Meta's Subscription Blitz: New 'Plus' Tiers and AI Packages Roll Out
Meta is making a significant push into the subscription economy, confirming the rollout of new add-on tiers for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp after several months of testing. This move signals a deeper commitment to diversifying revenue streams beyond its dominant advertising business, which still accounts for approximately 98% of its overall intake.
Instagram Plus, priced at $3.99/month, is designed to enhance the creator experience with features like expanded Stories insights, new Superlike animations, and the ability to extend a Story's visibility beyond the standard 24 hours. For WhatsApp users, WhatsApp Plus offers new stickers, app themes, and premium ringtones for $2.99/month. These app-specific add-ons were spotted in testing as early as March and April, respectively.
Beyond the 'Plus' offerings, Meta is also actively testing two new AI-focused subscription plans under the new 'Meta One' banner: Meta One Plus at $7.99/month and Meta One Premium at $19.99/month. The 'Meta One' branding is set to become the central hub for all of Meta's paid subscription offerings. These AI tiers are positioned to provide users with more capacity for "bigger more complex requests" from Meta AI, as outlined by Naomi Gleit, Meta's Head of Product.
Crucially, Meta AI will remain free for regular users, and access to Meta's core applications will not require payment. This strategy aligns with Meta's rationale that broad user reach is essential for its ad revenue model. The company's existing subscription program, Meta Verified, launched in 2023, is cited as having sufficient uptake to encourage this further expansion. While Meta has not released official data on Meta Verified subscriber numbers or revenue, market estimates suggest around 35 million Facebook and Instagram users may have subscribed, potentially generating roughly $2 billion annually.
This expansion positions Meta alongside competitors like Snapchat Plus and X Premium, the latter famously championed by Elon Musk. As of 2026, Meta is investing hundreds of billions of dollars into AI development, and while Meta AI will continue to be accessible to all, these new paid tiers represent a nascent, albeit still uncertain, path to monetization for those massive investments. TechCrunch was among the outlets reporting on these developing AI subscription plans, which remain in a testing phase.
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