Meta is copying Snapchat’s homework once again with “Plus” features for Instagram and Facebook

Announced new meta Upcoming subscription plans for InstagramAnd Facebook and WhatsApp this week. Instagram won’t default to a paywall, no. Instead, users will now be able to pay $4 per month for additional features, such as seeing who has re-viewed your story post or pin more posts to the top of your profile. Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus ($4 per month), and WhatsApp Plus ($3 per month) will roll out globally sometime this summer.

These “plus” plans are an effort by Meta, led by the CEO Mark ZuckerbergTo diversify how users make money. Meta is also doing what Meta does best with this move: emulating the successes of other social media platforms, specifically, Snapchat.

“Loving husband, father of four, VP of Product @Meta,” Evan Spiegel sarcastically reads LinkedIn profile. SPIEGELco-founder and CEO of Snap, has never worked on Meta, although its social media platform has directly inspired at least some of the features found on Instagram. After Instagram launched its Stories feature in 2016, then-CEO Kevin Systrom didn’t mince words about how its platform sometimes duplicated Snapchat’s features. TechCrunch says They “deserve all the credit” for curating the stories.

In 2017, Snap launched a “Maps” tool where users can sign up and see the exact location of where all their friends were when they last opened the app. Instagram launched a The Maps feature is very similar Just last year, users were able to track the location of friends who chose to share their GPS data.

And while IG was launched recently Moments app.with its ephemeral, unfiltered shots, are very similar to those that were once popular Be real More than anything else, disappearing photo messages is absolutely the main takeaway for Snapchat.

“As we shared earlier this year, we are testing and scaling new subscriptions that provide deeper, more enhanced ways to use our apps and AI glasses,” Maria Cobieta, a Meta spokeswoman, says via email. “So far, we’ve been testing subscription features for people to improve how they express themselves and communicate on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, like profile customization, story insights, and superior interactions.” She says this is just the beginning of a larger “Meta One” umbrella of subscription offerings, which will eventually include different, more expensive tiers that cater to businesses and creators as well as users who want additional access to Meta AI.

At launch, Instagram Plus will have most of the additional features, from extra pins on your profile and unique bio lines to creating isolated audiences for your story posts and “Super Heart” reaction buttons. Facebook Plus will essentially allow you to control and personalize your experience with story posts, such as rewatch insights. WhatsApp Plus will include more pinned chats, visual customizations, and premium stickers.

These subscription plans are simply history repeating itself. Snapchat dropped a $4-per-month plan, called Snapchat+, in 2022. It gave users access to exclusive features in the app and has expanded over the few years, adding more options as well as AI tools. In February, Snapchat Announce This style of subscription plan has helped the company achieve an “annual revenue run rate of $1 billion” in direct payments with more than 25 million current subscribers worldwide. (Despite it being an inspiring feature line, all is not rosy at Snapchat, as a company Struggling to make a profit.)

So, even down to the Plus naming convention, the Meta seems to be heavily inspired by Snapchat once again. I would expect nothing less from a company that has rebranded itself over the years metaverse fad. The following trends are how Meta works. Stay tuned to what Snapchat does next for a sneak peek at what Meta might do in a few years.