Meta is testing a new subscription service for Instagram that offers users “special” features like the ability to post stories for more than 24 hours. Screenshots promoting “Instagram Plus” have been seen by users in the Philippines and Mexico in recent days.
According to screenshots shared by social media consultant Matt Navara, the Instagram Plus subscription comes with several Story-focused features that are not otherwise available to Instagram users. This includes the ability to create multiple “audiences” for Stories posts, see information about who has rewatched your Story, search a list of people who have viewed your Story, preview Stories posts, extend Stories beyond 24 hours, and create “Spotlight” Stories. It also mentions something called “Super Hearts” for reacting to stories.
A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the test to Engadget, saying that Instagram Plus is currently available in “some countries,” but did not specify which ones. A dedicated support page on Meta’s website says the feature is not available to everyone right now. The spokesperson confirmed the feature list shown below, and said that “Previews” would allow people to view another user’s Story “without showing as a viewer” and that Stories posts could be extended for an additional 24 hours. “Our hope with these tests is to understand what people find most valuable in the premium feature set,” the spokesperson said.
It seems that the starting versions of the service are priced quite cheap, with prices in the Philippines at 65 PHP (about $1.07 in USD) per month and in Mexico at $39 MXN (about $2.15 in USD) per month. Meta is also offering a one-month free trial of the service to potential users.
The idea seems to be based on Snapchat+, which also offers bonus features to power users of the app. The service, launched in 2022, has garnered over millions of subscribers and has become a significant driver of non-advertising revenue for the company.
Now, Meta is looking to boost its subscription revenue as well. The company said earlier this year that it would test new types of subscriptions, including one focused on AI features. Elsewhere, Meta is also pushing its Meta Verified subscriptions more aggressively. Over the past several weeks, I’ve repeatedly seen promotions for discounted Meta Verified plans, with introductory one-month trials starting at $1 (the cheapest Meta Verified plans typically start at $14.99/month). The company also recently tested link-sharing features in Instagram captions for subscribers and limited link-sharing on Facebook for non-subscribers.
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