Rakuten Viber chatbot commercial model FAQ
NOTE: Chatbots created before 05.02.2024 currently operate based on the previous commercial model, described in this article.
How can I create, develop, and publish a chatbot on Rakuten Viber?
Applying to create and publish a chatbot on Rakuten Viber is easy. Here are two ways to apply for a chatbot:
- The easiest and speediest option is to reach out to one of Rakuten Viber’s verified official partners. Our trusted partners will not only help you apply for a chatbot but also offer their extensive expertise, counsel, and management.
- Alternatively, you can also reach out directly to our team. We will manually review the application and advise you on next steps, as well as answer any questions about other Rakuten Viber for Business solutions that might fit your goals and work well with your chatbot.
How can I make my chatbot verified, searchable, and discoverable on Rakuten Viber?
Once the application for a chatbot is qualified, the business client can proceed to sign the contract and agree to the commercial terms, and subject to payment of the license fee and to Rakuten Viber’s sole discretion, Rakuten Viber may enable the business client to make their chatbots verified, searchable, and discoverable. This process will include the full completion of the onboarding and verification operations managed by the Rakuten Viber team.
How can I become an official Rakuten Viber chatbot partner?
To become an official Rakuten Viber chatbot partner and be referenced as such on our business website, please get in touch with our Rakuten Viber team, who will be able to review your application.
What types of chatbot-initiated messages can I send?
To initiate a conversation with its subscribers, a chatbot can send the full range of message types and formats: text, pictures, videos, files, carousels, stickers, call-to-action buttons, location, and contact cards. You can find details about all these message types in our API documentation.
Note that chatbot-initiated messages are a paid feature. However, if the subscriber responds to a chatbot-initiated message, it will activate a session, and subsequently, all messages exchanged during that session (24 hours) will not be billed.
The welcome message type is not counted as a chatbot-initiated message. Chatbots can send one welcome message to a user as soon as they open the conversation — before the user subscribes to the bot. Use it to introduce the chatbot, familiarize the user with your chatbot’s UI and features, give information, and encourage the user to subscribe to the chatbot. Welcome messages are not billed.
Important: a message sent by the chatbot to a user who is already a subscriber upon entering the bot will be considered a chatbot-initiated message (not a free welcome message) and will be subject to billing.
Will I be charged for the messages sent as a reply to the user?
Replying to users within 24 hours of their query is always free. Here’s why: whenever a subscriber messages the chatbot — whether of their own initiative or in response to your chatbot-initiated message — a 24-hour session is activated. Rakuten Viber does not charge chatbot owners for messages exchanged between the chatbot and its subscribers during a session.
Нow many chatbot messages can I send?
Chatbot session messages and chatbot-initiated messages follow our generic Send Message guidelines that you can retrieve in our Rakuten Viber chatbot API documentation here. Messages exchanged during a session are not limited to a specific amount — only the technical limitations apply. The amount of the chatbot-initiated messages may be limited as part of the billing process and may vary based on your needs and commercial terms as part of your application.
Which currencies do you accept for payment?
For payment, we accept the following currencies: EUR.
What will happen with the bots created previously?
Currently, chatbots created and set up for billing before 05.02.2024 continue to operate based on the previous commercial model described in this article.
How does the billing process work?
Each calendar month, chatbot owners are charged a maintenance fee of EUR 100 for every new bot (or as otherwise may be agreed in writing via a signed addendum), as well as the bill for chatbot-initiated messages.
Chatbot-initiated messages are a paid feature that helps chatbots engage their subscribers proactively. Note that if the subscriber messages the bot first or responds to a chatbot-initiated message, it will activate a session, and subsequently, all messages exchanged during that session (24 hours) will not be billed. Unlimited session messages are included with the monthly fee.
The rate applied to each chatbot-initiated message is based on the country code of the phone number with which the chatbot subscriber registered to Rakuten Viber.
You can find more information about the commercial terms, as well as a rate card, here.
In addition to the cost per message, additional costs may apply.
Where can I learn more about using Rakuten Viber chatbot for business?
We share great tips in our blog!