Meta has introduced paid-plus plans for Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook alongside the Meta One plans. The act of Meta signalling a broader shift in how social media commercialises its vast user base beyond advertising.
The company has introduced Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus at $ 3.99 a month each, while WhatsApp Plus will be priced at $2.99 a month. The application offers users access to access additional tools and personalised features, specifically aimed at heavy users and people who want to spend more time on Meta platforms.
Instagram Plus Subscription features
Instagram Plus subscribers will be able to see how many people rewatched their stories, create unlimited Story audience lists beyond the Close Friends feature, and even preview Stories secretly without appearing in the viewer list.
The new subscription method allows users to search their Story viewer list to see who is watching, and post directly to their profile and highlights without appearing in followers' feeds.
It also provides cosmetic upgrades, like Super Heart reactions, custom app icons, special fonts for bios, and more profile pins. Facebook and Instagram appear to have the same features.
WhatsApp subscription features
The subscription in WhatsApp Plus is completely focused on personalized messaging. WhatsApp subscribers will get custom themes, unique ringtones, premium stickers, additional pinned chats and advanced list customization tools.
Naomi Gleit, Head of Meta's product, announced that the company is planning to add more fun features to the app in the future. Meta has also announced that these updates will differ from Meta Verified.
Meta One beyond Meta subscriptions
Meta's subscriptions go beyond social media apps. Additionally, the company launched Meta One, offering AI, creator, and business-focused plans.
The new Meta subscriptions will come in two tiers. The first is Meta Plus, which costs $7.99 (around Rs 775) per month and is aimed at people who frequently use Meta AI to generate images, create videos, or handle longer reasoning tasks.
The second one is the Meta Premium Plan, which costs $19.99 (around Rs 1,939) per month and offers the same features but with much higher usage limits.
Users can still use the AI chatbots for free. However, users will face usage limits on image generation, video creation, and AI tools. Meta has not disclosed the exact limits for each plan, but says the Premium version will offer significantly more usage capacity.
These AI subscriptions are initially launching in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, with more countries expected later.
Meta's Subscription Products for Creators and Businessmen
The meta is also launching the updated subscription products for creators and businesses. It includes Meta One Essential at $14.99 (around Rs 1,454) per month and Meta One Advanced at $49.99 (around Rs 4,849) per month.
The Essential plan includes the verification benefits, impersonation protection and enhanced profile links that help creators promote themselves across social media platforms and websites.
The advanced plans are designed for influencers and businesses seeking greater reach and support. Subscribers may get priority features like Facebook feeds, bold follow buttons on Reels, advanced analytics and scheduling tools, along with tools to manage accounts with multiple moderators.
It allows users to access Human Customer support for Facebook and Instagram pages, a feature many small companies have struggled with for years.
Meta is also promising alerts when other users repost your content without credit, giving creators more control over their original posts.
