Meta Puts Profits Behind Paywalls: New Subscription Categories on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp
Can you pay for Facebook or Instagram? Meta bet you might.
To follow limited testing this springMeta announced on Wednesday that it will be launched paid subscriptions worldwide via Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus and WhatsApp Plus. The new categories open up additional tools for the app and allow users to get better metrics on their posts and control how ads are targeted.
Monthly subscription prices will start at $4 for Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus and $3 for Instagram Plus. Meta will also introduce Meta One programs for more advanced Meta AI options. Currently, the new paid subscription does not replace or remove the existing Meta Verified plan, a separate subscription for creators and businesses that offers benefits such as enhanced support and anti-piracy protection, with tiers ranging from $15 to $500 per month.
Meta appears to be transitioning to a new multi-tiered ecosystem, experimenting with a range of subscription levels and platform-specific benefits. The new paid tiers add an important revenue stream for the tech giant, which is investing heavily in its AI data centers as it competes with Google to dominate the online ad space.
While some features may be of real benefit to everyday users, the broader strategy reflects an industry trend of locking benefits behind paywalls. UX recently decided to limit posts to non-subscribers from funnel users on paid plans, and time will tell if Meta follows the same path.
At the moment, Meta’s ability to squeeze users into AI and Plus subscriptions is uncertain. The move follows a brutal wave of company layoffs that began last week and will result in the loss of more than 8,000 jobs. The remaining workers are being watched hard, following a key that is already in progress training for potential AI replacements.
The rollout of the new subscription offer received mixed responses on social media, with one person saying: “Hey Meta, how about you pay us to use our data? Instead of trying [sic] selling products that collect more data?” Another wrote: “Yall got a lot of money and we don’t. Now you’re going to ask for our money?”
A representative from Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Will everyone have to pay for Meta apps now?
Currently, the paid section is optional, not required. Plus and Meta One subscriptions are generally designed for users who want more control and extended features, in particular promoters and businesses.
Paid subscribers will be able to add features similar to the ad options used by Meta in the past, including the ability to post a Story to get more views, extend Stories for another 24 hours, add custom reactions like Super Hearts, create more pinned conversations on WhatsApp and more.
Other features of Plus are more data-oriented, such as the ability to see how many people have re-viewed a Story or Reel, create unlimited audience lists for specific posts and searchable audience lists. Paid subscribers will also be able to post privately, without automatically appearing in fan feeds, if they wish.
Meta One plans are available with more options than Plus plans — opening in countries like Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Thailand — and are available in several tiers: Meta One Plus ($8 per month), Meta One Essential ($15 per month), Meta One Premium ($20 per month) and Meta One Advanced ($50 per month).
Meta One plans will add more computing power and, at higher levels, the ability to rank higher in social results or include a larger “follow” button, as well as the option to add a verified badge such as a blue X check. These features appear to work across all Meta apps, and the company says it will add more functionality for users of Meta glasses in the coming weeks.
