Prime Highlights
- Meta Platforms plans to introduce premium subscription plans across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp to monetise its growing investments in artificial intelligence.
- The paid plans will offer enhanced features and advanced AI capabilities while keeping core services free for all users.
Key Facts
- The subscriptions will integrate Meta’s AI agents under Manus, acquired in December for about $2 billion, and may include premium access to the AI video tool Vibes.
- The new plans will be tested in the coming months, remain separate from Meta Verified, and be refined based on user feedback before a wider rollout.
Background
Meta Platforms is preparing to test new premium subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp in the coming months, as the company looks to monetise its growing investment in artificial intelligence. The move was first reported by TechCrunch and later confirmed by a Meta spokesperson.
According to the company, the paid subscriptions will give users more features and expanded AI capabilities. Meta said the new plans aim to improve productivity and creativity across its platforms, while still keeping basic services free for all users.
A key part of the subscription offering will be the integration of Meta’s recently acquired suite of general AI agents under Manus. Meta acquired Manus, a Singapore-based AI agent developer founded in China, in December for a reported $2 billion. The company now plans to scale these AI agents as part of its paid services.
Industry observers see the subscription push as an effort by Meta to generate returns from its heavy spending on AI talent and acquisitions over the past year. While Meta has developed large language models under its Llama brand, these models have remained open source and free to use, unlike paid AI plans offered by rivals such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.
In addition to AI tools, the subscription plans may include premium access to Meta’s AI-powered short-form video feature, Vibes. The tool lets users create and edit AI-generated videos. Vibes has remained free since it debuted in 2025. Meta may offer a basic free version, with advanced features reserved for paying users.
Meta clarified that the new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, the paid service it launched in 2023. Meta Verified focuses on verifying accounts, offering customer support and protecting users from impersonation.
The company said it will ask users for feedback while it starts testing subscription plans. It will use this feedback to improve the plans before offering them to more people.