Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is rolling out paid subscription services globally as it looks to expand beyond its traditional advertising model, and people are not having it.

This week, the tech giant announced that it is launching customer subscription plans worldwide for its flagship apps, while also beginning to test new subscriptions for businesses, creators, and Meta AI users.

For a few dollars a month, customers who subscribe will be charged $3.00 per month for Instagram Plus, $3.00 per month for Facebook Plus, and $2.99 per month for WhatsApp Plus. In exchange, they will gain access to extra features like profile customization, super reactions, and story insights, among other things.

Meta’s Head of Product, Naomi Gleit, noted that more fun features will be added in the future. In the meantime, Meta will begin testing other offerings, including professional plans for creators and businesses. These new tests will be housed under Meta One, which will serve as the company’s central hub for its subscription offerings going forward.

Meta is shifting into a new, multi tiered ecosystem, experimenting with a range of subscription levels and platform specific benefits. These new paid tiers will add significant revenue streams for the tech giant, which is currently investing heavily in AI data centers as it competes with Google to dominate the online ad space.

What This Means for Existing Users

For now, the paid tiers are entirely optional, not required. The Plus and Meta One subscriptions are designed for users who want more control and advanced features, particularly influencers and businesses. Paid subscribers will be able to unlock features similar to the ad options Meta has used in the past.

Subscribers will gain the ability to spotlight a story for additional views or extend its duration for another 24 hours. They will also get access to custom reactions like Super Hearts and the ability to pin additional chats in WhatsApp. Data oriented features are also included, such as seeing how many people have rewatched a story or reel, creating unlimited audience lists for specific posts, and searching viewer lists. Furthermore, paid subscribers will have the ability to post more privately without automatically appearing in followers’ main feeds.

For most casual WhatsApp users, this shift feels like a major inconvenience, but for creators and businesses, it represents a new opportunity to monetize their content and grow their reach. How do you feel about the prospect of seeing ads in your WhatsApp if you choose not to subscribe?