What Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp Plus actually are as new paid subscriptions launch

Meta is asking people to pay for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp with three brand new “Plus” subscriptions that have started rolling out this week, and people are already fuming about it.

The paid versions are optional, thank god, but Meta is prompting people to fork out a few dollars a month for the new subscriptions, called Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus and WhatsApp Plus, to gain access to extra exclusive features that nobody really wants.

Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus cost $3.99 per month, while WhatsApp Plus costs $2.99 per month and gives you access to “fun features” that normal accounts can’t get.

People have already spotted Instagram Plus popping up on their accounts, which lets you see how many people rewatched your story, put stories up for 48 hours instead of 24 and watch stories without the poster knowing you watched it.

Meta has launched paid subscription tiers for its apps:

Instagram Plus – $3.99/month
Facebook Plus – $3.99/month
WhatsApp Plus – $2.99/month pic.twitter.com/rLQYqrvLJN

— Pop Tingz (@PopTingz) May 28, 2026

There’s also a new option to “super heart” a story, and you can create multiple audience lists on top of just Close Friends, creating specific groups to share your stories with.

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Facebook Plus is set to offer similar features, but the exact list hasn’t been shared yet, while WhatsApp Plus has a few more snazzy options, like the ability to change the colour theme of your app, create custom ringtones and pin additional chats.

Meta is also testing three more subscriptions called Meta One Essential, Meta One Plus and Meta One Premium, which work across all three platforms and give you access to even more features.

Nobody’s going to be forced to pay these subscriptions. You can carry on using Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp as normal if you’re not bothered about the extra features, but people are still angry.

“This sounds like a good reason to delete these apps,” one person said. Another wrote: “Everything is becoming a subscription. Soon we’ll pay for clean air and sunlight too.”

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Featured image credit: Canva