Meta Tests Instagram Plus in Select Countries

Meta has started testing a paid Instagram subscription called Instagram Plus in a small group of countries, according to TechCrunch. The trial adds premium Story features and gives Meta another path as it explores subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Good to Know

• Instagram Plus includes Story features that are not part of the regular app experience.
• Users can reportedly watch a Story without the poster seeing their view.
• Social posts indicate the test is running in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines, with local pricing in each market.

Meta Adds Paid Story Features to Instagram Test

Meta is putting Stories at the center of the test. Instagram Plus subscribers can view a Story without appearing as a viewer, and they can also see how many people rewatched their own Stories. TechCrunch reported that subscribers can search the viewer list as well, which removes the need to scroll through every name manually.

The subscription also gives users more control over who sees each Story. Instead of relying only on a Close Friends list, subscribers can build unlimited audience lists and choose different groups for different posts. On top of that, users can keep a Story live for an extra 24 hours and spotlight one Story per week so it appears at the front of the Stories tray for followers.

Meta is also testing a more expressive feature set inside the same package. Subscribers can send an animated Superlike on other peoples Stories, adding another paid interaction tool inside the app. All of it points to a simple idea: Meta is testing whether users will pay for more privacy controls, more visibility, and more ways to manage Story sharing.

Meta did not publicly list the test markets, but TechCrunch said social media posts indicate the subscription is being tried in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines. Screenshots shared by users show pricing of MX$39 per month in Mexico, ¥319 per month in Japan, and PHP 65 per month in the Philippines.