WhatsApp is Testing ‘Plus’ Subscription With Custom Themes and More

WhatsApp has started testing a new ‘Plus’ subscription in select markets that offers more theme options, the ability to pin extra chats, and other perks. WhatsApp appears to be offering a one-month free trial to this new Plus subscription, and the company confirmed to TechCrunch that it will be listening to feedback to understand what kind of premium perks users really want.

“WhatsApp is testing a new, optional subscription called WhatsApp Plus, designed for users who want more ways to organize and personalize their experience,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Premium features include expanded pinned chats, custom lists, new chat themes, and more. We’re starting with a small test to gather feedback and ensure we’re building something people find genuinely valuable.”

Meta previously told TechCrunch in January that it was planning to introduce new premium subscriptions on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. An ‘Instragram Plus’ subscription is already being tested in select markets, offering the ability to view stories anonymously, creating different audience lists for Stories, and more.

WhatsApp Plus currently offers premium stickers, chat themes, app icons, and ringtones, plus the ability to pin up to 20 chats instead of just three. However, the premium subscription doesn’t appear to remove ads that may now appear when users check ephemeral Status updates. Meta previously launched ad-free subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram, though only for users in the EU and the UK.

According to WABetaInfo, beta testers are seeing a €2.49 price for WhatsApp Plus in Europe, but pricing may vary by market. There’s nothing really transformative in the current list of WhatsApp Plus features, though the team may want to take some inspiration from what Instagram is doing with its own Plus subscription.