Meta Copies Snapchat’s Homework Again With ‘Plus’ Features for Instagram and Facebook | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersBest Computer SpeakersOutdoor Security CamerasBest Smart RingsRouters vs. ModemsBest Power BanksDeals DeliveredSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsMerchSearchSearchReece RogersGearMay 28, 2026 3:09 PMMeta Copies Snapchat’s Homework Again With ‘Plus’ Features for Instagram and FacebookMeta’s upcoming Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus subscriptions are the latest example of the company seeing what works elsewhere and mimicking it.Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave 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 MediaFacebookWhatsAppsubscriptionssoftwareMetasocialsnapSnapchatRead MoreGoogle 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 RogersWhatsApp Adds Meta AI Chats That Are Built to Be Fully PrivateThe company says its new Incognito Chat allows you to use its AI chatbot without anyone else—including Meta—being able to access your conversations.Lily Hay NewmanThe Top New Features in Google’s Android 17—and Gemini Intelligence—Coming This SummerYou’ll soon be able to generate your own widgets or ask Gemini to finish a booking in Chrome on Android.Julian ChokkattuZest Maps Is the AI-Powered ‘Spiritual Successor to Foursquare’This new app tracks every time you swipe your card at a cool restaurant—and tells all your friends.Reece RogersInstagram’s New Instants App Is a Snapchat Clone for Thirst TrapsInstagram’s Instants app lets you send disappearing photos—and it’s probably where your horny friends will post spicy pics.Reece RogersGoogle Search Goes Agentic—and Doesn’t Need You AnymoreVibe-coded results! Super widgets! Bots that never sleep! Google’s vision for the future of Search is hyper-personalized, automated, and extremely AI.Reece RogersEverything Announced at Google I/O 2026Google is sprucing up its Gemini models, revamping search, and enabling AI agents in everything. There are also some spiffy new smart glasses coming this fall.Boone AshworthThousands of Vibe-Coded Apps Expose Corporate and Personal Data on the Open WebCompanies like Lovable, Base44, Replit, and Netlify use AI to let anyone build a web app in seconds—and in thousands of cases, spill highly sensitive data onto the public internet.Andy GreenbergDoorDash Promo Code: 50% Off for June 2026Explore today’s top DoorDash promo codes for $25 off your first order, free delivery, and 50% off DashPass for students and select users.Molly HigginsGemini 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 RogersUpdate Your iPhone Now for Better Encrypted Messaging With AndroidAs part of the iOS 26.5 update, Apple’s Messages app can now encrypt texts between some iPhone and Android smartphones.Reece RogersA Dating App Is Giving Away Free Gas to Convince People to Get Out of the HouseAmid ongoing economic anxieties, BLK and other companies are giving away basic essentials to appeal to the public.Jason ParhamWired 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 Discount Code: 10% Off SitewideDell Coupon CodeDell Promo Code 20% OffSamsung Promo Code30% Samsung Coupon - Offer Program 2026Doordash Promo CodeDoordash Coupon $20 OffWIRED is obsessed with what comes next. Through rigorous investigations and game-changing reporting, we tell stories that don’t just reflect the moment—they help create it. When you look back in 10, 20, even 50 years, WIRED will be the publication that led the story of the present, mapped the people, products, and ideas defining it, and explained how those forces forged the future. WIRED: For Future Reference.More From WIREDSubscribeNewslettersLivestreamsTravelFAQWIRED StaffWIRED EducationEditorial StandardsArchiveRSSSite MapAccessibility HelpReviews and GuidesReviewsBuying GuidesStreaming GuidesWearablesCouponsGift GuidesAdvertiseContact UsManage AccountJobsPress CenterCondé Nast StoreUser AgreementPrivacy PolicyYour California Privacy Rights© 2026 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad ChoicesSelect international siteUnited StatesLargeChevronItaliaJapónCzech Republic & SlovakiaFacebookXPinterestYouTubeInstagramTiktok

Meta has introduced new subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, which provide users with additional features for a monthly fee, aiming to diversify revenue streams. These services include Instagram Plus at $4 a month, Facebook Plus at $4 a month, and WhatsApp Plus at $3 a month, with a broader framework known as the Meta One umbrella planned to include more expensive tiers for businesses and creators, as well as access to Meta AI. This rollout is positioned as an effort by Meta, under the leadership of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to replicate successful monetization strategies observed on other social media platforms, particularly Snapchat.

The impetus for Meta's move appears to be mirroring the innovations that Snapchat pioneered. Snapchat successfully introduced features that have influenced Instagram, such as the Stories format. Furthermore, Snapchat developed tools like the Maps feature, allowing users to see the real-time locations of friends, and the Instants application, which popularized ephemeral, unfiltered photo messaging. Instagram has subsequently adopted similar features, such as location tracking for friends and the Instants app, which are directly analogous to Snapchat's core functionalities.

Meta spokesperson Maria Cubeta indicated that the company is currently testing and scaling subscriptions that enhance user expression and connection across its applications, including profile customization, story insights, and Super Reactions. These subscriptions are described as preliminary steps toward the larger Meta One offerings. The specific features differentiating the initial Plus plans include additional profile pins and unique bio fonts for Instagram Plus, rewatch insights for Facebook Plus, and expanded chat features with pinned chats and visual customizations for WhatsApp Plus, among other enhancements.

This pattern of imitation stems from Snapchat’s prior success with its subscription model, which helped the company achieve significant revenue, reportedly reaching a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate with over twenty-five million subscribers. Although Snapchat faces current profit challenges, its subscription structure demonstrated a viable path for direct payments. Meta appears to be following this trajectory by adopting the "Plus" naming convention and feature-gated access to capitalize on established platform mechanics. In essence, Meta's strategy seems to hinge on observing successful competitor models and adapting them to enhance user engagement and monetization within its existing ecosystem.