Meta is preparing to roll out paid subscription plans across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp as it pushes to diversify revenue beyond advertising and accelerate monetization of its AI investments. The company plans to begin internal testing of premium tiers in the coming months, while keeping the core versions of all three apps free for everyday users.
Meta Shifts Focus Toward Subscriptions and AI Monetization
Meta continues its internal restructuring after recent Reality Labs layoffs and tighter cost controls. Advertising growth faces pressure across global markets, so the company now prioritizes alternative revenue streams that scale with its massive user base.
Instead of launching one bundled plan, Meta will test separate subscription models for each app. This strategy allows the company to customize features based on how users engage with Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, rather than forcing a single pricing structure across very different platforms.
What Paid Subscriptions Will Unlock
Meta plans to offer subscribers access to exclusive features, productivity tools, and expanded AI capabilities. The company expects AI to sit at the center of every premium tier.
See also: How to delete Meta AI in WhatsApp
A major part of this strategy includes integrating Manus, the AI agent Meta acquired for approximately $2 billion. Meta plans to embed Manus directly into premium experiences while continuing to sell standalone Manus subscriptions to business customers. Manus specializes in autonomous agents that can plan and execute complex tasks with minimal user input, such as trip planning and content creation.
Meta also plans to charge for advanced AI tools such as Vibes, its AI-powered video generation feature. The company intends to move Vibes toward a freemium model, where free users receive limited access and subscribers unlock higher usage limits and advanced creative controls.
Early Signals for Instagram’s Premium Features
Early reports indicate that Instagram’s paid tier may include:
- Unlimited audience list creation
- Visibility into followers who do not follow back
- Anonymous Story viewing without notifying the poster
These features aim to improve audience management, privacy control, and engagement insights for creators and power users. Meta has not confirmed the final feature set yet, but internal testing continues.
Facebook and WhatsApp Still Under Evaluation
Meta has not disclosed specific premium features for Facebook and WhatsApp. The company plans to test different feature combinations based on how users communicate and share content on each platform.
Facebook subscriptions may focus on content visibility, posting controls, or engagement tools. WhatsApp subscriptions may prioritize privacy features, communication controls, and business-focused functionality. Meta will refine these offerings based on user feedback during early trials.
How This Differs from Meta Verified
The upcoming subscription plans remain separate from Meta Verified, the paid verification service launched in 2023. Meta Verified focuses on identity verification, customer support, and creator visibility. The new subscriptions will prioritize AI tools, productivity features, and creative enhancements for a broader user base.
Meta plans to apply lessons learned from Meta Verified to optimize pricing, onboarding, and retention strategies for the new subscription products.
If Meta executes this strategy successfully, subscriptions could reshape how billions of users interact with its platforms — shifting the ecosystem from purely ad-driven engagement toward AI-powered productivity and premium access.
