Trending Now - Meta Trials Instagram Plus Subscription With New Features
WHO:
TechCrunch - Meta is the organization testing the Instagram Plus subscription.
Engadget - Matt Navarra is a social media consultant who shared screenshots of the Instagram Plus subscription.
WHAT:
Engadget - The Instagram Plus subscription includes the ability to create "spotlight" Stories, which allows users to highlight one Story per week.
Engadget - The subscription also allows users to see how many people have rewatched their Story.
Engadget - The Instagram Plus subscription includes a feature called “super hearts” for reacting to Stories.
Engadget - Meta's spokesperson stated, “Our hope from these tests is to understand what’s most valuable to people in a premium feature set.”
CNET - New features behind the Instagram Plus paywall include spotlighting one Story per week.
TechCrunch - Meta is testing a premium subscription called Instagram Plus.
Engadget - Instagram Plus offers features such as anonymous Story viewing, extended Story durations of up to 48 hours, the ability to create multiple audiences for Stories, and the option to see who has rewatched a Story.
Engadget - The subscription is priced at 65 PHP (approximately $1.07 USD) per month in the Philippines and 39 MXN (approximately $2.15 USD) per month in Mexico.
Engadget - Meta is offering a free one-month trial of the Instagram Plus service.
WHERE:
TechCrunch - The Instagram Plus subscription is being tested in a few countries, specifically mentioned are the Philippines and Mexico.
WHEN:
TechCrunch - The testing of Instagram Plus was confirmed on March 30th, 2026.
Engadget - The Instagram Plus subscription features were spotted in recent days prior to March 30th, 2026.
WHY:
Engadget - Meta is testing Instagram Plus as part of its strategy to boost subscription revenue, similar to the success of Snapchat+, which has become a significant driver of non-advertising revenue since its launch in 2022.
Engadget - Meta aims to understand what features are most valuable to users in a premium subscription model.
Engadget - The testing of Instagram Plus is part of Meta's strategy to boost subscription revenue, similar to the success of Snapchat+.
HOW:
Engadget - The subscription allows users to search the list of people who have viewed their Story.
Engadget - Users can view some of another user’s Story without being counted as a viewer through the "preview" feature.
Engadget - The subscription allows users to extend Stories for an additional 24 hours beyond the standard duration.
(UPDATED March 31, 2026 17:21 UTC)
Meta has launched a new subscription service called Instagram Plus, which allows users to create "spotlight" Stories, highlighting one Story each week. Subscribers will also be able to see how many times their Stories have been rewatched. This move is part of Meta's strategy to increase subscription revenue, following the success of Snapchat+, which has significantly contributed to non-advertising revenue since its debut in 2022.
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(UPDATED March 31, 2026 13:22 UTC)
Instagram has launched a new subscription service called Instagram Plus, which includes a feature known as “super hearts” for reacting to Stories. A spokesperson for Meta explained that the goal of these tests is to determine what users find most valuable in a premium feature set. Additionally, this subscription allows users to see a list of people who have viewed their Story.
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(UPDATED March 31, 2026 01:22 UTC)
Instagram has introduced new features behind its Plus paywall, which include the ability to spotlight one Story each week. This update was reported by CNET at 19:19 UTC. The changes aim to enhance user engagement and provide added value for subscribers.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 19:19 UTC)
Meta has confirmed it is testing a new premium subscription called Instagram Plus, which offers features like anonymous Story viewing, extended Story durations of up to 48 hours, and the ability to see who has rewatched a Story. The subscription is currently being trialed in the Philippines and Mexico, priced at approximately $1.07 USD and $2.15 USD per month, respectively, with a free one-month trial available for users. This initiative aims to enhance Meta's subscription revenue by gauging which features resonate most with users, following a similar strategy that has worked for Snapchat+.