Users to pay for premium Insta, WhatsApp, Facebook features as Meta launches 'Plus' plans
New Delhi, May 28
Meta is preparing a major shift in the way people use its social media platforms by rolling out new paid subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp with exclusive premium features for users across global markets, including India.
The company has introduced "Plus" versions of its apps, offering paying subscribers access to advanced tools, customisation options and enhanced visibility features that will not be available to regular users.
The move marks Meta's growing focus on diversifying revenue streams beyond advertising by encouraging users to pay monthly for premium social media experiences.
Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus have been priced at $3.99 per month, roughly Rs 387, while WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 per month, or around Rs 290. However, the company has not yet announced official pricing for India.
According to a report by TechCrunch, Instagram Plus subscribers will gain access to several exclusive features, including the ability 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 secretly preview Stories without appearing in the viewer list, extend Stories beyond the standard 24-hour limit and spotlight one Story every week for additional visibility.
Subscribers will also 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 introducing cosmetic upgrades for premium users. Instagram Plus subscribers will receive animated "Super Heart" reactions, special fonts for bios, custom app icons and additional profile pinning options.
While Facebook Plus is expected to offer similar premium tools, WhatsApp Plus is focused more on messaging personalisation.
Subscribers on the messaging platform will gain access to custom chat themes, exclusive ringtones, premium stickers, additional pinned chats and advanced list customisation features.
In an announcement shared on Instagram, Naomi Gleit, Meta's head of product, hinted that the company plans to introduce "more fun features" for subscribers in the future.
Meta clarified that these subscriptions are separate from Meta Verified, the company's existing paid verification service that offers identity verification, impersonation protection and customer support.
The company is simultaneously expanding its paid offerings into artificial intelligence services through a new "Meta One" subscription ecosystem that combines AI, creator and business-focused tools.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a small business owner who uses WhatsApp heavily, having premium stickers and custom chat themes would actually be useful for branding. But Rs 290/month? That's steep for just personalization. If they offered a bundled pack for all three apps at a discount, I might consider it. Otherwise, no thanks.
Meta is becoming like a greedy uncle at a wedding - always asking for more money! 😂 The 'secretly preview stories' feature sounds creepy though. Privacy concerns aside, I can see influencers paying for the extra visibility tools. But for common users like me, this is just another way to squeeze money from us.
I'm actually excited about this! The custom app icons and Super Heart reactions sound fun for content creators. But why can't they just improve the free version first? The Close Friends list is already limited; we need better features universally, not just for those who pay. I hope Indian pricing is more reasonable than the reported $3.99.
Interesting move from Meta. From a business perspective, reducing dependency on ads makes sense given the privacy concerns and ad blocking. But as a user, I'm tired of subscription fatigue. Every app wants a monthly fee now. For the average Indian user, Rs 290-387 per month is a significant expense. Meta should at least offer a free trial before committing.
Does anyone actually want these features? I mean, who needs to know how many people rewatched their stories? And unlimited Story audience lists? That's just creating more pressure to post constantly. If I'm paying, I want something actually useful - like no ads
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.