For years, there have been jokes and rumours about Facebook eventually charging users just to keep their accounts active. Meta has not gone that far, thankfully, but it has now introduced paid "Plus" subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in Malaysia.
These new subscriptions are not replacing the free versions of the apps. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp can still be used normally without paying anything. Instead, Meta is positioning these Plus plans as optional upgrades for users who want extra personalisation, more control, and additional convenience features.
At the moment, however, the subscriptions do not appear to be available to everyone in Malaysia yet. The rollout seems to be happening gradually, so some users may see the option inside their apps while others may not.
How Much Do The Plus Subscriptions Cost In Malaysia?
In Malaysia, Meta's Plus subscriptions are priced separately for each app. Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus each cost RM4.50 per month, while WhatsApp Plus is slightly cheaper at RM3.50 per month.
That means users who decide to subscribe to all three services will be paying RM12.50 per month in total. Meta is also offering a free one-month trial for each subscription, allowing users to test the features first before deciding whether they are worth keeping.
The pricing is relatively low compared to many other digital subscriptions, but the bigger question is whether the extra features are useful enough for everyday users.
How To Subscribe To Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus And WhatsApp Plus
The subscription option is currently available through the mobile apps on Android and iOS. Based on current availability, users will need to check within each app separately.
For Facebook Plus, users can go to their account tab, scroll down to the "Upgrades" section, and tap on Facebook Plus.
For Instagram Plus, users can tap and hold their profile icon at the bottom-right corner of the app, then choose "Go to Accounts Center" when the option appears. From there, scroll down until the Instagram Plus option appears under "More from Meta."
For WhatsApp Plus, the subscription option can be found inside the WhatsApp Settings page.
Since the rollout is still gradual, not everyone will see these options immediately. It is also worth updating Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to the latest version, just in case the subscription menu only appears after an app update.
Facebook Plus: More Story Controls And App Customisation
Facebook Plus gives subscribers six additional features across Facebook and Messenger. Most of these features are focused on Stories, which makes sense considering Stories remain one of Meta's most frequently updated social features.
With Facebook Plus, users can preview Stories without appearing in the viewer list. This is useful for those who want to view a Story more privately without notifying the person who posted it.
Subscribers can also extend Story visibility from the usual 24 hours to 48 hours. This gives posts more time to be seen, especially by friends or followers who may not check Facebook frequently.
Other Story-related additions include rewatch statistics and the ability to search for specific viewers within a Story's audience list. For users who post Stories regularly, especially public figures, small businesses, or content creators, these tools can provide a better idea of who is engaging with their content.
Facebook Plus also adds animated "Super React" effects for Stories and custom app icons, allowing users to personalise how the Facebook app appears on their phone.
For casual users, these features may not feel essential. But for people who actively use Facebook Stories or enjoy customising their app experience, Facebook Plus may offer enough small extras to be interesting.
Instagram Plus: The Most Feature-Packed Subscription Of The Three
Among the three subscriptions, Instagram Plus appears to offer the most features. Subscribers get 11 additional perks, many of which are centred around Stories, profile customisation, and audience control.
Like Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus includes Story-related tools such as anonymous Story previews, 48-hour Story visibility, rewatch insights, and the ability to search through Story viewers. There is also a feature called Story Spotlight, which helps prioritise a user's Stories for friends.
Another useful addition is the ability to create unlimited custom Story audience lists. Normally, many users rely on the Close Friends list when they want to share Stories with a smaller group. With Instagram Plus, users can create more specific audience groups, which could be useful for people who separate personal friends, work contacts, fans, customers, or community groups.
Instagram Plus also includes animated Super Hearts reactions that can be sent to friends' Stories, adding a more expressive way to interact.
Beyond Stories, the subscription adds several profile and app customisation features. Subscribers can use custom app icons and custom bio fonts, giving their Instagram profile and app experience a more personalised look.
They can also pin up to six posts on their profile, which is more than the usual limit. This can be useful for creators, businesses, or anyone who wants to highlight more important posts at the top of their profile.
Another interesting feature allows users to publish posts directly to their profile or Highlights without showing them in followers' feeds. This could be useful for people who want to organise their profile without pushing every update to their audience.
WhatsApp Plus: Focused More On Personalisation And Chat Management
WhatsApp Plus is a little different from Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus. Instead of focusing on Stories or profile visibility, it is mainly built around personalisation and better chat organisation.
Subscribers get exclusive sticker packs, custom app themes, alternative app icons, and exclusive ringtones. These are mostly cosmetic features, but they may appeal to users who like making WhatsApp feel more personal.
One of the more practical upgrades is the ability to pin up to 20 chats. This is a big jump for users who manage many active conversations, whether for work, family, school, business, or community groups.
WhatsApp Plus also adds upgraded chat list management tools and more theme customisation options. These include changes to message colours, backgrounds, and other visual elements inside the app.
Compared to Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus feels less like a creator tool and more like a convenience upgrade for people who spend a lot of time messaging.
Do The Plus Subscriptions Remove Ads?
No, and this is probably one of the most important things to know.
Meta's Plus subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram do not remove advertisements. Users who subscribe will still see ads on those platforms. WhatsApp remains ad-free for now, but WhatsApp Plus is not an ad-removal subscription either.
This is different from the separate ad-free subscription that Meta offers in certain regions such as the UK and Europe. That subscription exists mainly because of regional privacy regulations and is not the same as the Plus plans now appearing in Malaysia.
So, users expecting Facebook Plus or Instagram Plus to deliver an ad-free experience may be disappointed. These subscriptions are more about extra features and customisation rather than changing the core advertising model of the platforms.
Are These Features Worth Paying For?
Meta's Plus subscriptions feel more like optional enhancements than must-have upgrades. They do not fundamentally change how Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp work. Instead, they add extra controls, more personalisation, and a few convenience tools that may appeal to specific types of users.
For creators, influencers, small businesses, and users who regularly post Stories, Instagram Plus may be the most useful of the three. The extra Story controls, viewer insights, custom audience lists, and profile tools could help with managing engagement.
Facebook Plus may appeal to users who still actively use Facebook Stories and Messenger, although its overall feature list is more modest.
WhatsApp Plus is likely to be useful for heavy WhatsApp users who want more pinned chats, more themes, and more control over how the app looks and feels.
Mostly Nice-To-Have, Not Essential
Overall, Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus are not subscriptions that most users will need. The free versions of all three apps remain fully usable, and the paid features are mostly focused on customisation, visibility controls, and convenience.
For some users, especially those who spend a lot of time managing Stories or active chats, the monthly fee may feel reasonable. For everyone else, these subscriptions will probably fall into the "nice to have" category rather than something worth paying for immediately.
Still, this move shows that Meta is continuing to explore new ways to generate revenue beyond advertising. Whether Malaysian users will embrace these subscriptions depends on how useful the extra features feel in daily use.
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