What does Instagram Plus offer?
The premium offering is expected to include features such as creating multiple story audiences, accessing story rewatch insights, searching viewer lists, previewing stories, extending story duration, sending “super hearts,” and spotlighting stories.
In the past, a report by TechCrunch had stated that a premium tier, if introduced on Instagram, may also include enhanced privacy and early access to new artificial intelligence (AI) features.
However, Meta’s help page still states the feature is not officially available on Android, iOS, or desktop.
What will it cost?
While currently in a limited testing phase in select countries like the Philippines, the service is priced at around 65 Philippine pesos (PHP), which is around Rs 100.95.
Are subscriptions new to social media?
The move builds on Meta Platforms’s earlier monetisation efforts, such as Instagram Subscriptions for creators, which allow them to offer exclusive content and audio to paying audiences.
This is not the first time a social media platform has launched a subscription-based tier. Platforms like Telegram, Discord, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn already offer paid versions with added functionality.
Why does this move matter for Meta and the industry?
At a time when Meta Platforms is facing regulatory pressure globally over age-appropriate usage concerns, the social media market is not only reaching saturation, but sustaining peak-level engagement has also become harder. As of late 2025, Instagram had three billion monthly active users. In October last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on an earnings call that Instagram and Facebook Reels had surpassed an advertising-led revenue of a $50 billion annual run rate.
Hence, this move signals Meta’s push to diversify beyond advertising revenue as it intends to support its increased capital expenditure in AI and infrastructure. This initiative comes amid growing legal pressure on Meta, including the Los Angeles social media addiction lawsuit verdict, where a jury found Meta and Google liable for designing addictive platforms.
