WhatsApp is testing a premium subscription, but it’s mainly cosmetic

WhatsApp is testing a new subscription tier similar to Instagram Plus and Snapchat+which allows users to pay for custom icons, themes, ringtones, and more. The paid plan’s features are largely cosmetic; Users do not get many additional functional features.

WhatsApp Plus has been spotted Many usersincluded Social media consultant Matt Navarra. The company confirmed the testing to TechCrunch in a statement.

“WhatsApp is testing a new optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience,” a Meta spokesperson said. “Premium features include expanded pinned chats, custom menus, new chat topics, and more. We’re starting with a small test to gather feedback and make sure we’re building something people will find truly valuable.”

While the company did not specify prices WABetaInfo He noted that the price of the plan could reach 2.49 euros per month in Europe and 229 Pakistani rupees ($0.82) in Pakistan. The blog noted that the company is also offering a one-month free trial to users.

In addition to features like themes and custom ringtones, the company will allow users to pin up to 20 conversations instead of the free tier’s current cap of three. Subscribers will also allow users to apply certain themes, ringtones, and notification tones to chat lists. It is worth noting that there was no mention of removing the ad from the status feature. The company began displaying ads last year.

For more than a decade, WhatsApp has been charging a subscription fee of $1 in some regions, but after it was acquired by Facebook, The company waived the fees in 2016. Since then, she has built her business around it Allow businesses to reach users on WhatsApp And allow them to create click-through ads for WhatsApp.

This has turned into important work for Meta. The company said during its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call that revenue from its suite of applications jumped 54% year over year to $801 million, an increase driven largely by paid messages on WhatsApp. The company also said WhatsApp revenue exceeded an annual run rate of $2 billion in the fourth quarter.

Since WhatsApp Plus is an early test in limited markets, only a few of them are available WhatsApp’s user base of over 3 billion will be able to purchase the paid plan. This means it’s unlikely to move the needle much on the company’s balance sheets in the near term.