Meta may be planning to introduce subscriptions across its apps, including WhatsApp, where users will need to pay to get rid of advertisements that will become more frequent in Status and Channels. Alongside a subscription, WhatsApp is also reported to be exploring an ad-free plan tied to parts of the app like Status and Channels.

What is being reported

Meta has told TechCrunch it plans to test new subscriptions that offer access to exclusive features across its apps, including WhatsApp. Separately, Android Authority’s findings suggest WhatsApp’s beta code includes references to a subscription that removes ads from Status and Channels.

What could be paid

One reported idea is an optional plan that lets users view Status updates without ads, while users who don’t subscribe may see ads in the Status or Channels experience. These reports say the subscription wording was spotted in WhatsApp beta version 2.26.3.9, but Meta has not officially announced pricing or a rollout timeline.

WhatsApp also already has “channel subscriptions” in some form, meaning users can pay a monthly fee to support specific Channels for exclusive updates, according to WhatsApp’s own help documentation.

What likely stays free

Even in reports about subscriptions, the expectation being communicated is that WhatsApp’s core experience will remain free, with paid tiers positioned as optional add-ons. In other words, the bigger question is not “Will chats cost money?” but “Will WhatsApp add paid upgrades like fewer ads or extra features?”