Meta Begins Testing Instagram Plus With Exclusive Features

You can now pay for extra perks on Instagram, on top of what you already get, in select regions. Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is testing a paid Instagram Plus subscription, with most of the new features focused on Stories. To clarify, it is different than the Meta Verified subscription.

Here’s what you get with Instagram Plus subscription

One of the headline features in Instagram Plus is anonymous Story viewing. You can watch someone’s Story without showing up on the viewer list, which is a pretty big shift from how it’s worked so far. On the other side, creators get more granular insights, like how often a Story is rewatched and a quicker way to check if a specific person has seen it.

Subscribers also get more control over who sees their Stories. Instead of just Close Friends, you can create multiple custom lists and choose exactly who gets what. Stories can stay up for an extra 24 hours, and you can pin one Story each week to push it to the front of your followers’ feeds. Add animated Superlikes on top, and it’s clear the focus here is driving more engagement.

How much do you need to pay for Instagram Plus?

User reports suggest Instagram Plus is rolling out in select markets, including Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines. In Mexico, it’s priced at MX$39 a month, while users in Japan are seeing ¥319. In the Philippines, it drops to PHP 65 monthly. That works out to roughly $1 to $3, which suggests Meta is keeping the entry price low while it tests demand.