Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: WhatsApp Tests “Plus” Subscription Focused on Personalization Over Functionality

April, 21, 2026-04:12

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WhatsApp Tests “Plus” Subscription Focused on Personalization Over Functionality:

WhatsApp is currently experimenting with a new premium subscription tier called “WhatsApp Plus,” offering users additional customization options rather than major functional upgrades. Similar to subscription models like Instagram Plus and Snapchat+, the plan focuses on enhancing the visual and organizational experience within the app.

The optional subscription introduces features such as custom app icons, chat themes, personalized ringtones, and notification tones. It also expands certain capabilities, including increasing the number of pinned chats from three to up to twenty and enabling better chat organization through custom lists.

The feature was first noticed by users including social media consultant Matt Navarra, and later confirmed by Meta. According to the company, the rollout is currently limited as part of a testing phase to gather user feedback and refine the offering.

While official pricing has not been confirmed, reports suggest a potential cost of around €2.49 per month in Europe and approximately 229 PKR in Pakistan, along with a one-month free trial for early users.

Notably, the subscription does not include the removal of ads from the Status feature, which WhatsApp introduced previously. Historically, WhatsApp briefly charged a small subscription fee before its acquisition by Facebook (now Meta), but removed it in 2016 to focus on business messaging and advertising revenue streams.

This strategy has proven effective, with Meta reporting strong financial growth driven in part by WhatsApp’s monetization. The company highlighted significant revenue increases from its family of apps, with WhatsApp alone surpassing a $2 billion annualized revenue run rate in recent quarters.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi