Meta has begun testing a premium subscription on Instagram in a few countries, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. The subscription, called Instagram Plus, gives subscribers access to exclusive features. The move comes two months after Meta told TechCrunch that it plans to test new subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
One of Instagram’s standout features is the ability to view a Story — a photo or video post that disappears after 24 hours — without the poster knowing you’ve viewed it. Subscribers can also see how many people have rewatched their own stories, Meta told TechCrunch in an email.
Subscribers will also be able to create unlimited audience lists for Stories, beyond their Close Friends list. This means users can customize who sees each Story by grouping followers into different lists instead of having the option to share with everyone or just one limited group.
Additionally, subscribers can extend their story for an additional 24 hours and choose to highlight the story up to once a week, which increases its visibility by placing it at the top of followers’ story tray.
Subscribers can also give a “Superlike” animation to other people’s Stories and search their Story viewer list to quickly see if a particular person has looked at their Story, instead of having to scroll through the entire list.
Although Meta has not shared the countries in which it is testing the premium subscription, social media reports indicate that it is being tested there. Mexico, Japanand Filipino.
Pricing varies by country, but according to screenshots shared by users, it costs 39 Mexican dollars (about $2.20 USD) per month in Mexico, 319 yen per month (about $2 USD) in Japan, and 65 Philippine pesos per month (about $1.07 USD) in the Philippines.
TechCrunch event
San Francisco, California
|
October 13-15, 2026
It’s possible that Meta will test the subscription in additional countries as well.
It’s worth noting that Instagram’s paid subscription is separate from Meta Verified, which targets creators and businesses and offers features like a verification badge and impersonation protection for a monthly fee. Instagram Plus is instead designed for casual users.
Although launching additional subscriptions will allow Meta to generate more revenue, many users will likely be deterred by subscription fatigue. Some users already have it It was taken to social media To express their dissatisfaction with the subscription offer.
Of course, Snapchat and X have proven that there is a market for social media subscriptions. Snap recently announced that Snapchat+, which starts at $3.99 per month for exclusive features, has surpassed 25 million subscribers.
Meta says it will continue to test the Instagram Premium subscription before rolling it out further.
