LINE Official Account Pricing Complete Guide | Choose the Right Plan and Save Up to 80% [2025]

Are you worried that LINE Official Account fees are too high?

In reality, LINE's free plan can meet the needs of most small businesses.

And with the right usage habits, even paid plans can be run at minimal cost for maximum impact.

Why Do So Many Businesses Overpay for LINE Official Account?

Many businesses spend more than they need to on LINE Official Account simply because they don't fully understand the billing system.

The most common question: "Why did I use up my message credits so fast?"

LINE Official Account's pricing structure is actually straightforward. Once you understand how "message credits" are calculated, you can effectively control costs. More importantly, choosing the right plan ensures every dollar is well spent.

This guide fully explains LINE Official Account's fee structure — including a detailed comparison of all three plans, how message credits are calculated, plan selection strategies, and 7 practical money-saving tips.

LINE Official Account Billing Structure Explained

LINE Official Account's billing method is transparent, with two primary components: "monthly fee" and "message credits."

The Two Core Billing Elements

1. Monthly Fee

• Fixed monthly charge based on your chosen plan
• Free plan: $0
• Light plan: ~$20/month
• Standard plan: ~$130/month

2. Message Credits

• Each plan includes a free message credit allotment
• Handling of credits that exceed the allotment depends on your plan
• Only "proactive broadcast messages" count against your credits

What's Billed? What's Free?

Billed items (count against message credits):

• Broadcast messages
• Multipage messages
• Rich messages
• Video messages
• Coupon messages

Completely free:

• Auto-reply messages
• 1-on-1 chat replies
• AI chatbot responses
• Welcome messages (greeting messages)

Key point: Any message that's "system-automated" or "reactive" is free. Only messages you proactively send to multiple people count against your credits.

Billing Cycle

Monthly fee:

• Billed monthly
• Auto-charged on the 1st of each month (credit card)
• Mid-month upgrades are pro-rated
• Downgrades take effect the following month

Message credits:

• Reset on the 1st of each month
• Unused credits do not carry over to the next month
• Exceeding the limit prevents further sending (Free and Light plans)
• Exceeding the limit incurs an overage fee (Standard plan, ~$0.006/message)

Detailed Comparison of All 3 Plans

LINE Official Account offers three plans suited to different business sizes.

Plan 1: Free Plan

Basics:

• Monthly fee: $0 (completely free)
• Free monthly message credits: 200
• Over-limit handling: Cannot send messages until next month or until you upgrade
• Other limits: None

Best for:

• Small businesses just getting started
• Under 100 friends
• Low sending frequency (2–3 times per month)
• Businesses wanting to test features first

Practical scenario:

Assume you have 100 friends
Sending 2 messages per month
Message credits used = 100 friends × 2 = 200
Exactly fits the free plan's allotment

Pros:

• Completely free, zero cost
• Full feature access, no restrictions
• Ideal for testing and learning

Cons:

• Limited message credits
• Once friends increase, 200 credits isn't enough
• Cannot send frequently

Plan 2: Light Plan

Basics:

• Monthly fee: ~$20/month
• Free monthly message credits: 5,000
• Over-limit handling: Cannot send messages — must upgrade to Standard
• Other limits: None

Best for:

• Small to mid-size businesses or organizations
• ~500–2,000 friends
• Sending 3–5 times per month
• Businesses with established operations

Practical scenario:

Assume you have 1,000 friends
Sending 5 messages per month
Message credits used = 1,000 friends × 5 = 5,000
Exactly fits the light plan's allotment

Pros:

• Affordable (roughly $0.004/message)
• Sufficient credits for most mid-size operations
• Right for the majority of small and medium businesses

Cons:

• Cannot send once 5,000 credits are exhausted
• May not be enough if your friend count grows quickly

Plan 3: Standard Plan

Basics:

