Meta has launched a range of paid subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, expanding its efforts to generate revenue beyond advertising.
The company announced the global rollout on Wednesday, with Meta's head of product Naomi Gleit revealing the plans in a video shared on Instagram.
The new plans are priced at $3.99 per month for Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus, while WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 per month.
Each subscription has been designed around the strengths of its respective platform. Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus focus on helping users enhance their presence on social media through additional insights, audience growth tools, and profile customisation features. WhatsApp Plus, meanwhile, is centred on messaging and personalisation, offering extras such as premium stickers, custom ringtones, and app themes.
Instagram Plus includes several tools aimed at creators and frequent users. Subscribers will be able to see how many times their Stories have been rewatched, create unlimited Story audience lists, extend Stories beyond the usual 24-hour limit, and search viewer lists more easily. Other features include weekly Story boosts for increased visibility and the ability to preview Stories without appearing as a viewer.
Additional perks across the Plus plans include custom app icons, profile font options, extra profile pins, and animated "Super Heart" reactions.
Meta is also preparing to expand its subscription business further. The company will begin testing new plans for creators, businesses, and users of its AI products. These offerings will eventually be grouped under a single subscription brand known as Meta One.
According to Gleit, more features will be added over time as Meta develops the service.
The new subscriptions will sit alongside Meta Verified, the company's existing paid service that provides account verification, protection against impersonation, and enhanced customer support.
The move comes as the tech giant faces growing scrutiny over its heavy spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Meta expects to spend between $125 billion and $145 billion on capital expenditure this year, largely driven by investment in AI data centres. Investors welcomed the subscription announcement, sending the company's shares up nearly 3% on Wednesday.
Meta has previously experimented with paid offerings. In 2023, it introduced ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram in Europe to comply with EU privacy regulations, allowing users to choose between a free ad-supported experience and a paid alternative.
