Meta launches paid subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp

Meta has begun rolling out paid premium subscriptions worldwide for its three flagship apps, introducing Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus. The new tiers give users access to additional in-app tools, more detailed metrics on their posts, and greater control over how ads target them.

The consumer plans are priced at $3.99 per month for Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus, and $2.99 per month for WhatsApp Plus. Subscribers gain features such as profile customization, custom Super Heart reactions, and Story insights. Meta's head of product, Naomi Gleit, said the company plans to expand the offering over time, noting that "more fun features" will be added in the future.

Each plan is tailored to its respective app. Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus focus more on social expression and audience analytics, while WhatsApp Plus centers on personalization and messaging. Instagram subscribers, for example, can see how many people rewatched a Story, create unlimited audience lists beyond the Close Friends option, spotlight a Story once a week for additional reach, extend a Story past its usual 24 hours, and preview Stories without appearing as a viewer. Users can also post directly to their profile without showing up in followers' feeds. WhatsApp Plus, meanwhile, adds options like additional pinned chats.

The subscriptions are optional rather than required, and are aimed primarily at influencers, businesses, and power users who want more control and expanded functionality. The new Plus plans do not replace Meta Verified, the company's separate subscription focused on verification, impersonation protection, and enhanced support, which ranges from $15 to $500 per month. Meta says it is not winding down that program for now, though the situation could change.

Alongside the consumer launch, Meta is beginning to test additional offerings for creators, businesses, and AI users under a new brand called Meta One, which the company says will serve as the home for its subscription products going forward. Meta One plans are launching on a more limited basis in countries including Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Thailand, across several tiers: Meta One Plus at $8 per month, Meta One Essential at $15, Meta One Premium at $20, and Meta One Advanced at $50.

The Meta One plans add more computing power for Meta AI, and at the top tiers, the ability to rank higher in social results, display a larger follow button, or add a verified badge similar to X's blue check. The plans function across all of Meta's apps, and the company says it will add extra functionality for Meta glasses users in the coming weeks.