The social media giant launches paid tiers for its three flagship apps and begins testing AI and business plans under a new “Meta One” brand
LAGOS, May 27, 2026 — Meta has begun rolling out paid subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp to users worldwide, marking a significant shift in the company’s revenue strategy as it moves to monetise its billions of users beyond advertising.
The Subscription Plans
The plans, announced on Wednesday, introduce three consumer-facing tiers: Instagram Plus at $3.99 per month, Facebook Plus at $3.99 per month, and WhatsApp Plus at $2.99 per month. Subscribers gain access to features unavailable on the free versions of each app, including profile customisation options, super reactions, extended story durations, detailed story viewer analytics, and custom themes.
Meta’s head of product, Naomi Gleit, said additional features would be added to the plans over time, without specifying a timeline.
The consumer plans sit at the lower end of a broader subscription structure the company is building. A separate professional tier, branded under the name Meta One, is aimed at creators and businesses. Meta One Essential, priced at $14.99 per month, includes a verified badge, impersonation protection, and a cross-platform linksheet. Meta One Advanced, at $49.99 per month, adds boosted placement in Facebook and Instagram search results, in-feed featuring, and embedded links in Instagram posts and Reels.
Testing Before Global Roll-Out
Meta confirmed it had been testing the subscription offerings earlier this year before Wednesday’s global rollout. The company is also beginning separate trials of an AI-focused subscription plan for users of its Meta AI assistant, though details of that tier have not been fully disclosed.
The move brings Meta into closer alignment with rivals including Snapchat, X, and YouTube, all of which have introduced paid tiers in recent years. For Meta, subscriptions represent a new revenue stream at a time when digital advertising markets remain competitive.
WhatsApp Now Has Paid Option
WhatsApp, which Meta acquired in 2014 for $19 billion on the promise it would remain free, is among the apps now carrying a paid option — a development likely to draw scrutiny from regulators and consumer advocates, particularly in markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America where the messaging app serves as essential infrastructure.
Summary
The subscriptions are optional. Core features of all three apps remain available without payment.
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NewsTexts Technology Desk | Lagos
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