This subscription service, called Instagram Plus, provides subscribers with access to exclusive features. This move comes two months after Meta announced it was planning to test new subscription services on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.
One of the advanced features on Instagram is the ability to view Story - a photo or video post that disappears after 24 hours - that the poster does not know you have viewed. Registered users can also see how many people have reviewed their Story, Meta told TechCrunch.
Subscribers can also create unlimited viewer lists for Stories, in addition to the list of best friends. This means users can customize who can view each Story by grouping followers into different lists instead of just having the option to share with everyone or just a limited group.
In addition, subscribers can extend their Story by 24 hours and choose to highlight the Story up to once a week, increasing visibility by putting that Story at the top of the Stories tray for followers.
Subscribers can also dynamically press "Superlike" for someone else's Story and search in their Story viewer list to quickly see if a specific person is viewing their Story, instead of scrolling through the entire list.
Although Meta did not disclose which countries it is testing premium registration packages in, reports on social media show that this package is being tested in Mexico, Japan and the Philippines.
According to research, registration prices vary from country to country but are estimated at 2.2 USD/month in Mexico; 1.07 USD/month in the Philippines and 2 USD/month in Japan.
It is possible that Meta is also testing this registration service in other countries.
Experts note that the paid registration package on Instagram is completely different from Meta Verified, this package is aimed at content creators and businesses, providing features such as verification badges and protection against impersonation with monthly fees. Instagram Plus is designed for ordinary users.
Although launching more subscription packages will help Meta generate more revenue, many users may feel tired of having to subscribe to too many packages. Some users have gone online to express their dissatisfaction with this subscription service.
Previously, Snapchat and X had proven that the social network service subscription market is completely feasible.Snap recently announced that Snapchat+, with a starting price of $3.99 per month for exclusive features, has surpassed the 25 million subscribers mark.
