Last week, Meta unveiled plans for paid plans for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and the first of those has now started to be rolled out globally.
In a blog post on Thursday (04.05.26), the company described the subscription as a way to give users "more of what you love about Instagram".
They continued: "Instagram Plus offers exclusive features to help you express yourself, connect deeper with friends, and customize your experience in new ways.
"The Instagram you know and love today isn't changing and will always be free; this new subscription is simply an optional upgrade for people who want more control, deeper insights, and premium features."
Instagram say the new features are split into three different areas, covering "getting closer to who matters, seeing previews and insights, and making Instagram yours".
The first group of features includes a Story Spotlight to give priority to your friends, the option for Multiple Story Audiences (as many as you want), a new Super Hearts animated reaction for Stories, and the ability to extend your story to 48 hours.
In the second group of features, users can now preview stories "without the pressure to react", "see how many times your stories were rewatched", and even a new Search Viewer List to "quickly check if a specific person viewed your story".
As for the "Make it yours" set of features, they introduced a custom app icon from "a curated selection designed by Instagram and Instagram creators", as well as custom bio font, up to six profile pins (an increase from three), and the ability to post directly to your profile or highlights "without it appearing in friends' feeds".
Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus will both cost $3.99.
As reported by Bloomberg and TechCrunch, it appears the Facebook Plus will allow much of the same enhancements for stories.
WhatsApp Plus, which is priced at $2.99, will include features like Premium Stickers, and being able to pin up to 20 additional chats.
It's reported that the new subscription models won't be replacing the Meta Verified subscription.
