Meta plans to test new premium subscriptions that give users access to exclusive features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, marking a significant expansion of the company’s subscription business beyond its existing Meta Verified offering.
The tech giant said the new subscriptions will unlock more productivity and creativity, along with expanded AI capabilities. In the coming months, Meta will offer a premium experience on its apps that gives users access to special features and more control over how they share and connect, while keeping the core experiences free.
Meta doesn’t appear locked into one strategy. The company said it will test a variety of subscription features and bundles, with each app subscription having a distinct set of exclusive features.
Meta plans to scale Manus, an AI agent it recently acquired for a reported $2 billion, as part of its subscription plans. The company is taking a two-fold approach: integrating Manus into Meta products while continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses. Meta has already been spotted working on adding a shortcut to Manus AI on Instagram, according to a screenshot shared by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.
Additionally, Meta plans to test subscriptions for AI features such as Vibes video generation. Vibes is Meta’s AI-powered short-form video experience built into the Meta AI app that lets people create and remix AI-generated videos. Although Vibes has been free since its launch last year, Meta now plans to offer freemium access to Vibes video creation, with the option to subscribe to unlock additional video creation opportunities each month.
While the paid features on WhatsApp and Facebook remain unknown, Paluzzi notes that the new Instagram subscription will let users create unlimited audience lists, see a list of followers who don’t follow back, and view Stories without the poster seeing they viewed it.
The new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, which is aimed at content creators and businesses and comes with a verified badge, 24/7 direct support, impersonation protections, search optimization, and exclusive stickers. The new subscriptions will be designed for a broader audience beyond creators.
The question is whether users will pay for social media features. Snap has proven there is a market: Snapchat+, which starts at $3.99 per month for exclusive features, has topped 16 million subscribers, more than doubling since early 2024. That success suggests some users will pay for enhanced social media experiences, though Meta’s scale and market position differ significantly from Snap’s.
The launch of additional subscriptions will allow Meta to generate more revenue. However, many users may be deterred by subscription fatigue. With so many paid services competing for monthly spending, Meta will have to offer compelling features to get users to sign up for yet another subscription. Meta says it plans to listen to its community and gather feedback as it starts rolling out the subscriptions in the coming months.
