It seems that Meta is planning to add new premium subscription options to its well-established social media apps, according to a report by TechCrunch. The company told the publication that these paid plans will unlock exclusive features designed to enhance productivity, creativity, and artificial intelligence capabilities.
Whether you like it or not, Meta has confirmed that this new premium experience will make its way to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp in the coming months. However, the report stressed that users will only need to pay for access to the additional features, while the basic experience that folks are familiar with will continue without charge.
Unfortunately, we donโt yet know exactly what features Metaโs paid subscription model will include, as the company says it โwill test a variety of subscription features and bundlesโ and that each appโs subscription will have a distinct set of exclusive features. What we can be confident about is that these plans are likely to involve Manus, an autonomous AI agent that Meta recently acquired and plans to scale as part of its subscription offerings. Meta acquired Manus just before 2026 for a reported US$2 billion (~RM 7.93 billion).
According to TechCrunch, Meta plans to integrate the AI agent into its apps while also offering it as a standalone business subscription. In addition to Manus, Meta plans to test subscriptions for certain AI features, including Vibes video generation. Metaโs AI-powered short-form video tool, Vibes, lets users create and remix AI-generated videos within the Meta AI app. Although it has been free since its launch last year, Meta plans to introduce a freemium model, allowing users to subscribe for additional monthly video creation.
But letโs go back to the social media platforms. Alessandro Paluzzi, a reverse engineer and a leakster, has already spotted the company adding a Manus AI shortcut to Instagram.
The leakster also notes that the new Instagram subscription would allow users to create unlimited audience lists, see a list of followers who do not follow them back, and view Stories without notifying the poster. Unfortunately, there is no word on what paid features Meta will introduce for Facebook and WhatsApp.
Another Subscription Plan
Users should note that this new subscription is entirely separate from Meta Verified, a different paid service that provides a blue verification checkmark next to a userโs name, similar to the blue tick on X. As per its official website, the Meta Verified system is there to largely protect content creators and businesses with its verified badge, 24/7 direct support, impersonation protection, and more.
Needless to say, the upcoming subscription service targets everyday users who want an enhanced social media experience, providing additional features rather than verification or professional protections. Naturally, Meta aims to increase its revenue with this move, but whether it will gain traction, especially in an era where almost everything requires a subscription, remains to be seen. It’s also worth noting that, at the time of writing, we don’t know when these paid plans will go into full effect.
Itโs also worth mentioning that Meta told TechCrunch it would apply lessons learnt from its verification system to expand its subscription services with features designed for everyday users, creators, and businesses. The company also said that it plans to listen to its community to gather feedback as it starts rolling out the subscription in the coming months. Moreover, we do not yet know where these premium plans will launch first, let alone whether they will arrive in Malaysia. The company may issue an official statement on the matter when it is ready for a wider rollout.
(Source: TechCrunch)