Khaberni - The messaging application "WhatsApp", owned by Meta, is currently testing a new subscription package, similar to Instagram Plus and Snapchat Plus, that allows users to purchase icons, themes, customized ringtones, and more features.
The benefits of the paid package are mostly limited to appearance, and users do not gain many additional functional features.
Meta has confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch, according to a report by the technology news website, which "Al Arabiya Business" has seen, that it is testing this paid subscription.
A spokesperson for "Meta" said: "WhatsApp is testing a new optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience."
The spokesperson added: "Premium features include expanding pinned conversations, custom menus, new themes for conversations, and more."
He continued: "We are starting with a small test to gather feedback and ensure that we are building something that people truly find valuable."
While the company has not specified the price, "WABetaInfo" suggested that the package price might be 2.49 euros per month in Europe and 229 Pakistani rupees (USD 0.82) in Pakistan. The site also mentioned that the company would offer a one-month free trial to users.
In addition to features like customized themes and ringtones, the company will allow users to pin up to 20 conversations instead of the current maximum of three in the free version.
Subscribers to the paid package will be able to apply themes, ringtones, and specific notifications to chat lists.
It is worth mentioning that nothing has been said about removing ads from the status feature, which the company began displaying ads in last year.
More than a decade ago, "WhatsApp" charged a subscription fee of one dollar in some regions, but after Facebook's acquisition, the company canceled these fees in 2016.
Since then, "WhatsApp" has built its business on enabling companies to reach users through WhatsApp and allowing them to create "Click-to-Chat" ads.
This has turned into an important business for Meta. The company announced during the fourth quarter earnings call of 2025 that revenue from its app suite jumped by 54% year-over-year to reach 801 million dollars, largely due to paid messaging through "WhatsApp."
The company mentioned that "WhatsApp" revenues exceeded two billion dollars annually in the fourth quarter.
Since the "WhatsApp Plus" package is still in the early testing stage in limited markets, only a few of the "WhatsApp" user base, which exceeds 3 billion users, will be able to purchase the paid plan. This means that it is unlikely to cause a significant change in the company's budgets in the near term.
