Meta is rolling out paid versions of its three biggest apps. Users will soon need to pay a monthly fee if they want extra features on Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp.
The company is calling these plans Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus, and WhatsApp Plus. IG and FB will cost $3.99 (~Php250) a month each. Whatsapp Plus is a bit cheaper at $2.99 (~Php180) per month.
So what does the money get you? On Instagram Plus, you can see who has watched your story more than once. You can also make special groups for stories that are not just your Close Friends. The paid plan lets you keep a story online for more than a day. You can search through your story viewers to find specific people. And if you want to watch someone’s story without them knowing, that is also an option. You can post pictures or videos to your profile without sending them to your followers feeds. Other extras include custom app icons, fancy fonts for your bio, and a Super Heart reaction.
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Facebook Plus works pretty much the same way. WhatsApp Plus gives you different app colors, your own ringtones, more pinned chats, nicer sticker packs, and better ways to organize your message list.
Meta is putting all these paid options under one roof called Meta One. That is the new brand name for all of Meta subscription services.
There are also plans for people who use Meta AI. One plan costs $7.99 (~Php500) a month. A more expensive one costs $19.99 (~Php1,200) per month. Both let you do more with the AI, like asking harder questions or creating images and videos. The $19.99 plan gives you even more power for complicated tasks.
Creators and businesses have their own options, too. A $14.99 (~Php920) a month plan called Meta One Essential includes a blue verified badge, protection from fake accounts pretending to be you, better data about your audience, and a special link page that connects to your other social media profiles.
Then there is the expensive one. For $49.99 (~Php3,000) per month, the Meta One Advanced plan gives you everything from the Essential plan plus a bunch of extras. These include better placement in Instagram and Facebook search results, a more noticeable Follow button on Reels, smarter scheduling tools, and automatic follow requests for people who like or comment on your content. You also get alerts if someone shares your work without permission.
Meta plans to test the AI subscriptions next month. The test will happen in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia. The business plans will be tested starting later this week in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, and Bangladesh.
For now, the free versions of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp are not going anywhere. You can still use them like you always have. But if you want the extra bells and whistles, Meta is hoping you will be willing to pay.
Source: Tech Crunch