WhatsApp is launching a premium WhatsApp Plus subscription in select territories, reportedly adding decorative themes along with enhanced features like being able to pin up to 20 chats.
The new subscription arrives after WhatsApp’s parent company Meta confirmed earlier this year that it plans to add premium features to its family of chat apps as well as to Facebook. Meta began testing a similar subscription for Instagram in March.
According to WhatsApp’s customer-support pages, WhatsApp Plus includes unique stickers, app themes, icons and ringtones. Subscribers can also customize chat lists with alerts, ringtones and themes.
The website doesn’t reference pricing or which territories currently have access, but WABetaInfo’s analysis of the beta for this service found pages showing a 2.49 euro monthly price in Europe or $29 per month in Mexico. A Meta spokesperson said that the limited launch of WhatsApp Plus will help gather feedback to see how users respond to it.
“WhatsApp is testing a new, optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience. Premium features include expanded pinned chats, custom lists, new chat themes and more. We’re starting with a small test to gather feedback and ensure we’re building something people find genuinely valuable,” the spokesperson said.
WhatsApp’s new subscription arrives as other chat apps also find new ways to monetize their services, ideally with optional upgrades that don’t change how their core services work. Signal recently launched a $2 monthly secure backup service, and Telegram launched its own subscription back in 2022.
