Meta plans to test new subscriptions that give users access to exclusive features of its apps, the company told TechCrunch on Monday. The tech giant said the new subscriptions will unlock more productivity and creativity, along with expanded AI capabilities.
In the coming months, Meta said it will offer a premium experience on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp that gives users access to special features and more control over how they share and connect, while keeping the core experiences free. Meta doesn’t appear to be locked into one strategy, noting that it will test a variety of features and subscription packages, and that each app subscription will have a distinct set of exclusive features.
Meta also shared that it plans to scale Manus, an AI agent it recently acquired for $2 billion, as part of its subscription plans.
Meta takes a dual approach to Manus. The company plans to integrate Manus into its Meta products, while continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses. Meta has already been spotted working on adding a Manus AI shortcut to Instagram, according to a screenshot shared by the reverse engineer Alessandro Palucciwho often find unreleased features while still in development.
In addition, Meta plans to test subscriptions for AI features such as Vibes video production. Vibes is Meta’s AI-powered short-form video experience built into the Meta AI app that lets people create and mix AI-generated videos. Although Vibes has been free since its launch last year, Meta now plans to offer free access to Vibes video creation, with the option to sign up to unlock additional video creation opportunities each month.
While it is unknown what the paid features will be like on WhatsApp and Facebook, notes Paluzzi that the new Instagram subscription will allow users to create unlimited audience lists, the ability to see a list of followers who don’t follow you, and the option to view a story without the poster seeing that you saw it.
It’s worth noting that new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified. The tech giant says it plans to use what it learned from Meta Verified to evolve its subscription business to include more offerings it believes everyday users, creators and businesses will want.
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Meta Verified is aimed at content creators and businesses as it comes with a verified badge, 24/7 live support, impersonation protection, search optimization, exclusive stickers and more. While these features aren’t aimed at everyday users or non-creators, the new subscriptions will be designed for a wider audience.
Launching additional subscriptions will allow Meta to generate more revenue. However, many users may be put off by subscription fatigue. With so many paid services competing for monthly spend, Meta will have to offer a compelling product to get users to sign up for another subscription.
Snap has proven there is a market for social media subscriptions as its Snapchat+ offering continues to be a revenue driver. Snapchat+, which starts at $3.99 a month for exclusive features, has surpassed 16 million subscribers, more than doubling since early 2024.
Meta says it plans to listen to its user community and gather feedback as it begins rolling out subscriptions in the coming months.
