By Epiphanus Obia
Tech giant Meta has launched paid subscription plans for its flagship social media and messaging platforms, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as the company seeks to expand revenue sources beyond digital advertising amid rising investments in artificial intelligence.
The subscriptions, announced on Wednesday, introduce premium features for users of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, while the company also begins testing separate paid plans for its artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI.
Meta’s Head of Product, Naomi Gleit, announced the rollout in a video shared on Instagram, describing the move as part of the company’s broader effort to introduce subscription-based offerings across its ecosystem.
Under the new pricing structure, Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus will cost $3.99 monthly, while WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 per month.
The company said the paid plans will unlock additional features for users. On Facebook and Instagram, subscribers will have access to audience analytics, story insights, profile customisation tools and expanded options aimed at helping users better understand engagement and improve visibility.
Instagram Plus users, for instance, will be able to see how many times their stories are rewatched, create more audience lists beyond the Close Friends option, preview stories anonymously and extend story visibility beyond the usual 24-hour period.
WhatsApp Plus, on the other hand, focuses on personalisation features such as custom app themes, premium stickers, additional chat pinning options and personalised notification sounds.
Meta said the new subscription plans will exist alongside its existing verification service, Meta Verified, rather than replace it.
The company is also testing premium subscription options for Meta AI users. The AI plans, expected to begin trials next month in select countries, will offer additional computing power for more advanced tasks, including enhanced reasoning capabilities and expanded image and video generation features.
The move comes as Meta increases spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company recently projected annual capital expenditure of between $125 billion and $145 billion, much of it expected to support AI data centres and computing systems.
Investor reaction appeared positive, with Meta shares rising nearly three per cent following the announcement.
Meta said it plans to eventually bring its growing subscription offerings under a single umbrella brand known as “Meta One,” which would include consumer, creator, business and AI-focused plans.