Meta expands monetisation strategy with global ‘Plus’ subscriptions and AI tiers
The tech giant is introducing $3.99 monthly plans for social apps and testing higher-cost artificial intelligence subscriptions, marking a significant diversification of its revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.
Meta is executing a broad expansion of its monetisation framework, launching global paid subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp while simultaneously testing new tiered plans for its Meta AI platform. The move follows earlier announcements regarding premium subscription tests earlier this year and positions the company alongside competitors like Google, which recently adjusted its own subscription pricing to include YouTube Premium. This strategic shift aims to generate new revenue streams following substantial investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The new consumer offerings, branded as Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus, are priced at $3.99 per month. These tiers focus heavily on enhanced story interaction, with Instagram Plus allowing users to spotlight a story once per week, extend story availability by an additional 24 hours, and preview other users’ stories without appearing in their viewer list. Facebook Plus similarly extends story visibility to 48 hours, up from the standard 24-hour window. WhatsApp Plus, available for $2.99 per month, introduces functional utilities such as the ability to pin up to 20 additional chats and access to premium stickers.
Distinct from the existing Meta Verified service, which centres on identity verification and impersonation protection, these new “Plus” subscriptions are designed to offer enhanced application features. The rollout represents a significant departure from Meta’s traditional reliance on advertising, introducing direct-to-consumer billing for core social media functionalities. The global launch of these consumer tiers is occurring alongside the commencement of testing for more specialised plans.
Meta is also introducing artificial intelligence-focused subscription tiers, including Meta One Plus at $7.99 per month and Meta One Premium at $19.99 per month. These plans are designed to allow subscribers to generate higher volumes of images and videos using Meta AI. Consequently, the free version of Meta AI will now impose usage limits on its “Thinking” mode as well as for video and image generation, effectively creating a freemium model for its AI capabilities. Testing for these AI plans is scheduled to begin next month in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia.
For creators and businesses, Meta is testing two additional plans: Meta One Essential at $14.99 per month and Meta One Advanced at $49.99 per month. The Essential tier includes the Meta Verified badge, while the Advanced tier offers higher placement in Instagram and Facebook search results and enables Instagram creators to add clickable links in posts and reels. Testing for these creator and business plans is set to begin later this week in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, and Bangladesh.
