WhatsApp Carousel Template: How to Create One, Image Size Tips and Examples (2026)

A WhatsApp carousel template is a marketing template with one message body and 2 to 10 swipeable cards. In a media card carousel, each card has an image or video, optional text and up to two buttons (quick reply, URL or phone). All cards must have the same components, and the card count is fixed at creation. A product card carousel pulls items from your Meta catalogue so shoppers stay in WhatsApp. It's charged as one marketing message: ₹0.8631 to Indian numbers from October 1, 2026.

Meta documents the first in its media card carousel templates guide. That guide points to product card carousels when you want users to stay inside the WhatsApp client.

1. Marketing only. Meta says carousel cards are available only for marketing template messages.
2. 2 to 10 cards, and you set the exact number at creation. An approved 5-card template always sends 5 cards.
3. Every card has a media header: image or video.
4. Same components on every card. If one card has body text, all must, which keeps card heights equal.
5. Up to two buttons per card, mixing quick reply, URL and phone. Button labels are up to 25 characters.
6. Message body text (above the cards) supports variables, up to 1,024 characters.
7. URL buttons support one variable at the end of the URL, such as https://store.in/p/{{1}}.

1. Pick the story. One theme: "Diwali gifting under ₹999", "3 new 2BHK projects in Whitefield", "This week's salon offers".
2. Choose the card count (start with 3–5; more cards isn't always better).
3. Prepare matching media. Same aspect ratio and similar file sizes for all cards.
4. Write the message body. One or two lines with 1–2 variables, like Hi {{customer_name}}, picked for you this week:
5. Write card text (if used) in the same pattern on every card: name, price, one benefit.
6. Add buttons. For example "View" (URL with product slug variable) and "Ask a question" (quick reply).
7. Add samples for every variable and upload sample media.
8. Submit as Marketing, in WhatsApp Manager or through your provider's template builder.
9. Test send to your team on Android and iOS.
10. Send to a small opted-in segment first, then scale.

Meta's carousel guide doesn't give one magic pixel size, and providers set their own upload limits. What works in practice:

• Use one aspect ratio for all cards. Square (1:1) is the safest for product shots.
• Keep text off the image edges. WhatsApp may crop slightly on some devices.
• Compress files. Many Indian users are on mobile data. Light images load faster and get read.
• Show price and name on the card text, not only in the image. It's accessible and searchable for the user.
• Short videos only. A 5–10 second clip per card is plenty.

D2C fashion (product or media):

Hi {{customer_name}}, our festive edit just dropped. Swipe to see 5 picks under ₹1,499.

Cards: product image · name · price · buttons View (URL) and Ask about size (quick reply)

Real estate (media):

New launches near {{locality}} this month. Swipe for floor plans and starting prices.

Cards: project image · "2 BHK from ₹X" · buttons Book site visit (quick reply) and Call sales (phone)

Coaching institute (media):

Hi {{student_name}}, new weekend batches open for JEE, NEET and Class 10 boards.

Cards: subject image · start date · buttons Reserve seat (quick reply) and Syllabus (URL)

Salon (media):

This week at {{salon_name}}: 4 services our regulars love.

Cards: service image · duration and price · buttons Book now (quick reply) and See menu (URL)

Abandoned browse follow-up (product):

Still thinking it over, {{customer_name}}? Here are the items you looked at, plus two similar picks.

A browse or cart follow-up is marketing under Meta's categorization rules, so only send it to people who've opted in to offers.

A carousel is one template message, charged once at the marketing rate. Meta's INR rate card on its pricing page shows ₹0.8631 per delivered marketing message to Indian numbers from October 1, 2026 (list rate, excluding taxes).

• 10,000 carousel sends ≈ ₹8,631 in Meta charges, the same as 10,000 plain marketing messages.
• Replies the user sends are free. Your responses inside the 24-hour window are service messages, charged after 1,000 free per number per month.
• If the user came from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, Meta's free entry point window means your messages in that window aren't charged.

Because a carousel costs the same as a text-only marketing message, it's often the better use of each send, as long as the cards are relevant.

Carousels are eye-catching, which makes it tempting to send them to everyone. Don't. Templates with poor feedback (blocks, reports, low reads) can be paused: 3 hours the first time, 6 hours the second, then disabled. Meta also applies per-user marketing limits, so less engaged users may not receive every marketing message (error 131049).

Good habits:

• Send to recent buyers, recent chatters or people who asked for offers.
• Put a "Stop promotions" quick reply on at least one card, or send it in the body flow.
• Don't send the same carousel to the same person twice in a week.

WatsBerry runs template campaigns, including visual ones for catalogue-led D2C brands, alongside a shared inbox and booking flows on the official Cloud API. Ask me whether carousel templates are available on your plan before you plan a campaign around them. Meta bills WhatsApp usage to your own payment method (0% markup on Meta's per-message rates), and WatsBerry charges a separate platform plan (₹1,599 / ₹2,999 / ₹5,999 per month + GST).

Share your next campaign idea with me on WhatsApp via watsberry.com, and I'll suggest whether a carousel or a single-card template will do better. Or join the waitlist for the 14-day free plan.

Abbas Ali, Founder, WatsBerry