Meta Tests Premium Tier for WhatsApp: Reports

Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a new paid subscription tier, WhatsApp Plus, in a move that could open up a fresh consumer monetisation stream for the messaging platform, TechCrunch reported.

The subscription, currently being tested in limited markets, focuses largely on personalisation and cosmetic upgrades rather than major functional changes. Premium users will reportedly gain access to custom app icons, chat themes, personalised ringtones, expanded chat pinning, and custom notification tones.

The new tier will reportedly allow users to pin up to 20 chats, a significant increase from the free version’s current limit of three.

In a statement shared with TechCrunch, a Meta spokesperson said the subscription is “designed for users who want more ways to organise and personalise their experience,” adding that the company is starting with a small-scale test to gather feedback.

While Meta has not officially disclosed pricing, WhatsApp-focused tracker WABetaInfo, cited by TechCrunch, suggests that the plan may cost €2.49 per month in Europe and 229 Pakistani rupees in Pakistan, with a one-month free trial offered to some users.

The test marks a notable shift in WhatsApp’s monetisation strategy. More than a decade ago, the app briefly charged a nominal annual subscription fee in select markets before scrapping it in 2016 after Facebook’s acquisition.

Since then, Meta has increasingly leaned on business messaging and click-to-WhatsApp advertising as key revenue drivers. During its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, the company said revenue from its family of apps rose 54% year-on-year to $801 million, driven significantly by paid messaging services on WhatsApp. The company also said WhatsApp had crossed a $2 billion annualised revenue run rate in Q4.

However, given that the new subscription remains in an early-stage rollout, the report noted that it is unlikely to materially impact Meta’s financials in the immediate term.