WhatsApp Tests Plus Plan with Premium Features

Meta is testing a consumer subscription called WhatsApp Plus, its first paid tier for the messaging platform. The subscription offers additional features and organizational upgrades at €2.49 per month in Europe, with regional pricing in other markets (PKR 229 in Pakistan, $29 MXN in Mexico).

The company said the subscription is optional and focused on users who wants to personalize their messaging experience. Some users are also being offered a one-month free trial as part of the test.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the test to TechCrunch:

"WhatsApp is testing a new, optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience."

What Users Get with WhatsApp Plus

The subscription does not change how people use WhatsApp at its core. Messaging, voice calls, video calls, and end-to-end encryption remain free. Instead, the paid tier add new customization and organization capabilities.

Subscribers can choose from 18 custom theme colors and 14 different app icons. They also get access to exclusive animated sticker packs and 10 premium ringtones. One notable addition is chat management. Users on the free version can pin up to three chats. With WhatsApp Plus, that limit increases to 20.

The subscription is available on Android beta (version 2.26.15.11) in limited markets, with iOS planned for a later stage.

Why it Matters

Meta is building consumer-facing paid tiers across its app family simultaneously, with WhatsApp Plus joining Instagram Plus, which Meta began testing last month. Ads still accounts for more than 95% of Meta's annual revenue, and subscription revenue from a €2.49 per month tier is modest even at scale. What the test establishes is whether consumers will pay for personalization on a platform where Meta eliminated the original $1 per year fee in 2016.

The immediate impact on advertisers is minimal. WhatsApp's business messaging ecosystem and click-to-WhatsApp ads are unchanged. WhatsApp Plus operates on the consumer side of the platform, separate from the ad and commerce infrastructure.

How it Compares to Other Platforms

WhatsApp Plus follows a model already used by other platforms. Snapchat offers Snapchat+, which provides optional features without limiting core messaging. Telegram also runs a Premium tier with similar perks.

These models focus on optional upgrades rather than restricting access. Users who do not pay still get the full messaging experience, while subscribers gain added features.