WhatsApp Testing Paid 'Plus' Subscription Tier – Here's What's Included

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp has started testing a paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus, which adds a set of personalization options on top of the standard messaging experience, according to WABetaInfo.

The paid plan Meta is testing appears to be geared towards hardcore users who spend a lot of time in the app: subscribers get access to premium sticker packs with fullscreen overlay animations (visible to recipients without the plan), optional accent colors that replace the app's default green across the UI, and alternate app icons ranging from minimal designs to textured effects like glitter, nebula, and fuzzy purple.

The plan also raises the pinned-chat limit from 3 to 20, adds 10 exclusive ringtones, and allows bulk application of custom themes and notification settings across chat lists.

While we don't know how much the plan will cost when it goes live, the test interface currently shows €2.49 per month in Europe and $29 in Mexico. Based on the beta, users may eventually see a free one-month trial.

Otherwise, WhatsApp's main functionality remains unchanged. Messaging, voice and video calls, status updates, and end-to-end encryption are still free, suggesting the paid tier sits alongside existing features rather than restricting anything that was previously unpaid.

Overall, it's a test that was anticipated – Meta has been laying the groundwork for subscription revenue across its apps for some time. The company is already testing "Instagram Plus," a new paid subscription service in select markets for roughly $1–$2/month. That plan offers premium features focused on Stories, such as anonymous viewing, 48-hour story duration, and analytics on re-watches.

The optional WhatsApp plan is currently available to a limited number of Android beta users, with a wider rollout planned over the coming weeks. iOS support is expected at a later stage, and the subscription is not expected to apply to WhatsApp Business.

Article Link: WhatsApp Testing Paid 'Plus' Subscription Tier – Here's What's Included

 

[JohnRckr]

Greed has no stopping point.
Every single simple app now has “Pro version” or some paid plan. Like would anyone really paid monthly for a “pro” version of a water intake app for example? And subscription for WA is just another example.

 

[iSmoggie]

Would never voluntarily give Meta a penny.

 

[ThisIsMike]

I am DONE with this subscription BS. Seriously the worst thing to ever come along. I really hope consumers stop pushing back by just dropping services.

 

[Syrianos82]

No thank you, really! 🤗

 

[dandyryan]

ew imagine using whatsapp that's android user behavior 🤢

i'll stick with my imessages!

 

[SilmarilFinder]

who tf would pay for this?

Feels like a soft launch for ads down the line. Call it “Plus” now, normalise paying for cosmetic fluff, then quietly slide in sponsored stickers or whatever comes next.

I’d love to get rid of this app in a heartbeat. It’s the last Meta app left on my phone. But the social lock-in is real, so here we are.

 

[eduardodfj]

While I HAVE TO use WhatsApp (in my country it's what everybody uses and expects), I'll rather live alone in a hut in Antarctica and never again talk to another human being, than to give Meta one cent of my money.

 

[sw1tcher]

Not worth €2.49 per month for those extra features.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Notice it doesn't say anything about getting rid of ads

 

[Populus]

Even this, a premium subscription, Telegram has already had it for a long time as well.

I am DONE with this subscription BS. Seriously the worst thing to ever come along. I really hope consumers stop pushing back by just dropping services.

Yeah, there’s a real subscription fatigue, and even tho they want us to think this is the normal business model, it isn’t. Devs are aware that implementing a subscription model is not only unpopular, but it also may offer less revenue than an upfront paid app, if you don’t have a big enough user base. It’s not as pretty as Apple wants us to think.

Let’s hope that Ternus’ Apple doesn’t put that much pressure on the subscription model, although the damage is already done… even on the Creative Studio apps

 

[sw1tcher]

Notice it doesn't say anything about getting rid of ads

That feature is reserved for WhatsApp Pro. This is WhatsApp Plus

 

[Populus]

I wonder if Liquid Glass is finally coming to regular WhatsApp. Do you have it on your iPhone? I only have a Liquid Glass UI on WhatsApp Business, but the old iOS 18 interface on the regular WhatsApp…

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Greed has no stopping point.
Every single simple app now has “Pro version” or some paid plan. Like would anyone really paid monthly for a “pro” version of a water intake app for example? And subscription for WA is just another example.