• Monthly fee: ~$130/month
• Free monthly message credits: 30,000
• Over-limit handling: $0.006/additional message (you can keep sending)
• Other limits: None
• Advanced features: A/B testing, advanced analytics

Best for:

• Large businesses or enterprises
• 2,000+ friends
• Frequent sending needed (1–2+ times per week)
• Those who need data analytics and A/B testing

Practical scenario:

Assume you have 5,000 friends
Sending 6 times per month
Message credits used = 5,000 × 6 = 30,000
Exactly fits the standard plan's allotment

If you send 7 times:
Credits used = 5,000 × 7 = 35,000
Overage of 5,000 messages: 5,000 × $0.006 = $30
Total cost = $130 + $30 = $160

Pros:

• Large message credit allotment
• Can keep sending past the limit (at overage pricing)
• Advanced features (A/B testing, deep analytics)
• Designed for large-scale operations

Cons:

• Higher monthly fee
• Small businesses may never use all 30,000 credits

Complete Plan Comparison Table

How Message Credits Are Calculated — With Examples

Many people aren't sure exactly how message credits are counted. Here are clear examples.

Basic Formula

Message credits used = Number of recipients × Number of messages sent

Example 1: Single message to all friends

Scenario:

• You have 500 friends
• Sending 1 text message to everyone
• Message: "Anniversary sale! 20% off everything!"

Calculation:

Credits used = 500 people × 1 message = 500 credits

Plan fit:

• Free plan (200 credits): Not enough ✗
• Light plan (5,000 credits): Sufficient ✓

Example 2: Rich message with multiple images

Scenario:

• You have 1,000 friends
• Sending 1 rich message containing 3 images
• System counts this as 3 messages

Calculation:

Credits used = 1,000 people × 3 messages = 3,000 credits

Important note: A rich message may look like one unit, but if it contains multiple images or buttons, it may be counted as multiple messages.

Example 3: Segmented send

Scenario:

• You have 1,500 friends total
• Sending only to the "VIP members" tag (300 people)
• Sending 2 messages (1 image + 1 coupon)

Calculation:

Credits used = 300 people × 2 messages = 600 credits

Advantage: Using segmented sends dramatically reduces message credit consumption by reaching only those who need the message.

Example 4: Monthly message plan

Scenario:

• 800 friends
• Month start: new product announcement (1 message) = 800 credits
• Mid-month: promotional campaign (2 messages) = 1,600 credits
• Month end: members day reminder (1 message) = 800 credits

Calculation:

Total credits = 800 + 1,600 + 800 = 3,200 credits

Plan fit:

• Free plan (200 credits): Not enough ✗
• Light plan (5,000 credits): Sufficient ✓
• Utilization: 3,200 / 5,000 = 64% (comfortable buffer)

Common Message Credit Calculation Mistakes

Mistake 1: "I sent 1 message, why were 3 credits deducted?"

• Rich messages with multiple images may count as multiple credits
• Multipage messages also count as multiple

Mistake 2: "Do auto-replies use credits?"

• No! Auto-replies are completely free
• Only proactive broadcast messages use credits

Mistake 3: "I'm sending messages daily, but I still have credits left?"

• 1-on-1 chat replies are not billed
• Confirm you're looking at broadcast (group send) messages

Want to learn how to improve message ROI and engagement? See our LINE Official Account Marketing Complete Guide.

How to Choose the Right Plan — Decision Guide

The key to choosing a plan is evaluating your "friend count" and "sending frequency."

Plan Selection Decision Process

Step 1: Assess your current friend count

• Under 100 friends → Consider Free plan
• 100–2,000 friends → Consider Light plan
• Over 2,000 friends → Consider Standard plan

Step 2: Assess your monthly sending frequency

• 1–2 times per month → Drop down one tier
• 3–5 times per month → Stay at current tier
• 1–2+ times per week → Move up one tier

Step 3: Calculate estimated message credits

Estimated credits = Friends × Monthly sends × Avg messages per send

Step 4: Match against plan allotments

• Under 200 estimated credits → Free plan
• 200–5,000 estimated credits → Light plan
• Over 5,000 estimated credits → Standard plan

Step 5: Factor in growth room

Consider choosing one tier above your current needs to leave growth room.

