Meta Copies Snapchat’s Homework Again With ‘Plus’ Features for Instagram and Facebook | WIRED
Skip to main contentCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyMeta announced new upcoming subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp this week. Instagram isn’t going behind a paywall, no. Rather, users will now be able to pay $4 a month for extra features, like seeing who rewatched your story post or pinning more posts to the top of your profile. Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus ($4 a month), and WhatsApp Plus ($3 a month) will roll out globally sometime this summer.These “Plus” plans are an attempt by Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to diversify how it makes money from users. Meta is also doing what Meta does best with this move: mimicking other social media platforms’ successes—specifically, Snapchat.“Loving husband, father of four boys, VP Product @ Meta” reads Evan Spiegel’s tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn profile. Spiegel, the cofounder and CEO of Snap, has never actually worked at Meta, though his social media platform has directly inspired at least some existing features on Instagram. After Instagram launched Stories in 2016, then-CEO Kevin Systrom didn’t mince words about how his platform was sometimes iterating on Snapchat features, telling TechCrunch that “they deserve all the credit” for the format of Stories.In 2017, Snap launched a “Maps” tool where users could opt in and see the pinpoint location of where all of their friends were based on when they last opened the app. Instagram launched a very similar “Maps” feature just last year, where users could track the location of friends who chose to share their GPS data.And while IG’s recently launched “Instants” app, with its ephemeral, unfiltered snaps, is more like the once-popular BeReal than anything, disappearing photo messages are totally Snapchat’s main lane.“As we shared earlier this year, we're testing and scaling new subscriptions that provide deeper, more enhanced ways to use our apps and AI glasses,” says Maria Cubeta, a Meta spokesperson, over email. “So far, we’ve been testing subscription features for people to enhance how they express themselves and connect on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, like profile customization, stories insights, and super reactions.” She says this is just the start of the larger “Meta One” umbrella of subscription offerings, which will eventually include different, more expensive tiers catering toward businesses and creators as well as users who want extra access to Meta AI.At launch, Instagram Plus will have the most extra features, from additional pins on your profile and unique bio fonts to creating siloed audiences for your Story posts and “Super Heart” reaction buttons. Facebook Plus will mainly allow you to control and customize your experience with Story posts, like rewatch insights. WhatsApp Plus will include more pinned chats, visual customizations, and premium stickers.These subscription plans are simply history repeating itself. Snapchat dropped a $4 a month plan, called Snapchat+, back in 2022. It offered users access to exclusive features in the app and expanded over the few years, adding more options as well as AI tools. In February, Snapchat announced that this style of subscription plan helped the company achieve a “$1 billion annualized revenue run rate” in direct payments with over 25 million current subscribers around the world. (Despite being a font of feature inspiration, everything isn’t rosy at Snapchat, as the company struggles to turn a profit.)So, even down to the Plus naming convention, Meta seems to be heavily inspired by Snapchat once again. I would expect nothing less from the company that renamed itself during the metaverse fad. Following trends is Meta’s modus operandi. Keep an eye out for what Snapchat does next for a sneak peek at what Meta might do in a few years.CommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeHow to find us: Add WIRED.com to your preferred sources in GoogleHow the Canvas hack threatened thousands of schoolsBig Story: I've covered robots for years—this one is eerily lifelikeOrbs, saucers, and flashes on the moon—here’s what’s in the UFO filesTake our survey: What does “home” mean to you?Reece Rogers is WIRED's service writer, focused on explaining crucial topics and helping readers get the most out of their technology. Prior to WIRED, Reece covered streaming at Business Insider. ... Read MoreService WriterTopicsInstagramAppsSocial MediaFacebookWhatsAppsubscriptionssoftwareMetasocialsnapSnapchatGoogle Makes It Easy to Deepfake YourselfGoogle’s overhaul of its AI creation software, Flow, includes a new video model and a tool for generating selfie videos called avatars.Reece RogersI Cloned Myself With Gemini’s AI Avatar Tool. The Result Was Unnervingly MeI used the Gemini app to generate lifelike videos featuring a digital clone of myself. Google sees this as the future of creation. I’m still creeped out.Reece RogersThese Men Allegedly Profit Off Teaching People How to Make AI PornThree Arizona women have filed a lawsuit against a group of men that alleges they used the women’s photos to make AI porn influencers, then offered online courses showing others how to do it.Ej Dickson Elon Musk’s Last-Ditch Effort to Control OpenAI: Recruit Sam Altman to TeslaMessages between Shivon Zilis and Tesla executives reveal plans in 2017 to start a rival AI lab, potentially led by Altman or Demis Hassabis.Maxwell ZeffGemini Spark Is Google’s Response to OpenClaw’s 24/7 AI AgentGoogle’s always-running, data-hungry AI agent is designed to spend your money and send your emails.Reece RogersCUDA Proves Nvidia Is a Software CompanyThere’s a deep, forbidding moat that surrounds Nvidia—and it has nothing to do with hardware.Sheon HanOpenAI Brings Its Ass to CourtIn Musk v. Altman, the company claimed a remarkable trophy was physical proof of Elon Musk’s concerning behavior.Maxwell ZeffThe Real Losers of the Musk v. Altman TrialA federal jury is now deciding whether Elon Musk will win his lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman—but the trial has made everyone look bad.Maxwell ZeffMeta Employees Are Scrambling to Use Up Benefits Ahead of LayoffsOn the eve of about 8,000 jobs being cut, employees are cashing in on headphone stipends and other perks while they still can.Lauren GoodeGreg Brockman Defends $30B OpenAI Stake: ‘Blood, Sweat, and Tears’OpenAI’s cofounder and president revealed in federal court on Monday that he’s one of the largest individual stakeholders in the AI lab.Maxwell ZeffTaylor Swift Wants to Trademark Her Likeness. These TikTok Deepfake Ads Show WhyResearchers show scammers are using AI-manipulated footage of celebrity interviews to trick users into sharing their personal data.Miles KleeElon Musk Seemingly Admits xAI Has Used OpenAI’s Models to Train Its OwnWhile answering questions under oath, Musk argued it’s standard practice for AI labs to use their competitors’ models.Maxwell ZeffWired CouponsSquarespace Promo Code10% Off Exclusive Squarespace Promo Code 2026Home Depot Promo CodeMemorial Day Appliance Deals + Up to an Extra $1000 Off + Free Delivery on appliance purchases $998+LG Promo CodeLG Promo Code: 20% Off Your First OrderDell Coupon CodeDell Promo Code 20% OffSamsung Promo Code30% Samsung Coupon - Offer Program 2026Doordash Promo CodeDoordash Coupon $20 Off