Instagram is introducing new features that are accessible through a paid subscription. The social media platform is currently testing Instagram Plus, a subscription service that enables users to prolong the duration of their story posts, highlight their stories to showcase them at the top of followers’ feeds, and track the number of story replays. Additionally, subscribers can stealthily view other users’ stories and create multiple friend lists to control who sees each story.
This move reflects a broader industry trend away from universally free services, a shift that some argue is becoming burdensome for users. Financial planner and newsletter author Hanna Horvath notes the prevalence of subscription pricing models across various sectors, attributing this to the “tierification of everything,” where companies introduce paid tiers while potentially compromising the quality of the free tier.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has not disclosed the specific locations where Instagram Plus is being trialed. However, users in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines have shared screenshots of the new features being tested, with a reported monthly cost of around $3 Canadian in Mexico. This development follows a pattern observed in various platforms, such as LinkedIn’s premium subscription tiers and paid features in dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.
The introduction of paid features on social media platforms is not unique to Instagram. Elon Musk implemented paid subscriptions on Twitter and rebranded the platform as X in 2022. Snap launched Snapchat+ last year, offering exclusive features to paid subscribers. Meta has also expressed interest in exploring paid options for Facebook and WhatsApp in addition to Instagram.
According to financial expert Hanna Horvath, companies tend to cater to higher-income consumers who are willing to pay premium prices, potentially overlooking the concerns of price-conscious users. Brett Caraway, from the University of Toronto, highlights the potential success of Instagram Plus for engaging top users but also raises concerns about the negative implications, such as creating a hierarchy among users and risking alienation of non-paying users.
The shift towards paid features on social media platforms aims to increase revenue streams beyond data mining and targeted advertising. This trend, as observed by Caraway, is a delicate balance between satisfying users, advertisers, and boosting revenue. Despite some consumer resistance against paying for multiple services, the trend towards paid features may continue as platforms seek to diversify revenue sources beyond advertising.
