Meta tests premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp
Meta is planning new premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that the new subscription models will give users access to exclusive features. These are to include advanced AI functions and more productivity tools. The core experiences of the apps are to remain free. Meanwhile, paying users are to receive additional control over sharing and networking. Meta plans to test various subscription features and bundles over the coming months, with each app getting its own set of exclusive functions.
No unified model for subscriptions
With subscriptions, Meta is not relying on a unified model, but is experimenting with different approaches for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who regularly uncovers features in development, has already discovered a shortcut to Manus AI on Instagram. The planned Instagram features include unlimited audience lists, an overview of followers who don’t follow back, and the ability to view stories anonymously.
With Manus, the AI agent recently acquired for an estimated two billion dollars, Meta is pursuing a two-pronged approach. The company is integrating Manus into its own products while continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses. Scaling Manus is a fixed part of the new subscription strategy.
New subscriptions strictly separated from Meta Verified
Vibes, Meta’s AI-powered short-form video experience in the Meta AI App, is also switching to a freemium model. Since its launch last year, Vibes was free. But in the future, users can unlock additional video creations per month with a subscription. The basic functions remain free; the subscription expands monthly creative options.
The new subscriptions are explicitly separate from Meta Verified. Verified targets content creators and businesses with verified badges, 24/7 support, impersonation protection and search optimization. The new subscriptions aim at a broader audience – everyday users who are not creators. The company wants to leverage learnings from Verified to further develop its subscription business and create offerings that appeal equally to regular users, creators and businesses.
The additional subscription revenue could be substantial, but Meta must overcome subscription fatigue among many users. Snapchat+ provides proof that social media subscriptions work: the service has over 16 million subscribers—more than double since early 2024. At $3.99 per month for exclusive features, Snapchat+ is a continuous revenue driver for Snap. Meta wants to listen to community feedback as subscriptions roll out over the coming months.
