Meta is preparing to trial premium subscription offerings across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp in the coming months, marking its latest push to expand paid services across its social media platforms.

The technology giant said the new subscriptions would unlock additional features, including expanded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, while keeping the core experiences on its apps free to use. Meta told TechCrunch (link?) that the premium tiers are intended to offer more productivity and creativity tools, alongside greater control over how users share and connect on its platforms.

Rather than pursuing a single model, Meta said it will test a variety of subscription features and bundles, with each app expected to have its own distinct set of exclusive tools. The company stressed that it is not locked into one strategy and will use feedback from users as it experiments with different approaches.

Among the features being explored are paid options for AI-powered tools, including its Vibes video generation product. Vibes, which was announced in September as part of the latest version of the Meta AI app, is described by the company as a service that “can bring your ideas to life with new AI visual creation tools”. While the short-form video experience has been free since its launch last year, Meta now plans to introduce a freemium model, with subscriptions unlocking additional video creation opportunities each month.

Meta also intends to incorporate Manus, a Chinese-founded AI firm it agreed to buy in December for a reported $2bn (£1.46bn), into its subscription plans. According to TechCrunch, the company will integrate Manus into its consumer-facing products while continuing to offer standalone Manus subscriptions to businesses.

At the time of the acquisition, Meta said the deal would strengthen its AI capabilities by giving users access to so-called “agents” — tools designed to carry out complex tasks with minimal user interaction, such as planning trips or creating presentations. “Manus’s exceptional talent will join Meta’s team to deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including Meta AI,” the company said in a blog post.

Now based in Singapore after relocating from China, Manus has positioned itself as a developer of what it claims to be a “truly autonomous” agent. Unlike many chatbots that require repeated prompts, Manus says its technology can plan, execute and complete tasks independently based on user instructions.

The acquisition has attracted regulatory scrutiny in China. In January, Beijing said it would investigate the deal to determine whether it breached the country’s technology export laws or national security regulations.

Details of what paid features might look like on WhatsApp and Facebook have not been confirmed. However, reporting and early testing suggest that subscriptions on Instagram could include tools such as unlimited audience lists, insights into which followers do not follow a user back, and the ability to view Stories anonymously.

Meta has emphasised that the new subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, the paid verification service it began rolling out in 2023. Meta Verified offers a blue tick, direct customer support, impersonation protection, search optimisation and exclusive features, and is primarily aimed at creators and businesses. The company said it will apply lessons learned from Meta Verified as it evolves its broader subscription business to appeal to everyday users, creators and organisations.

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The move builds on earlier experiments with paid features. Last year, Facebook tested limits on how many links some users could share in posts, with notifications shown to users in the UK and US stating that sharing more links would require a subscription. Meta described the test as “a limited test to understand whether the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value” for subscribers.

By expanding its subscription portfolio, Meta is seeking new revenue streams at a time when users are increasingly selective about paid digital services. The company acknowledged it will need to offer compelling features to overcome subscription fatigue, as multiple platforms compete for monthly spending.

Meta said it plans to listen to its community and gather feedback as it begins rolling out the new subscription tests across its apps in the months ahead.