Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) confirmed it has initiated a test of a premium Instagram subscription dubbed Instagram Plus, and the stock responded with a 2% gain Monday. The company validated the pilot to TechCrunch, while an Instagram spokesperson commented to Bloomberg about the broader objectives of the experiments.
The subscription package centers on additional controls and engagement tools for Instagram Stories. Among the capabilities reported, subscribers would be able to view other users' Stories without triggering a view notification for the original poster, and see rewatch counts on their own Stories. The premium tier would also allow users to create an unlimited number of audience lists for Stories rather than being limited to the existing Close Friends option.
Other features included in the reported test are the option to extend a Story for an extra 24 hours and a weekly ability to spotlight a Story so it appears at the front of followers' Stories tray to boost visibility. Subscribers reportedly would also be able to send animated "Superlikes" on other users' Stories and perform searches of their viewer lists.
Social media coverage indicates the trial is running in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines, although Meta did not explicitly confirm which countries are part of the experiment. The current pilot follows an earlier announcement from Meta in January that it planned tests of new subscription offerings across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
Meta's public comment to Bloomberg emphasized that the company is using these tests to determine which premium features deliver the most value to users. After Monday's trading session, Meta shares were little changed in after-hours trading.
Context and outlook
The pilot is presented as a learning exercise to gauge consumer interest in paid feature sets rather than a full product launch. Details about pricing, broader availability, or a timetable for expansion were not provided in the confirmation to TechCrunch or the comments to Bloomberg.