US Edition
WhatsApp Is Testing a Premium Subscription, Put It Is Mainly Cosmetic
The test keeps messaging, voice and video calls free while charging for themes, icons and other personalization features.
- Meta is testing WhatsApp Plus, a paid subscription offering cosmetic upgrades including 18 chat themes, 14 custom icons, 10 exclusive ringtones, and the ability to pin up to 20 chats instead of three.
- Facing $115 to $135 billion in annual AI infrastructure spending, Meta is diversifying revenue streams as advertising accounts for more than 95% of its $201 billion annual revenue.
- Pricing follows a purchasing-power-adjusted model: EUR 2.49 in Europe, roughly $1.60 in Mexico, and $0.82 in Pakistan, deliberately undercutting Telegram Premium at $4.99 monthly and Snapchat+ at $4.
- By offering optional cosmetic features, WhatsApp Plus sidesteps the 'pay or consent' violations the European Commission found in July 2024 under the Digital Markets Act.
- Future subscription tiers are likely to incorporate AI features powered by Manus and Muse Spark, moving beyond cosmetic upgrades to include higher AI generation limits and agentic tools.
14 Articles
14 Articles
WhatsApp started testing the sale of premium subscriptions, which includes custom features, as part of a Meta controller's move to diversify its revenue sources to complement its main advertising business. Apple announces new CEO: John Ternus will replace Tim Cook iPhone engineer: who is John Ternus, Apple's new CEO – WhatsApp is testing an optional new signature called WhatsApp Plus, developed for users who want more ways to organize and custom…
WhatsApp Plus subscription testing at EUR 2.49/month joins Instagram Plus in Meta's cross-app premium push
Summary: WhatsApp has begun testing a paid consumer subscription called WhatsApp Plus at approximately EUR 2.49 per month, offering cosmetic upgrades including 18 chat themes, custom icons, exclusive ringtones, and expanded pinned chats, following Instagram Plus which launched in three markets on 30 March. The subscriptions represent Meta’s first simultaneous consumer-facing paid tiers across its […] This story continues at The Next Web
WhatsApp is offering a new premium subscription with additional custom features, as part of a broader strategy of its parent company, Meta Platforms Inc, to generate revenue that complements its core advertising business. "WhatsApp is testing a new optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more options to organize and customize their experience," WhatsApp said in a statement. "We started with a small test to collect…
WhatsApp Plus is no longer just a name associated with unofficial applications of the past. WhatsApp is testing a paid subscription with the same name, designed for those who want more customization options within the messaging app itself. The idea inevitably reminds Telegram Premium, that is, paying a monthly fee in exchange for extra functions, without the basic features disappearing for the rest of users. In this case, messages, calls, states…
Meta is testing a WhatsApp Plus subscription that mostly focuses on cosmetic upgrades
Meta is testing out a premium version of its messaging app, called WhatsApp Plus, that will include several paywalled features. As first spotted by WABetaInfo, Meta is currently rolling out a paid version of WhatsApp, which features mostly cosmetic upgrades. According to the Help Center page, WhatsApp Plus subscribers will get access to premium stickers that can have special effects and the ability to personalize the app's themes and icons. Beyo…
The Messenger Service WhatsApp is testing a new subscription model with additional functions. "WhatsApp Plus" offers more personalization options for a monthly fee.
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