WhatsApp Testing Paid Features After Dominating as Free SMS Alternative

WhatsApp is testing a new paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus, offering users additional personalization features while keeping core messaging services free. The test, confirmed by Meta to TechCrunch, includes expanded pinned chats, custom themes, ringtones, and notification settings, aiming to enhance user experience without altering fundamental functionality.

The subscription allows users to pin up to 20 chats, an increase from the current free-tier limit of three, and apply custom themes and notification tones across chat lists. Additional features include access to premium sticker packs with fullscreen overlay animations, optional accent colors replacing the app’s default green, and alternate app icons ranging from minimal designs to textured effects like glitter, nebula, and fuzzy purple.

According to WABetaInfo, the test interface shows a potential price of €2.49 per month in Europe and $29 in Mexico, with a one-month free trial being offered to users during the testing phase. The company has not officially confirmed pricing for a global rollout.

Meta emphasized that WhatsApp Plus is designed for users seeking more ways to organize and personalize their experience, with a spokesperson stating the plan includes “expanded pinned chats, custom lists, new chat themes, and more.” The company clarified that the test is small-scale to gather feedback and ensure the features are genuinely valuable before any broader release.

Core functionalities such as messaging, voice and video calls, status updates, and end-to-end encryption remain free and unchanged. The paid tier does not remove ads from the Status feature, which WhatsApp began running last year, nor does it restrict any previously unpaid services. Instead, it sits alongside existing offerings as an optional enhancement.

This move aligns with Meta’s broader strategy to introduce subscription models across its family of apps. The company is already testing “Instagram Plus” in select markets, priced at roughly $1–$2 per month, which offers premium features focused on Stories, such as anonymous viewing, 48-hour story duration, and re-watch analytics. WhatsApp Plus follows a similar approach, targeting power users who spend significant time in the app.

Historically, WhatsApp charged a $1 annual fee in some regions before being acquired by Facebook, but discontinued the fee in 2016 after shifting to a business model centered on enabling companies to reach users and create click-to-WhatsApp ads. That model has since become a significant revenue driver for Meta, with the company reporting a 54% year-on-year increase in family of apps revenue to $801 million during its Q4 2025 earnings call, largely driven by paid messaging on WhatsApp.

The current test is available to a limited number of Android beta users in select regions, with a wider rollout planned over the coming weeks. Meta has not announced a timeline for when WhatsApp Plus might exit testing or become available to all users.