Meta plans subscription trials for Instagram, Facebook & WhatsApp

Meta is set to trial premium subscription offerings across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp in the coming months, marking its latest move to test paid services across its social platforms.

According to reports, the proposed subscriptions will provide access to additional features, including expanded artificial intelligence tools, while access to the platforms’ core services will continue to remain free.

As part of the plans, Meta is expected to test subscriptions tied to specific features such as its Vibes video generation app. The company announced Vibes in September as part of the latest version of the Meta AI app, describing it as a tool that “can bring your ideas to life with new AI visual creation tools”.

Meta also intends to integrate Manus, an AI firm founded in China that it agreed to acquire in December for a reported $2 billion, into its subscription strategy, according to TechCrunch, which first reported the development. The company is expected to continue offering standalone Manus subscriptions to business customers.

At the time of the acquisition, Meta said the deal would help strengthen its AI capabilities by giving users access to autonomous 'agents' that can complete complex tasks with minimal user interaction.

“Manus's exceptional talent will join Meta's team to deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including Meta AI,” it said in a blog post.

Manus, which is now based in Singapore, has positioned itself as a provider of what it claims to be a 'truly autonomous' AI agent, capable of planning, executing and completing tasks independently, unlike conventional chatbots that require repeated prompts.

In January, Chinese authorities said they would review Meta’s acquisition of Manus to assess whether it violated technology export controls or national security regulations.

Meta has previously experimented with paid and restricted features on its platforms. Last year, Facebook tested limits on the number of links some users could share in posts without a subscription, describing it as “a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value” for subscribers.

In 2023, the company also introduced paid verification on Facebook and Instagram, allowing users to receive a blue tick for a monthly fee.