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Meta is rolling out paid subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp as the company expands premium features and artificial intelligence offerings across its platforms.
What they're saying:
Meta head of product Naomi Gleit announced the rollout in a video posted Wednesday, describing the subscriptions as part of a broader push to offer enhanced tools across Meta’s apps and AI products.
"We’re starting to roll out Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus with enhanced features that our community already loves," Gleit said in the video.
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By the numbers:
Meta said Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus will cost $3.99 per month, while WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 monthly. The subscription plans are expected to begin rolling out globally in the coming weeks.
Dig deeper:
The paid tiers include platform-specific features centered on customization, messaging and audience engagement. Instagram Plus subscribers will receive expanded Story controls, audience insights, profile customization tools and additional profile pins.
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Facebook Plus users will gain access to enhanced Story tools, animated reactions and profile personalization features. WhatsApp Plus will include premium stickers, app themes, custom ringtones and expanded pinned chat functionality.
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Big picture view:
Meta is also broadening its subscription offerings tied to artificial intelligence tools under a larger "Meta One" initiative. The company said it plans to test AI-focused subscription tiers priced at $7.99 per month and $19.99 per month, offering expanded access to more compute-intensive AI features, including advanced reasoning capabilities and additional image and video generation tools.
"We’re also testing new subscription plans that offer premium features for those who want to unlock more from our apps and AI glasses," Gleit said.
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What's next:
Meta said the AI-focused subscriptions will initially launch in select international markets and will bundle premium features across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
The company is also preparing subscription plans for businesses and creators that include enhanced profile visibility, audience insights, collaboration tools, clickable links in Instagram posts and Reels, and account support services.
Meta said the creator and business plans will debut in select test markets and are designed to help users grow audiences and better manage their online presence.
Gleit said Meta is testing the subscriptions under the name "Meta One."
"Eventually, we see Meta One as the one place that brings our subscriptions together across all of our apps," she said.
The new subscription offerings appear separate from Meta Verified, the company’s existing paid product focused on account verification and impersonation protection. The rollout comes as technology companies increasingly introduce subscription-based AI products and premium platform tools to generate recurring revenue from artificial intelligence services.
The Source: FOX Business contributed to this report. The information in this story came from a video announcement posted Wednesday by Meta head of product Naomi Gleit, in which she outlined the company’s new subscription plans and broader "Meta One" strategy. This story was reported from Los Angeles.