Forget about your paid blue tick, Meta wants you to pay for more tools

• Meta is testing paid subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
• Free access remains for all core features; paying isn’t required.
• Subscribers get AI-powered tools: smarter assistants, automation, and content creation.
• Blue tick holders must pay separately to access these new features.
• Includes Meta’s Vibes video app and AI from Manus, a $2bn acquisition.
• Initial tests suggest that these tools could boost productivity for creators and businesses.

If you’re already paying Meta for a verified badge on Instagram or Facebook, get ready: the company wants you to open your wallet again.

Meta is preparing to launch new paid subscription tiers across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that will offer AI-powered tools and features separate from the blue tick verification service it introduced in 2023. The trials will begin in the coming months.

The company says basic access to all three platforms will stay free, but users who want smarter AI assistants, advanced content creation tools, and automation features will need to subscribe. Meta hasn’t announced pricing yet.

Manus, an AI company in Singapore, was acquired by Meta for $2 billion last December and is a key part of this development. Unlike typical chatbots that need a lot of prompting, Manus’s technology understands your requests and completes them on its own. For example, you could ask it to plan a three-day trip to Dubai, and it would handle the research, bookings, and schedule without needing many additional questions from you.

See also: China to review Meta’s controversial $2bn Manus AI deal

The company will keep selling Manus subscriptions directly to businesses while folding the technology into consumer subscriptions.

This move by Meta is more than just a blue tick

The difference is clear: the blue tick only verifies identity, but these subscriptions are built for action. From video generation apps like Vibes to AI assistants that can plan trips or make presentations, paying users will get tools that make the apps more productive and creative. Free users won’t lose anything, but they won’t get these added capabilities.

This move indicates Meta’s continued effort to generate revenue. Paid verification was only the first step. Now, the company believes users will pay for enhanced features, not simply verification badges.

Meta tested some of these features last year, including limiting the number of links shared in posts. The subscription model allows paying users to share more links compared to those with free accounts.

For everyday users, this means more choice: stick with the free version, or pay for advanced features. For content creators and businesses, the AI tools could make planning, posting, and managing content faster and more efficiently.