California: Meta has recently begun testing a new premium subscription on Instagram, called Instagram Plus, offering its paid users in a selected few countries access to extra features that are not available to regular users.
The subscription, as we know it, is designed for everyday users, not creators or businesses. It is significantly different from Meta Verified, which focuses on verification badges and account protection.
Most of its premium features focus on Instagram Stories, one of the app’s most popular tools. Instagram Stories are photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours, and Meta is now offering paid control options around them.
One notable feature allows subscribers to view Stories without letting the poster know. In addition, paid users can see how many times people have rewatched their Stories.
Instagram Plus users can also create unlimited audience lists for Stories. This gives people more control over who views their Story, compared to the current option of sharing with everyone or just Close Friends.
Another feature lets users extend a Story for an extra 24 hours, making it visible for a total of 48 hours. Subscribers can also choose to highlight one Story per week, pushing it to the front of followers’ Story feeds for better visibility.
Paid users can also give animated “Superlikes” to Stories and search their Story viewer list to check if a specific person has watched a Story. These tools are meant to make Stories more engaging for all.
Meta has not officially listed all test countries, but reports suggest that the subscription is currently available in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines. Pricing for it varies by region and is kept relatively low.
In Mexico, for instance, Instagram Plus costs about USD 2.20 per month, while in Japan it costs roughly USD 2 per month. In the Philippines, the price is around USD 1.07 per month.
Meta says the test will help it understand which features users find valuable enough to pay for. The company has previously said it plans to explore subscription options across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
While subscriptions could help Meta earn more money beyond ads, some users are already expressing concerns about subscription fatigue that it may cause. Others are unsure if social media features should come with a monthly cost at all.
For now, Instagram Plus remains a limited test. Whether Meta expands the premium service worldwide will largely depend on user feedback and its demand in the coming months.
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