NEW DELHI — Meta is preparing to introduce paid subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, offering premium features to users in global markets, including India.
The company has introduced “Plus” versions of its apps, giving paying subscribers access to advanced tools, customization options and enhanced visibility features that will not be available to regular users.
The move reflects Meta’s broader effort to diversify revenue beyond advertising by encouraging users to pay monthly for premium social media features.
Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus are priced at $3.99 per month, or about Rs 387, while WhatsApp Plus costs $2.99 per month, or about Rs 290. Meta has not yet announced official India pricing.
According to a TechCrunch report, Instagram Plus subscribers will be able to see how many people rewatched their Stories and create unlimited Story audience lists beyond the existing Close Friends option.
The premium plan will also allow users to preview Stories without appearing in the viewer list, extend Stories beyond the standard 24-hour limit and spotlight one Story each week for additional visibility.
Subscribers will be able to search through Story viewer lists and post directly to profiles and highlights without showing those posts in followers’ feeds.
Meta is also adding cosmetic upgrades for premium users. Instagram Plus subscribers will receive animated “Super Heart” reactions, special bio fonts, custom app icons and additional profile pinning options.
Facebook Plus is expected to offer similar premium tools, while WhatsApp Plus will focus more on messaging personalization.
WhatsApp Plus subscribers will gain access to custom chat themes, exclusive ringtones, premium stickers, additional pinned chats and advanced list customization features.
In an announcement shared on Instagram, Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, said the company plans to introduce “more fun features” for subscribers in the future.
Meta said the new subscriptions are separate from Meta Verified, its existing paid verification service that offers identity verification, impersonation protection and customer support.
The company is also expanding its paid offerings into artificial intelligence services through a new “Meta One” subscription ecosystem that combines AI, creator and business-focused tools. (Source: IANS)
