Meta has begun testing a subscription plan for WhatsApp, just weeks after it began testing a similar tier for Instagram.
The test was reported first spotted by WABetaInfo and later confirmed by a Meta spokesperson to TechCrunch.
“WhatsApp is testing a new, optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience,” a company spokesperson tells TechCrunch.
Features included with the subscription include the ability to send premium stickers, set new app themes, add a custom app icon, pin up to 20 chats instead of the usual three, set premium ringtones, and options to upgrade your chat lists.
According to WABetaInfo, the last feature allows you to perform the same action on a set of chat threads at once. For example, you can create a chat list and apply the same theme to all conversations included in that list. For app icons, WhatsApp Plus lets you choose from 14 color variants, and for ringtones, it lets you pick from 10 premium options.
Meta hasn’t confirmed the pricing or the regions where the subscription tier is available. Based on WABetaInfo’s reporting, it appears to be available in Europe, Pakistan, and Mexico. In Europe, it starts at €2.49 per month. Meta may offer some a free one-month trial, the report added.
The rumor about subscription tiers for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook first surfaced earlier this year. Late last month, Meta began testing Instagram Plus in select regions, including Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines.
For around $2, Instagram Plus offers subscribers a wide range of Story features. Users can view others’ Stories anonymously, see who has rewatched their own Stories, create custom audience groups, and keep their Stories visible for longer than the usual 24 hours. Other perks include hitting a “Superlike” on others’ stories and searching for names through your own Story likes.
Both WhatsApp and Instagram have over three billion monthly active users. If the earlier rumor holds true, we may soon see a subscription plan for Facebook as well.
