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WhatsApp and Instagram already come in the Verified version but Meta could have broader plans with more AI integrations.
Instagram and WhatsApp could soon get their own premium version
Meta is planning for some drastic changes across its products and one of them could be its new subscription models for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook users. The company has confirmed about its plans via this report, and highlighted that the paid version will be different from the Verified plan and cater to users with exclusive features that won’t be available to everyone on these platforms.
Meta has been experimenting with different models as it looks to monetise the user base on these apps, and with the AI integration getting deeper, the scope for premium versions have only gotten better.
WhatsApp And Instagram Premium Versions: What To Expect
The company’s plan to have exclusive features on these apps is still not detailed but one can expect a wide range of tools locked behind a paywall. The report by TechCrunch says Meta is going to have its Manus AI agent available within these plans, and also have them running in Instagram for a wider AI reach across its users.
It also notes that AI-powered tools like Vibes that let you create short AI videos, could also be integrated within this ecosystem when it launches for a wider audience, most likely by later this year. For Instagram users, Meta could also offer features like ability to see followers who don’t follow you back, or able to watch a Story without telling the person that you did view it.
Meta could have easily tested the waters with the Verified version first and with all the AI tools in its armoury ready to offer another premium model which is likely to cost users without affecting the free account users.
The company also has to thwart the privacy concerns that all these AI features have raised, and assure users that their data or any other information on these apps, especially WhatsApp (which now has ads) are not used to train their AI models.
WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook have mostly operated as free platforms since their origin. But Meta did invest billions in buying them and maybe now it feels the time is right to monetise these platforms. Having said that we are not sure how many would actually want to pay for them.
California, USA
January 27, 2026, 10:51 IST
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