Social media giant Meta is preparing to test new Meta premium subscription plans across its major platforms including Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.

This marks a notable shift in its business strategy beyond traditional ad revenue. The company confirmed the plans to tech media in late January 2026.

Under the upcoming trials, users will still be able to access the core services of each app for free, while optional paid tiers will unlock exclusive features and enhanced tools designed to boost productivity, creativity and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.

Each platform’s subscription offering is expected to be distinct, rather than bundled as a single package.

Early information on potential perks is emerging primarily for Instagram, where a premium tier may include unlimited audience lists, insight into followers who don’t follow back, and the ability to view Stories without notifying the original poster.

Meta premium subscriptions are also reportedly exploring premium access to AI-powered tools, such as Vibes video creation, which lets users generate and remix short AI videos, a feature that has been free since its launch but could become partially paid.

A key part of Meta’s strategy involves integrating Manus, an AI agent the company acquired in late 2025, into these subscription experiences, while continuing to offer standalone business subscriptions for the technology.

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At this stage, details about Meta premium subscriptions features might look like on Facebook or WhatsApp are limited, though reports suggest metadata management tools, ad-control options or other enhancements could be included as tests progress.