You might need to shell out some extra cash if you want to access WhatsApp's newest features.
According to the eagle-eyed team over at WABetaInfo, the popular chat app is working on a slew of new capabilities that will be locked behind a monthly subscription. Dubbed WhatsApp Plus, the incoming paywall could come with several customisation options — including the ability to completely alter the design of the chat app and use exclusive ringtones.
A paid subscription has been hinted at for some time. If this does come to fruition, it's been rumoured that current features will still be free to access. However, more updates in the future could be added to the subscription to entice you to pay for it.
Here's everything you need to know about the first possible features that could cost you a monthly fee if you choose to use them.
The team over at WABetaInfo has spotted the potential to customise the app's appearance with new themes and accent colours
|According to the above screenshot — taken from an early beta test of WhatsApp — you'll be able to personalise the app's theme, icon, and accent colours. It appears that you'll be treated to a selection of 14 new icons and various colour choices.
This means if you're tired of the app's iconic green logo, you can switch it to something new — such as a navy blue or a lilac shade. While you can currently pin your most important chats, you're limited to three at a time. WABetaInfo's team says that this could now be expanded up to 20 different messaging threads.
If you use WhatsApp for both work and personal chats, the three-pin limit may not be enough. This extra allowance could come in handy if you're constantly scrolling down to locate the latest update on your family's group chat or are sifting through several threads to find important meeting information your colleague sent you a few days prior.
It's been spotted that you may be able to pin up to 20 chats instead of the standard three in the upcoming WhatsApp paid subscription
|Several new ringtones have been spotted, too. These short melodies have been said to have their own "distinctive style." This expanded collection could help you differentiate your call notifications. For instance, if you're waiting to hear from a family member or friend calling, the specialised ringtone will alert you without you having to dig your mobile out of your bag.
While these specific features have not been confirmed by Meta yet, the US tech firm has said it is testing several paid options across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.
Prior speculation had suggested they could affect how you connect with other users, offer expanded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, introduce personalised contact lists, and more.
You could potentially be treated to an expanded library of new ringtones in WhatsApp's upcoming paid subscription
|WhatsApp has recently come out with a slew of new features in the last few months. For instance, a recent update adds "extreme protection" to your service. You have also been treated to new stickers, member tags, and special notifications when sending messages in your group chats.
If Meta does move forward with its paid subscription options, this could mean that features like the ones recently released can no longer be accessed for free.
WhatsApp has just released new group member tags and text stickers to help organise your chats and add more personality to the messages you're sending, but newer features like this one may be accessed behind a paywall in the future
| WHATSAPP PRESS OFFICESpeaking to TechCrunch, Meta also shared that it plans to use Manus in upcoming feature roll-outs, which is an AI agent the company recently acquired for $2 billion. In fact, Meta has already been seen working on adding a shortcut to Manus in Instagram's settings page.
#Instagram is working on adding a shortcut to Manus AI in the settings page 👀 pic.twitter.com/CI9yYJD896
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 23, 2026
The company is planning on testing other subscriptions, too, like Vibes video generation. This is Meta’s AI-powered short-form video experience built into the Meta AI app. This feature allows you to create and remix AI-generated videos. While this has been a free feature since its launch last year, future access to new editing tools may also be trapped behind a paywall.
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However, these new paid subscriptions shouldn't be confused with the recent fees you can now pay to use Facebook and Instagram.
Users in the UK have recently been given the choice to use Meta's platforms for free or subscribe to use them without ads. A subscription to have an ad-free experience would set you back £3.99 per month.
It's worth noting that this subscription is also completely separate from Meta Verified across your WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.
Meta Verified is a free service that can be used on your WhatsApp to build trust and enhance security
|META PRESS OFFICE
Meta Verified is another paid service that provides a blue checkmark badge, enhanced account security, impersonation protection, and direct customer support.
It's designed to assist you and your business if you're trying to establish authenticity and build trust for contacts and audiences.
A subscription to Meta Verified is free if you're using it for a WhatsApp account. Although your WhatsApp would need to be converted into a business account, which is also free.
For Instagram or Facebook, you'd need to dish out £9.99 to take advantage of the Meta Verified service.