Credit: Brett Jordan via Unsplash
Meta has launched a subscription tier for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Its current rollout is specific to the US market.
In an Instagram announcement, Meta's head of product, Naomi Gleit, said the subscription models were designed to enhance existing features.
"We're starting to roll out Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus, with enhanced features that our community already loves," she said
"We're starting with plans that give people who use Meta AI more to work with, more capacity, bigger, more complex requests, and more room to create for businesses and creators."
The subscription fee ranges across each of the apps, with US pricing set at $3.99/month USD for Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus, and $2.99/month USD for WhatsApp Plus.
While there is no release date for the Australian market yet, AdNews understands pricing will be similar when the service launches locally.
The new Plus plans are tailored to each individual app, with Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus focused more on social expression, while WhatsApp Plus focuses on personalisation and messaging.
Instagram Plus will give subscribers access to a range of creator and social tools.
Pro tools will include the ability to see how many people have rewatched a Story in aggregate, as well as the ability to create unlimited audience lists for Stories, beyond the Close Friends option.
Users will also be able to spotlight a story once a week for additional views, extend a story beyond 24 hours, preview a story without showing up as a viewer and search their story viewer list to see who is watching.
Users will also be able to post straight to their profile and highlight without showing up on their followers' feeds.
Additional features include Super Heart animated reactions for Stories, custom app icons, customisable fonts for profile bios, and access to additional pins for user profiles.
AdNews understands the new subscription tiers are separate from Meta Verified and are not intended to replace it.
Meta will begin testing AI subscription models next month, with initial tests in Singapore, Guatemala and Bolivia.
It will appear under the banner Meta One Plus, priced at $7.99/month USD, and Meta One Premium at $19.99/month USD.
Both the pilot plans share core features. However, the premium plan promises more capacity for higher compute queries.
Meta AI will continue to offer free access to its users, however the paid plans come with additional compute and heavier usage capabilities.
"This is just the beginning, more value to come," said Gleit.
Meta has stated it will also begin testing creator and business plans later this week, in markets including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, and Bangladesh.
The Meta One Essential plan will include a verified badge, impersonation protection, and an enhanced linksheet where users can link out to their online presence across social channels and the web, similar to Meta Verified.
The more expensive Meta One Advanced plan will offer the Essential plan benefits, in addition to the ability to be featured in the Facebook feed, appear higher in Facebook and Instagram search results, gain attention with a bold Follow button on Reels, and automatically send follow invitations to people who engage with content.
The offerings are designed to help creators and businesses drive people to their website or shop through links in Instagram posts and Reels, and through enhanced Facebook and Instagram profiles with expanded linksheets.
Advanced plan subscribers will have access to optimised scheduling tools, tools to share access with other account moderators without sharing a password, and notifications that alert users when others on Facebook or Instagram reuse their content, so they can request a label crediting the original reel.
"We're offering premium tools that allow you to enhance presence, supercharge content, automate tasks, and protect your brand," said Gleit.
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