Meta Unveils Paid Subscription Plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp
Meta is rolling out paid Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus, and WhatsApp Plus plans worldwide as of today. These new subscriptions offer enhanced features like profile customization, super reactions, and story insights. The move marks a significant shift in Meta's monetization strategy, giving users premium options across its core social media platforms.
Instagram Plus: Features and Pricing
Instagram Plus is priced at $3.99 per month. Subscribers gain access to exclusive tools designed to improve engagement and personalization. Key features include:
- Story insights: See how many people have rewatched a Story.
- Unlimited audience lists: Create groups beyond Close Friends for Stories.
- Spotlight a story: Boost visibility once a week for extra views.
- Super Heart animated reactions: Stand out with dynamic interactions.
- Custom app icons and fonts: Personalize your profile bio and app look.
- Extended story duration: Keep stories live beyond 24 hours.
- Stealth story preview: View stories without appearing in the viewer list.
- Selective posting: Share directly to your profile without showing in followers' feeds.
Facebook Plus and WhatsApp Plus: What You Get
Facebook Plus, also at $3.99 per month, includes most of the same features as Instagram Plus. WhatsApp Plus is priced at $2.99 per month and offers:
- App themes: Customize the look of WhatsApp.
- Custom ringtones: Set unique sounds for contacts or groups.
- More pinned chats: Keep important conversations accessible.
- List customization: Organize chats efficiently.
- Premium stickers: Access exclusive sticker packs.
Meta One Bundles: AI Features and Creator Tools
Meta is introducing the Meta One branding, which combines subscriptions across its platforms. According to Meta head of product Naomi Gleit, the company is exploring new plans for creators, businesses, and AI users.
Meta One Plus and Meta One Premium
These plans target Meta AI users. The $7.99 Meta One Plus plan and the $19.99 Meta One Premium plan unlock higher compute queries, reasoning, and image/video generation. Premium offers deeper reasoning for complex tasks.
Meta One Essential and Meta One Advanced
The $14.99 Meta One Essential plan is designed for creators and businesses. It includes:
- Verified badge
- Impersonation protection
- Better analytics
- Linksheet: Link to online profiles on the web and other social networks.
The $49.99 Meta One Advanced plan adds:
- Facebook feed features
- Optimized scheduling tools
- Content reuse notifications
- Higher rankings in Instagram and Facebook search
- Bolder Follow button on Reels
- Automatic follow invitations for engaged users
Rollout and Testing Timeline
Meta will start testing the AI Meta One plans in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia next month. The business plans will be tested in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, and Bangladesh starting later this week.
What This Means for Users
Gleit described Meta One as a place that brings Meta subscriptions "together" across all Meta apps. She said Meta's new plans were "just the beginning with a lot more value to come." As Meta expands its paid offerings, users can expect more integrated features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
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