The short answer is that it’s a premium Instagram subscription that, after being tested in a few countries, they’ve decided to roll out to all users worldwide. And as we mentioned in this article, it’s not the only subscription Meta is planning to launch.
Having addressed the headline for the skim-readers among us, let’s take a closer look at the details of this launch.
What is Instagram Plus
We knew Meta’s premium subscriptions were on the horizon, but the rollout timeline remained a mystery. Following its usual playbook, the company is testing the waters with a pilot phase before committing to a global launch.
Instagram Plus appears to be a premium subscription that provides access to exclusive features.
According to Adam Mosseri’s latest update on Instagram, the new Instagram Plus features will change how we use the app. For starters, you’ll be able to see how many times someone rewatched your stories (not who did it, but how many times). You can also create custom audience lists for your stories alongside the classic “close friends” list (and no, Selena Gomez’s secret friends list is not included), or extend your stories’ lifespan on your profile for an extra 24 hours. Plus, you can finally search through the viewer list of your stories, though a quick word of advice: don’t look for things you don’t want to see, because curiosity killed the cat. Mosseri also confirmed a long-awaited feature: you can preview at someone else’s story by pressing and holding it, and your name won’t show up on their viewers list.
As Meta explained in their official blog post, users will also get access to custom app icons, personalized bio fonts, the option to pin up to six posts to their profile, or post content directly to their grid or highlights without pushing it to their friends’ main feeds.
To boost engagement, the ‘Plus’ tier offers a weekly ‘Spotlight’ to push a Story to the front of the followers’ queue, along with the option to extend a Story’s lifespan to 48 hours. Finally, in a move reminiscent of YouTube’s engagement model, Instagram Plus users can send animated ‘Superlikes’ to react to content.
To use it, just go to your Instagram profile settings. If you don’t see it yet, don’t worry, it’s coming. After all, they just launched it globally.
How much does Instagram Plus cost
According to what’s being shared on social media, there appears to be a significant variation in price depending on where the user lives (at least for now).
In Mexico, the service is reportedly priced at 39 MXN (approx. $2.18/month), while in the Philippines, it sits at 65 PHP (around $1.05/month). Based on these figures, we expect it will cost around $2 per month. This is a nominal fee when stacked against streaming giants like Netflix or Disney+, or even other social platforms.
In the United Kingdom, it will cost £3.50. In the United States, however, the price is $3.99. But the thing is, in Europe… the amount is the same, just in euros. Therefore, it is the most expensive option at the moment.
It is important to note that this subscription is separate from Meta Verified. While the latter is a business-centric tool for creators and brands, Instagram Plus is a ‘lifestyle’ tier designed for the everyday user.
Despite growing ‘subscription fatigue‘ as platforms hike their prices, the model remains undeniably effective. Take Snapchat+, for example: the service recently surpassed 25 million subscribers at $3.99/month—proving that there is a massive appetite for premium social features. And here you thought Snapchat was a ghost town…
Would you pay to upgrade your Instagram experience?
Image: Matt Navarra
