Meta is getting ready to ask users to pay for more than just a blue checkmark. In the next few months, the company plans to test new subscription models across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the move, saying these paid plans will give users access to advanced features and more powerful artificial intelligence.
One of the biggest additions will be technology from Manus. Meta bought this AI startup in December for a reported $2 billion. Manus builds “AI agents” that can handle complicated tasks for you. By putting these tools behind a paywall, Meta hopes to turn its massive AI investments into actual profit.
Meta has spent billions over the past year to hire top-tier talent and buy up AI companies. While competitors like OpenAI and Google charge for their top chatbots, Meta made its main AI model, Llama, free for everyone to download. This means the company has to find other ways to make money from its tech.
Paid subscribers might also get the full version of “Vibes,” a tool that lets people create and remix AI-generated videos. Meta launched Vibes as a free service in 2025, but the company now plans to keep the best features for people who pay.
These new plans will stay separate from “Meta Verified.” That current service focuses on giving creators blue badges and better security. These upcoming subscriptions instead target “productivity and creativity.” Meta says it will listen closely to its users and gather feedback during the initial rollout.
For decades, Meta relied almost entirely on ads to make money. Now, it seems the company is betting that people will be willing to pay a monthly fee if the AI tools are good enough to help them work or create.
