Meta rolls out subscriptions plan across its apps

Meta Platforms has started rolling out paid subscription plans across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp as the company looks for new ways to grow revenue beyond advertising.

The new “Plus” plans give users extra features on each app. Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus will cost $3.99 per month. WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 monthly.

Meta said the plans target creators, heavy users, and people who want more tools and customisation options. In addition, the company plans to add more features over time.

“More fun features” will be added in the future, Meta’s head of product Naomi Gleit said on Wednesday.

The rollout comes as major tech companies push deeper into subscriptions and artificial intelligence. As a result, Meta is now expanding beyond its ad business.

The company will also test new AI-focused plans under a broader brand called “Meta One.” Over time, Meta plans to use the brand for all its subscription products.

Meta will start testing two AI subscription tiers next month in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia. The Meta One Plus plan will cost $7.99 monthly. Meanwhile, Meta One Premium will cost $19.99 monthly.

The premium plan will give users more computing power for difficult AI tasks. It will also offer stronger image and video generation features across Meta’s apps.

The subscriptions connect directly to Meta AI, the company’s artificial intelligence assistant. Meta AI competes with products from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

“We’re offering premium tools that allow you to enhance presence, supercharge content, automate tasks, and protect your brand,” Gleit said in an Instagram video.

However, Meta said casual users will still keep free access to Meta AI.

The company is also preparing separate subscription plans for creators and businesses. Those plans will begin testing later this week in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, and Bangladesh.

Meta One Essential will cost $14.99 monthly. The plan includes verification, impersonation protection, and expanded profile link tools.

Meta One Advanced will cost $49.99 monthly. In addition, it includes features designed to help creators grow faster on Facebook and Instagram.

Subscribers will get deeper analytics, stronger audience insights, and better visibility in feeds and search results.

The rollout expands Meta’s broader push into subscription products. Back in 2023, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced paid verification for Facebook and Instagram. That move turned the once-free blue badge into a monthly subscription product.

At the time, Meta said the feature would improve security and authenticity across its apps.

Now, the latest rollout shows how social media companies are building new businesses around subscriptions and AI as competition across the tech industry grows.