Meta Experiments With Paywalls on Instagram, Facebook, & WhatsApp
Meta is getting ready to experiment with paid subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. The company confirmed it will begin testing premium plans in the coming months, offering extra features and AI tools while keeping the main versions of its apps free.
According to the company, the subscriptions are meant to unlock features focused on productivity, creativity, and control. Each app will have its own set of paid options, and Meta says it plans to test different bundles rather than lock itself into a single approach.
The company plans to include AI features as part of some subscription tiers, including expanded access to its Vibes video creation tools. Vibes, which launched last year inside the Meta AI app, lets users create and remix short AI-generated videos. While the tool has been free so far, Meta now plans to introduce a freemium model that limits the number of videos users can create each month unless they subscribe.
AI agents are also part of the strategy. Meta plans to scale Manus, an AI agent company it acquired for a reported $2 billion, across its platforms. Manus is designed to complete tasks with minimal user input, such as planning trips or creating presentations. Meta says it will integrate Manus directly into its apps while continuing to sell standalone Manus subscriptions to businesses.
Some of the clearest subscription details so far relate to Instagram. According to Paluzzi, an Instagram premium plan could allow users to create unlimited audience lists, see which followers do not follow them back, and view Stories without alerting the person who posted them. Features for Facebook and WhatsApp are still under wraps, though Meta has hinted they will focus on giving users more control over sharing and connections.
Meta has been clear that these new subscriptions are separate from Meta Verified, its paid verification service aimed at creators and businesses. Meta Verified starts at $15 per month and includes perks like a verified badge, impersonation protection, and direct support. The new subscriptions are meant for a broader audience, including everyday users who want more tools rather than status features.
There is some irony here. Years ago, Mark Zuckerberg openly mocked X for turning basic social features into paid perks, especially when paid checkmarks became a punchline across the internet. Now, Meta is walking a similar line. While the company is careful to say core apps will stay free, locking visibility tools, audience controls, or AI features behind subscriptions puts Meta closer to the model it once criticized.
Many users already feel stretched by monthly subscriptions. Whether people are willing to pay will depend on how useful these features feel in daily use. Meta says it plans to listen closely to user feedback as the tests roll out, suggesting the final shape of these subscriptions is still very much up for debate.
For more articles like this, check out our Tech News page!