What is Instagram Plus? Meta Begins Testing New Premium Subscription with Extra Features

Meta is trialling an Instagram premium subscription called Instagram Plus in selected markets, with early users getting new Story tools, anonymous Story viewing and audience controls. The company confirmed the test to TechCrunch and says the offer targets regular Instagram users rather than creators or brands.

The experiment follows Meta’s statement two months earlier that new subscription products were planned for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Instagram Plus sits alongside, but separate from, the Meta Verified programme, which focuses on creators and businesses seeking verification and impersonation protection for a monthly fee.

Instagram Plus Features

One of the main Instagram Plus premium subscription features is the option to watch Stories without appearing in the viewer list, so the creator does not know who viewed that Story. Meta also told TechCrunch that subscribers can see how many people rewatched their own Stories, giving extra detail beyond standard view counts.

Instagram Plus premium subscription tools also expand Story management. Subscribers may extend a Story’s life by another 24 hours and can spotlight one Story each week, which places it in front of other Stories in followers’ trays. The service lets subscribers send animated Superlikes on Stories and search the Story viewer list for specific accounts.

Instagram Plus Pricing & Availability

Another Instagram Plus premium subscription capability is creating unlimited audience lists for Stories. This goes beyond the single Close Friends option and lets people sort followers into many groups. Users can then share each Story with a chosen list, instead of deciding only between all followers or one small circle.

Meta has not officially disclosed every country involved in the Instagram Plus premium subscription test, but social media posts suggest availability in Mexico, Japan and the Philippines. Pricing screenshots shared by users show different monthly fees, with costs converted to roughly between $1.07 and $2.20.

Market Response and Meta's Plans

The Instagram Plus premium subscription arrives as other networks test paid models. Snapchat+ starts at $3.99 each month and recently passed 25 million subscribers, while X also sells subscriptions. Yet Meta faces subscription fatigue, and some Instagram users already criticise the new option in social media posts.

Meta says it will continue testing the Instagram Plus premium subscription before expanding it more widely and notes that additional countries may already be part of the pilot.