WhatsApp Tests Paid ‘Plus’ Plan With Cosmetic Perks
2 min read
WhatsApp is experimenting with a new premium subscription—but don’t expect major upgrades just yet. The feature, called WhatsApp Plus, focuses mostly on personalization rather than adding powerful new tools.
The test has already been spotted by users, including social media consultant Matt Navarra, and the company has confirmed that it’s currently rolling out to a small group of users.
In a statement, parent company Meta said the optional subscription is designed for people who want more control over how their chats look and feel. Early features include custom themes, personalized icons, unique ringtones, and better chat organization options.
One of the more noticeable upgrades is the ability to pin up to 20 chats—far more than the current free limit of three. Users can also create custom chat lists and apply different themes or notification sounds to specific conversations.
However, beyond these visual and organizational tweaks, there aren’t many functional upgrades. For example, the subscription doesn’t remove ads from the Status section, which WhatsApp introduced last year.
Pricing hasn’t been officially announced, but reports from WABetaInfo suggest it could cost around €2.49 per month in Europe and roughly 229 PKR (about $0.82) in Pakistan. A one-month free trial may also be included.
This move isn’t entirely new for WhatsApp. Years ago, the app charged a small annual fee in some regions. But after being acquired by Facebook (now Meta), that fee was removed in 2016. Since then, WhatsApp has focused on business messaging and advertising as its main revenue sources.
That strategy has paid off. Meta revealed in its Q4 2025 earnings that revenue from its family of apps rose 54% year-over-year to $801 million, largely driven by paid messaging services on WhatsApp. The platform itself has now crossed a $2 billion annual revenue run rate.
Still, the new subscription is being tested on a limited scale, meaning only a small portion of WhatsApp’s massive user base—over 3 billion people—can access it for now.
For Meta, WhatsApp Plus appears to be a low-risk way to explore subscription revenue. But unless more meaningful features are added, it may remain more about style than substance.
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