WhatsApp is testing a premium subscription, put it is mainly cosmetic

WhatsApp is investigating a caller subscription tier, akin to Instagram Plus and Snapchat+, that lets users wage for customized icons, themes, ringtones, and more. The paid plan’s features are mostly cosmetic; users don’t get galore further functional features.

WhatsApp Plus has been spotted by many users, including social media advisor Matt Navarra. The institution confirmed the trial to TechCrunch successful a statement.

“WhatsApp is investigating a new, optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who privation much ways to signifier and personalize their experience,” a Meta spokesperson said. “Premium features see expanded pinned chats, customized lists, caller chat themes, and more. We’re starting with a tiny trial to stitchery feedback and guarantee we’re gathering thing radical find genuinely valuable.”

While the institution didn’t specify pricing, WABetaInfo noted that the program mightiness beryllium priced astatine €2.49 per period successful Europe and 229 PKR ($0.82) successful Pakistan. The blog noted that the institution is besides offering a one-month escaped proceedings to users.

In summation to features similar customized themes and ringtones, the institution volition let users to pin up to 20 chats alternatively of the existent free-tier bounds of three. Subscribers volition besides let users to use definite themes, ringtones, and notification tones to chat lists. Notably, determination is nary notation of advertisement removal from the Status feature, which the institution began moving ads connected past year.

More than a decennary ago, WhatsApp charged a $1 subscription interest successful immoderate regions, but aft being bought by Facebook, the institution ditched the interest successful 2016. Since then, it has built its concern astir allowing companies to scope users connected WhatsApp and letting them make click-to-WhatsApp ads.

This has turned into a important concern for Meta. The institution said during its Q4 2025 net telephone that its household of apps’ gross jumped 54% year-on-year to $801 million, a surge importantly driven by paid messaging connected WhatsApp. The institution besides said that WhatsApp gross transverse a $2 cardinal annualized run-rate successful Q4.

As WhatsApp Plus is an aboriginal trial successful constricted markets, lone a fewer of WhatsApp’s 3 billion-plus idiosyncratic basal volition get to bargain the paid plan. That means it won’t apt determination the needle overmuch connected the company’s equilibrium sheets successful the adjacent term.