What is the story about?
Meta has initiated the testing phase of a new premium subscription on Instagram in a few countries. The subscription, called Instagram Plus, will give subscribers access to a range of exclusive features. These, premium add-ons will provide users the ability to view a story without the poster knowing who viewed it. Subscribers will also be able to see how many people have rewatched their own stories ,as revealed by a TechCrunch report.
Subscribers will be able to create unlimited audience lists for stories, beyond the existing “Close Friends” list. Moreover, users will be able to customize who sees each story by grouping followers into different lists, instead of only having the option to share with everyone.
Feature to extend stories beyond the usual 24 hours
Additionally, subscribers will be able to extend their stories for an extra 24 hours and spotlight a story up to once per week. Subscribers can also give an animated “superlike” on others’ stories and search their story viewer lists to quickly see if a specific person viewed their story. TechCrunch further notes that Meta has been testing the premium subscription in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines, its possible that the new addon might be being tested in a few other countries as well.
These paid subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, which offers a verified badge and impersonation protection for a monthly fee. Instagram Plus is designed for everyday users. Meta is following a path proven by Snapchat and X, which have established a market for premium subscription features. Snapchat recently announced that its Snapchat+ variant, starting at $3.99 per month, has topped 25 million subscribers. Meta says it will continue testing the Instagram premium subscription before a full rollout.
Pricing
Pricing will vary by country. According to screenshots circulating online, it is expected to cost approximately $2.20 USD per month in Mexico, $2 USD in Japan, and PHP 65 (about $1.07 USD) per month in the Philippines.
