WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook to Get Paid Versions Soon

Meta plans to begin testing new subscription offerings that provide access to exclusive features across its apps, the company told TechCrunch on Monday. The subscriptions are expected to focus on added productivity and creativity tools, along with expanded artificial intelligence capabilities.

Premium Features for Major Apps

In the coming months, Meta said it will introduce premium experiences on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. While the core functionality of each app will remain free, subscribers will gain access to special features and greater control over how they share content and connect with others.

Meta said it is not committed to a single approach and will test multiple subscription features and bundles. Each app is expected to have its own set of exclusive tools rather than a unified subscription across platforms.

AI Agent Manus

Meta also confirmed plans to scale Manus, an AI agent it recently acquired for a reported $2 billion, as part of its subscription strategy. The company said it will take a dual approach by integrating Manus into Meta’s products while continuing to sell standalone subscriptions to businesses.

The company has already been spotted testing a shortcut for Manus AI on Instagram, according to screenshots shared by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who is known for uncovering unreleased features during 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

AI Subscriptions

In addition to app-specific subscriptions, Meta plans to test paid access to certain AI features. One example is Vibes, an AI-powered short-form video generation tool built into the Meta AI app.

Vibes allows users to create and remix AI-generated videos and has been free since launching last year. Meta now plans to introduce a freemium model, offering limited free usage with the option to subscribe for additional video creation capacity each month.

Instagram Subscription Features

While Meta has not disclosed what paid features may look like on WhatsApp or Facebook, Paluzzi said the Instagram subscription could include the ability to create unlimited audience lists, see which followers do not follow back, and 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 said these new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, its existing paid product aimed primarily at creators and businesses.

Lessons from Meta Verified

Meta Verified focuses on creators and businesses by offering benefits such as verified badges, direct customer support, impersonation protection, search optimization, and exclusive stickers. Meta said it plans to apply lessons learned from Meta Verified to build subscription offerings that appeal to everyday users, creators, and businesses.

The move could open new revenue streams for Meta, though the company faces the challenge of subscription fatigue among users. With many digital services competing for monthly spending, Meta will need to demonstrate clear value to drive adoption.

Snap has shown demand for social media subscriptions through Snapchat+, which starts at $3.99 per month and has grown to more than 16 million subscribers, more than doubling since early 2024.

Meta said it will collect user feedback as it begins rolling out the new subscriptions over the coming months.