Meta launches ‘Plus’ subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp alongside new AI plans

Meta has announced a new range of subscription services for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp users as the company looks to expand beyond its traditional advertising business. The new consumer-focused “Plus” subscription plans will offer additional features aimed at creators, power users and highly active social media users.

The company also confirmed that it is testing new AI-focused subscription packages under a broader initiative called “Meta One”, which will combine the company’s growing range of premium services into a single ecosystem.

What Meta’s new Plus plans offer

According to Meta, the new subscription tiers are designed to provide users with additional personalisation and engagement features across its apps.

Users subscribing to Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus will reportedly pay around $3.99 per month, while WhatsApp Plus is expected to cost around $2.99 per month in international markets. India-specific pricing has not yet been announced.

The new Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus plans include features such as:

Profile customisation tools
Super Heart animated reactions
Story insights and rewatch tracking
Unlimited audience lists for Stories
Extra profile pins
Custom app icons and fonts
Subscribers will also be able to:
Extend Stories beyond 24 hours
Spotlight a Story once every week
Preview Stories without appearing in viewer lists
Search viewer lists more easily

Meta says these features are aimed mainly at creators and highly engaged users who want more control over audience interaction and content presentation.

WhatsApp Plus focuses on messaging personalisation

The WhatsApp Plus subscription is designed differently from the company’s social media-focused plans. Instead of creator tools, it focuses more on messaging personalisation and user experience.

Features include:
Custom themes
Premium stickers
Additional pinned chats
Custom ringtones
Expanded list customisation

The company said the plan is intended for users who want more flexibility and customisation inside the messaging platform.

Meta is also expanding its AI subscription business

Alongside the Plus subscriptions, Meta confirmed that it is preparing premium plans for Meta AI users under a new branding system called “Meta One”.

The company is currently testing:
Meta One Plus at $7.99 per month
Meta One Premium at $19.99 per month

According to Meta, Premium subscribers will receive:
Higher AI compute access
More advanced reasoning capabilities
Expanded image and video generation tools
Additional support for Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses

Meta said these AI-focused plans will initially be tested in countries including:
Singapore
Guatemala
Bolivia
Meanwhile, creator and business-focused subscription plans are expected to begin testing in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand and Bangladesh.

Why Meta is increasing focus on subscriptions

Meta’s growing subscription strategy reflects a wider shift inside the company as it looks for new revenue streams beyond digital advertising.

Industry analysts say the company is attempting to:

Monetise highly engaged users
Increase creator-focused revenue
Expand AI-related business models
Reduce dependence on advertising growth

The move comes as growth across Meta’s major apps slows in several mature markets. Meta has also been aggressively expanding its AI ecosystem in recent months. The company recently launched new standalone apps and AI-integrated features, including the Forum app and Instagram’s new Instants feature.

Meta says free versions will continue

Meta clarified that the new Plus plans are separate from its existing Meta Verified subscription service, which focuses mainly on account verification and identity protection. The company also said Meta AI will remain free for casual users, while paid tiers are designed for those requiring more advanced AI features and computing capacity. The launch of Meta’s subscription plans highlights how large technology companies are increasingly experimenting with paid digital services and AI-based products. As competition in AI and social media intensifies, Meta appears to be positioning itself not only as a social networking company, but also as a broader AI and digital services platform.