. Meta limits how many marketing templates a person receives from all businesses in a period. If someone has had a lot recently, your message may not be delivered, with error 131049 ("This message was not delivered to maintain healthy ecosystem engagement"). You aren't charged for these. Wait a day or two before trying that person again. See Meta error codes.
Is there a limit on sending to the same person quickly?
Yes. Meta stops a business from sending too many messages to the same person in a short time (error 131056). This rarely affects broadcasts, since each person gets one message. It can happen if you send several broadcasts to the same people within minutes.
Can I run several broadcasts at once?
Yes. Each one sends at its own pace. Remember they all count towards the same daily Meta limit, and someone in both audiences gets both messages. Use Leave some people out to avoid doubling up.