Send ZBS template messages

Zalo Business Solutions (ZBS) Template Message is a unified template model for all Zalo business messaging. It covers both UID-based and phone-based (ZBS) sending under a single template framework. Any template created and approved on a ZCA or ZBS Account can be used for both sending flows.

All ZBS Template Messages must be pre-approved by Zalo before sending, regardless of the sending method.

Template classification

Each ZBS template must be assigned one of three tags that determine its category and sending rules:

• Tag 1 - Transactional
• Tag 2 - Customer Care
• Tag 3 - Promotional/After-sales

For detailed tag definitions, use cases, and precedence rules, see ZBS tag-based requirements.

Sending methods

ZBS templates can be sent using the recipient phone number or the Zalo user ID (UID). Both methods use the same API.

Templates unavailable for UID sending

The following template types can only be sent to phone numbers:

• Verification (OTP) templates
• Templates with Response buttons
• Journey templates (such as Logistics and Bus)

Template compatibility

Template compatibility with UID sending depends on the template approval date.

To use ZBS templates approved before 10 December 2025 for UID sending, create new templates that follow the ZBS Template Message standard and submit them for approval.

Sending quotas

Zalo assigns a daily sending quota to each Official Account (OA) based on quality performance. The quota tiers are:

Quotas are recalculated automatically based on quality metrics. OAs with a daily negative report rate exceeding 2% of the current quota are reduced by one tier (maximum once per day).

Promotional message limits

Each user can receive a maximum of 1 promotional message per day (30 per month) from each OA. Messages from different OAs are counted separately. Transactional and Customer Care messages have no per-user limits.

Business Box

Business Box is a separate inbox area in the Zalo app that aggregates chat threads from OAs where the user has no meaningful interaction.

How Business Box affects promotional messages:

• If a user has a meaningful interaction with the OA, promotional messages appear in the main Inbox.
• If a user does not have a meaningful interaction with the OA, promotional messages appear in the Business Box.

What counts as meaningful interaction:

• The user follows the OA
• The user has initiated a chat or call with the OA
• The OA is pinned in the Inbox
• The OA is in the Others tab of the Inbox

Thread position between Business Box and Inbox is only re-evaluated when a new message is generated between the OA and the user. If a user unfollows an OA and has no other meaningful interactions, the system treats this as no meaningful interaction.

Quick Response Template

The Quick Response Template is a ZBS Template Message type that collects customer feedback directly within a message. It supports 1 to 5 Response Buttons that the customer taps to submit a choice. Each customer can respond once per message within a 7-day interaction window. This template type is available only through the phone number sending flow.

Carousel Template

The Carousel Template presents multiple products or services as horizontally sliding cards within a single message. This template type is available only through the phone number sending flow.

Non-template UID messages

In addition to ZBS Template Messages, the Zalo OA API supports non-template message types for UID-based sending. These messages do not require pre-approved templates.

Supported outbound message types (OA to user):

• Text
• Image
• File
• Sticker
• GIF
• Quote consultation
• User information request
• Reaction

Supported inbound message types (user to OA):

• Text
• Image
• Audio
• Video
• File
• GIF
• Link
• Sticker
• Location
• Business card
• Response button
• User feedback
• User submit info

For the full reference of OA message types and webhook events, see Zalo over API.