Meta is testing a new optional premium subscription for WhatsApp, adding a paid layer on top of the free messaging service. The Paid tier, named WhatsApp Plus, does not change the core WhatsApp experience, which continues to include free messaging, voice and video calls, group chats, and end-to-end encryption. Instead, the subscription is mainly focused on extra features like customization options, additional chat controls, and exclusive stickers. It is currently in a limited test phase, with no global rollout yet.
The move suggests that the Mark Zuckerberg-led firm is trying to gradually introduce a ‘freemium extension’ model to WhatsApp, similar to what has already been seen in other social platforms where basic usage remains free but improved personalization and productivity features are placed behind a paywall. The subscription is expected to be priced at around €2.49 per month in Europe and about $0.82 in countries like Pakistan, though these figures are still part of testing and may change before any wider rollout, reports WABetaInfo. Meanwhile, screenshots shared by several users on social media also revealed that WhatsApp may be offering a one-month free trial to users.
Meanwhile, the premium tier does not appear to be aimed at changing how people communicate, but rather at how they experience and visually personalize the app. This includes interface-level changes like theme customization, new app icons, and more detailed control over chat appearance. These are designed to make the app feel more personal rather than functionally different.
Along with visual upgrades, the subscription is expected to expand user control over messaging organization. One of the reported changes involves increasing the number of chats that can be pinned at the top of the chat list. Additional notification customization, like unique tones for specific contacts and groups, is also part of the testing phase. Another major component of the premium tier revolves around expressive content. WhatsApp has long relied on stickers and emojis as a key part of its communication style, and the subscription appears to expand this ecosystem. Premium users are expected to gain access to exclusive sticker packs, animated sticker sets, and possibly early access to new expressive content before free users.
The latest move comes as Meta continues to diversify its revenue models across its platforms. While it still relies heavily on advertising, especially through Facebook and Instagram, the company has increasingly expanded into subscription-based offerings. During its Q4’25, the social media behemoth reported that revenue from its family of apps increased 54% year-on-year to $801 million. It also noted that WhatsApp, which has over 3 billion users globally, crossed a $2 billion annualized revenue run rate in the same quarter.
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Ashutosh is a Senior Writer at The Tech Portal, largely reporting on new tech, and intersection of technology and business. Ashutosh’s career spans across nearly a decade of technology writing across multiple platforms and languages.
