Meta Launches Paid Subscription Plans for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp in Global Rollout
By Aboki Forex —
Meta Platforms has begun a global rollout of subscription plans across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The company announced the move on Wednesday as part of efforts to reduce reliance on digital advertising revenue.
The new plans, branded as Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus, and WhatsApp Plus, give users access to extra features. These include profile customization, super reactions, story insights, and more. Monthly fees range from $2.99 to $3.99, depending on the platform.
What Meta is saying
Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, said the company will add “more fun features” in the future. She noted that the plans target creators and heavy users who want deeper engagement tools. Meta also plans to test professional plans for creators and businesses, as well as AI-focused plans under the brand “Meta One.”
AI subscription plans in testing
Meta is testing two AI subscription plans priced at $7.99 and $19.99 per month. These plans are for users of its Meta AI system. The premium tier offers higher computing capacity for complex queries, improved reasoning, and expanded image and video generation. Testing will begin next month in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia.
The new plans do not replace Meta Verified, the existing service focused on verification and impersonation protection.
What Instagram Plus offers
Instagram Plus subscribers can see how many people have rewatched their Story. They can create unlimited audience lists for Stories beyond the “Close Friends” option. Other features include spotlighting a story once a week for extra views, extending a story beyond 24 hours, previewing a story without showing up as a viewer, and searching the story viewer list. Users can also post to their profile without appearing on followers’ feeds. Additional features include Super Heart animated reactions, custom app icons, customizable fonts for bios, and extra profile pins.
Facebook Plus offers similar features. WhatsApp Plus includes app themes, custom ringtones, additional pinned chats, list customization, and premium stickers.
What you should know
This move follows Mark Zuckerberg’s 2023 decision to introduce paid verification on Facebook and Instagram. That service, Meta Verified, costs $12 per month and was framed as a way to boost authenticity and security. The new Plus plans are separate and focus on extra functionality for paying users.