• Additional features and advanced technologies will be reserved for paying users
• The move reflects the company’s aim to recoup its accelerated spending on artificial intelligence

Meta is preparing to test new paid subscription models across its various apps, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, in the coming months.

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The report, confirmed by a Meta spokesperson, said the upcoming subscription plans aim to boost productivity and creativity by providing subscribers with additional features, alongside expanded AI capabilities.

It explained that Meta intends to expand the use of its general AI agents under Manus as part of these plans, the company it recently acquired.

Meta had acquired Manus, a developer of AI agents headquartered in Singapore and founded in China, in December of last year, in a deal reportedly valued at around $2 billion.

According to the report, through these subscriptions, Meta could be seeking a return on its massive investments in AI talent and acquisitions over the past year, even before completing the Manus deal.

Although Meta develops large language models, they remain open-source, meaning their use is still free, unlike the paid subscription models offered by other leading companies in the field, such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.

The report also noted that the paid subscriptions could include full access to the AI-powered short video experience, which allows users to create and remix AI-generated videos.

While this service has been free since its launch in 2025, the new model will maintain a basic free version with the option to pay for additional features.

Meta confirmed that these subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, the service launched in 2023, which grants content creators and businesses a verified badge, 24/7 direct support, protection against identity theft, search visibility improvements, and other benefits.

The company also stated that it intends to listen to user feedback and gather input as it rolls out the new subscription models in the coming months.