How is the greed? I don't like Meta at all, but they aren't putting current features behind a paywall. Now that would be greed if they did that. Nothing changes at all, unless you want more stuff. If you don't pay, it's the same garbage as before.

 

[apparatchik]

For anyone that haven't seen this yet:

Silicon Valley and en********ation go hand and hand.

 

[apparatchik]

How is the greed? I don't like Meta at all, but they aren't putting current features behind a paywall, now that would be greed if they did that. Nothing changes at all, unless you want more stuff. If you don't pay, it's the same garbage as before.

This is the start of it, at first the paid tier (they become multiple tiers later) just offer extra functionality, then basics like background and windowed video play (YouTube) that used to be basic functionality gets pushed to Plus or Pro, then ads come to the basic and even the "basic plus" experience, and so on.

 

[JulienCasey]

We have to pay for extra stuff now. There needs to be a non profit digital platforms organization that has a communications platform that's free, accessible, etc. That's actually one of the things I wanna do in life.

 

[joeblow7777]

ew imagine using whatsapp that's android user behavior 🤢

i'll stick with my imessages!

That's all well and good if literally everyone you know or communicate with is an iPhone user.

 

[joeblow7777]

We have to pay for extra stuff now. There needs to be a non profit digital platforms organization that has a communications platform that's free, accessible, etc. That's actually one of the things I wanna do in life.

But as you said, you pay for extra stuff. Everything that WhatsApp did for free up until now will still be free.

 

[Bitácora]

Greed has no stopping point.
Every single simple app now has “Pro version” or some paid plan. Like would anyone really paid monthly for a “pro” version of a water intake app for example? And subscription for WA is just another example.

Unfortunately, someone will do it, and there will be no end to it

 

[MN7119]

Absolutely useless features. Nobody with half brain will pay for these.

 

[barkomatic]

Maybe there is a silver lining to all this. If every single service starts charging a fee for use, and your refrigerator with a touchscreen starts charging you a subscription to access its premium features we'll be forced to become very intentional in what we pay for. That would be minimal subscriptions and therefore fewer app interactions to deal with.

 

[N0ughtsAndCr0sses]

WhatsApp has started testing a paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus, which adds a set of personalization options on top of the standard messaging experience, according to WABetaInfo.

The paid plan Meta is testing appears to be geared towards hardcore users who spend a lot of time in the app: subscribers get access to premium sticker packs with fullscreen overlay animations (visible to recipients without the plan), optional accent colors that replace the app's default green across the UI, and alternate app icons ranging from minimal designs to textured effects like glitter, nebula, and fuzzy purple.

The plan also raises the pinned-chat limit from 3 to 20, adds 10 exclusive ringtones, and allows bulk application of custom themes and notification settings across chat lists.

While we don't know how much the plan will cost when it goes live, the test interface currently shows €2.49 per month in Europe and $29 in Mexico. Based on the beta, users may eventually see a free one-month trial.

Otherwise, WhatsApp's main functionality remains unchanged. Messaging, voice and video calls, status updates, and end-to-end encryption are still free, suggesting the paid tier sits alongside existing features rather than restricting anything that was previously unpaid.

Overall, it's a test that was anticipated – Meta has been laying the groundwork for subscription revenue across its apps for some time. The company is already testing "Instagram Plus," a new paid subscription service in select markets for roughly $1–$2/month. That plan offers premium features focused on Stories, such as anonymous viewing, 48-hour story duration, and analytics on re-watches.

The optional WhatsApp plan is currently available to a limited number of Android beta users, with a wider rollout planned over the coming weeks. iOS support is expected at a later stage, and the subscription is not expected to apply to WhatsApp Business.

Article Link: WhatsApp Testing Paid 'Plus' Subscription Tier – Here's What's Included

One word, boo to subscription.

 

[AngstyKylo]

While I HAVE TO use WhatsApp (in my country it's what everybody uses and expects), I'll rather live alone in a hut in Antarctica and never again talk to another human being, than to give Meta one cent of my money.

I really hope they start charging for it and filling it with ads. Would give me a great excuse not to use it in the UK.

 

[neptuna]

I get that everyone doesn’t have an iPhone and as such, we need cross platform messengers, but I really wish that people would choose Signal over this WhatsApp crap. Paying for a subscription while Meta is still collecting and monetising your data is doubly criminal.