Meta to Test Premium Subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp

Meta is preparing to test new subscription offerings that would give users access to premium features across its apps, the company told TechCrunch on Monday. According to Meta, the subscriptions will unlock enhanced productivity and creative tools, as well as expanded artificial intelligence capabilities.

Over the coming months, Meta plans to introduce paid tiers on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that provide access to exclusive features and greater control over how users share content and interact with others, while keeping the core experiences free. The company emphasised that it is not committed to a single model, noting it will experiment with different subscription features and bundles. Each app is expected to offer its own unique set of premium tools.

Meta also confirmed that it intends to scale Manus, an AI agent it recently acquired for a reported $2 billion, as part of its subscription strategy.

The company is pursuing a dual approach for Manus. It plans to integrate the AI agent into its consumer-facing products while continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses. Signs of this integration have already surfaced, with Meta reportedly working on adding a Manus AI shortcut to Instagram, according to a screenshot shared by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently uncovers features still in development.

#Instagram is working on adding a shortcut to Manus AI in the settings page 👀 pic.twitter.com/CI9yYJD896 — Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 23, 2026

In addition, Meta plans to test subscriptions tied specifically to AI-powered features, including Vibes video generation. Vibes is Meta’s short-form, AI-driven video experience built into the Meta AI app, allowing users to create and remix AI-generated videos. While the feature has been free since its debut last year, Meta now plans to introduce a freemium model. Under this approach, users would receive limited access for free, with the option to subscribe for additional monthly video creation capacity.

While Meta has not yet detailed what premium features might be offered on WhatsApp and Facebook, Paluzzi reports that the Instagram subscription could include unlimited audience lists, visibility into which followers do not follow you back, and the ability to view Stories anonymously without notifying the poster.

👆🏻 #Instagram is working on a new paid subscription** that will offer new perks, including the ability to create unlimited audience lists, see the list of followers who don’t follow you back and sneak a peek at a story without showing that you’ve viewed it 👀 pic.twitter.com/cQp6xUEzOY — Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 22, 2026

Meta clarified that these new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified. The company said it plans to apply lessons learned from Meta Verified to expand its subscription offerings with features it believes will appeal to everyday users, creators, and businesses alike.

Meta Verified primarily targets creators and businesses, offering perks such as a verification badge, round-the-clock support, protection against impersonation, improved search visibility, exclusive stickers, and additional tools. Since those benefits are not designed for general users, the upcoming subscriptions will aim to serve a broader audience.

Introducing additional paid tiers could open up new revenue streams for Meta, though the company faces the challenge of subscription fatigue among consumers. With many digital services competing for monthly fees, Meta will need to present a compelling value proposition to convince users to add another subscription.

Snap has shown that there is demand for premium social media subscriptions, with its Snapchat+ service continuing to drive revenue. Snapchat+, which starts at $3.99 per month and offers exclusive features, has surpassed 16 million subscribers — more than double its total from early 2024.

Meta said it plans to gather user feedback and closely monitor responses as it begins rolling out the new subscription options in the months ahead.