Real Case Studies

Case 1: Newly opened café

• Friends: 50
• Sending frequency: 2x/month (new products, promotions)
• Estimated credits: 50 × 2 = 100
• Recommended plan: Free

Case 2: Beauty salon, 1 year in business

• Friends: 1,200
• Sending frequency: 4x/month (skincare tips, courses, promotions, seasonal greetings)
• Estimated credits: 1,200 × 4 = 4,800
• Recommended plan: Light (~$20/month)

Case 3: Restaurant chain

• Friends: 5,000
• Sending frequency: 2x/week (new items, specials, events)
• Estimated credits: 5,000 × 8 = 40,000
• Recommended plan: Standard ($130/month + overage)

7 Money-Saving Tips and Optimization Strategies

Use LINE Official Account intelligently and you can significantly reduce your costs.

Tip 1: Use Audience Segmentation

Logic: Not every message needs to go to everyone. Use tags to segment your audience and send only to the people who need each message.

Example:

Before: Send new product info to all 1,000 friends = 1,000 credits
After: Send only to "interested in this product" tag (300 people) = 300 credits
Savings: 700 credits (70% cost reduction)

How to implement:

1. Create tags (VIP, new customers, Product A enthusiast, etc.)
2. Select specific tags when sending
3. Track open rate and conversion by tag

Tip 2: Maximize Auto-Replies

Logic: Auto-replies are completely free and can handle the majority of common questions.

Suggested setups:

• Business hours
• Location and address
• Prices and menus
• Reservation process
• Current promotions

Benefits:

• Reduces the manual workload of 1-on-1 chats
• Provides 24/7 instant responses
• Zero message credit consumption

Tip 3: Optimize Sending Frequency

Logic: Sending frequency directly affects message credit consumption and your block rate.

Best frequency guidelines:

• E-commerce/retail: Once a week
• Food and service: 1–2 times a week
• B2B/professional services: 2–3 times a month

Avoid:

• Daily sends (high block rate)
• Too infrequent (you lose mindshare)

Tip 4: Combine Messages into One

Logic: Bundle multiple messages into one rich message to reduce credit consumption.

Example:

Before:
- Message 1: New product this week
- Message 2: Limited-time sale
- Message 3: Store event update
= Sending to 500 people = 1,500 credits

After:
- 1 rich message with 3 sections
= Sending to 500 people = 500 credits
Savings: 1,000 credits (67% reduction)

Tip 5: Leverage 1-on-1 Chat

Logic: 1-on-1 chat replies are not billed — use them for deeper engagement.

Ideal scenarios:

• Customer questions and inquiries
• Custom service discussions
• Complaint handling
• VIP relationship maintenance

Recommendation: Enable chat mode and encourage customers to reach out via DM to build relationships through conversation.

Tip 6: Start with the Free Plan

Logic: Use the free plan to test and learn before upgrading as your friend count grows.

Benefits:

• Zero-cost learning
• Test message content performance
• Gauge customer response
• Avoid over-investing upfront

When to upgrade:

• Friend count exceeds 100
• You need to send more than 2x/month
• You've clearly outgrown the free credit allotment

Tip 7: Track ROI and Optimize Message Content

Logic: Analyze which messages drive the highest returns and concentrate your resources on what works.

Metrics to track:

• Open rate
• Click rate
• Conversion rate
• Revenue per message

Optimization direction:

• Stop sending low-performing messages
• Increase frequency of high-performing content
• Test different content types
• Optimize send timing

Example calculation:

Light plan: ~$20/month
5 sends → $15,000 in revenue
ROI = (15,000 - 20) / 20 × 100% = 74,900%

Cost per message: $20 / 5,000 = $0.004
Revenue per message: $15,000 / 5,000 = $3
The return is extraordinary

Plan Upgrade and Downgrade Process

As your friend count and needs evolve, you can adjust your plan at any time.

