WhatsApp is rolling out a paid tier for the app, but what do you actually get?
The Meta-owned messaging service is testing WhatsApp Plus, first confirmed by TechCrunch and now detailed on the company's FAQ page. Meta describes Plus as "an optional subscription that gives you access to additional premium features on WhatsApp."
Prices haven't been confirmed by Meta; I asked Meta's own AI within WhatsApp and it said a price hadn't yet been announced. Mashable also reached out to Meta for further information.
So, what are you paying for with WhatsApp Plus? The features include paid-only stickers, ringtones (yes, ringtones), themes, wallpapers, and icons — and if you personalise your theme and icons, only you can see them (the person you're messaging can't). Plus, the ability to pin 20 chats. That seems to be it so far.
If you're worried about being paywalled, WhatsApp said the app's current functionality will remain as is for non-paying users. "The WhatsApp you know and rely on remains free — simple, reliable, private messaging and calling," the FAQ page reads. "This subscription does not change your core experience, and we are committed to ensuring that WhatsApp continues to get better for everyone."
Meta's plans to test paid subscription tiers for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp were confirmed in January; the company started testing Instagram Plus in March. The premium tiers simply mean more revenue for Meta. The company ended 2025 with nearly $60 billion in Q4 revenue and exceeding $200 billion for the year. In its 2025 Q4 earnings report, Meta said 3.5 billion people use a Meta app daily, an audience that's about to see a lot more AI-generated advertising in their feeds.