Meta has announced plans to test new premium subscription plans across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, aiming to offer users exclusive features and enhanced AI-powered tools while keeping the core apps free.
According to Meta, the upcoming subscriptions will focus on boosting productivity, creativity, and control, giving users access to special features and expanded AI capabilities. The company said it will experiment with different subscription bundles, and each app will have its own unique set of paid features rather than a single universal plan.
As part of this strategy, Meta plans to scale Manus, an AI agent it recently acquired for a reported $2 billion. Meta will integrate Manus directly into its apps while also continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses. Early signs of this integration have already appeared, including a possible Manus shortcut spotted on Instagram by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.
Meta also plans to test paid AI features, including subscriptions tied to Vibes, its AI-powered short-form video creation tool. While Vibes has been free since its launch, Meta now wants to introduce a freemium model, where users can subscribe to unlock more AI video generation options each month.
Although Meta has not fully revealed what paid features will arrive on WhatsApp and Facebook, early leaks suggest that Instagram’s subscription could include unlimited audience lists, the ability to see who doesn’t follow you back, and an option to view Stories anonymously without notifying the creator.
Meta clarified that these new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, its existing paid service aimed mainly at creators and businesses. Meta Verified offers benefits like a verified badge, direct support, impersonation protection, and search visibility, while the new subscriptions are designed for everyday users as well as creators.
The move could help Meta diversify its revenue streams, but it also comes at a time when many users are experiencing subscription fatigue. To succeed, Meta will need to clearly show why these new paid features are worth the extra monthly cost.
Snap has already shown that paid social media features can work. Snap’s Snapchat+ subscription, which starts at $3.99 per month, has reportedly surpassed 16 million subscribers, more than doubling since early 2024.
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Meta says it will actively gather user feedback as it rolls out and refines the subscription plans over the coming months.