When to Upgrade

Upgrade triggers:

• Consistently using 80%+ of your monthly credits
• Friend count growing rapidly
• Need to increase sending frequency
• Want to access advanced features (A/B testing, deep analytics)

Upgrade process:

1. Log in to LINE Official Account Manager
2. Click "Settings" → "Plans and billing"
3. Select "Change plan"
4. Choose the plan you want to upgrade to
5. Confirm fees (current month is pro-rated)
6. Enter credit card info (first upgrade)
7. Confirm upgrade

Cost calculation:

If you upgrade from Free to Light on the 15th of a 30-day month:
That month's charge = $20 × (16 days / 30 days) ≈ $10.67
From next month onward: $20/month

When to Downgrade

Downgrade triggers:

• Consistently using under 50% of your monthly credits
• Friend count has decreased
• Sending less frequently
• Wanting to reduce costs

Downgrade process:

1. Go to "Settings" → "Plans and billing"
2. Select "Change plan"
3. Choose the lower plan
4. Confirm change (takes effect from next month)
5. Continue using your current plan for the rest of this month

Important notes:

• Downgrade takes effect on the 1st of the following month
• You retain your current plan's credits and features until month end
• No refund for the current month
• Advanced features disappear after downgrade (e.g., A/B testing)

Plan Change Summary

Upgrading:

• Effective immediately
• Credit allotment increases right away
• Current month billed pro-rata

Downgrading:

• Effective next month
• Keep using current allotment until month end
• Confirm next month's needs before downgrading

Key reminder: Evaluate your next month's needs at the end of each month and decide if a plan change is warranted.

For any issues during plan upgrades or downgrades, see our LINE Official Account Support Guide for how to reach LINE support quickly.

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Plan sorted, but still wondering how to maximize your return on investment?

Sign up for Lion Fans — we offer LINE Official Account cold-start and growth services to rapidly grow your real, active friend base, improve message open rates and engagement, and help every marketing dollar go further.

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3 Core Cost Optimization Principles and Plan Recommendations

LINE Official Account pricing is actually simple to manage once you understand these key principles.

The 3 Core Principles

Principle 1: Start with the Free plan

Use the free plan when starting out to build experience and grow your friend count.

Upgrade once you've confirmed your actual needs — don't waste money prematurely.

Principle 2: Maximize free features

Auto-replies and 1-on-1 chats are free.

Use these features to their full potential to reduce your reliance on paid broadcasts.

Principle 3: Continuously optimize ROI

Regularly review your data and calculate the return on each message.

Focus resources on high-performing content and stop spending on what doesn't work.

Summary Recommendation

If you are...

• Just starting out → Free plan
• Small to mid-size business (500–2,000 friends) → Light plan
• Large enterprise or high-frequency sender → Standard plan

Remember: Plans can be adjusted at any time — you don't have to get it perfect from day one.

Start small, scale up as you grow. It's the most sustainable approach.

Start Taking Action

If you want to learn how to optimize your LINE Official Account's ROI, Lion Fans offers professional social media marketing solutions.

Explore pricing and see how we help you achieve better results with lower costs. Our clients achieve an average 40% improvement in engagement rate — proven by real data.

Want a complete understanding of LINE Official Account features and how to use them? See our LINE Official Account Complete Guide.

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References

1. LINE for Business, "Official Account Pricing Plans" (2025)
2. LINE Official Blog, "How Message Credits Are Calculated" (2024)
3. Digital marketing cost optimization guide (2024)
4. Social marketing research report, "LINE Marketing ROI Analysis" (2024)
5. LINE Business Guide, "Plan Selection Recommendations" (2025)