Meta is rolling out a paid subscription tier called Instagram Plus in the Philippines, priced at ₱65 per month – and Filipino users can try it free for the first month.
The Philippines is among the first markets selected for the test, signifying Meta’s confidence in Filipinos’ willingness to pay for premium social features. That ₱65 price point is notably affordable – cheaper than a Netflix mobile plan – suggesting that Meta is deliberately pricing it within reach of Filipino mobile-first users.
Instagram Plus unlocks a set of features unavailable on the standard free app. Subscribers can see exactly who viewed their stories and track how many times each story was rewatched, something that’s long been a popular request on the platform.
The tier also lets users create multiple story audiences, browse other people’s stories anonymously without leaving a “seen” trace, and send “Super Hearts” as a reaction to stories. Two other perks round out the package: the ability to keep a story visible beyond the usual 24-hour window, and the option to boost a story’s reach directly.
Meta has not announced a global launch date, but testing the feature here suggests the Philippines is serving as a proving ground – a pattern Meta has used before when testing paid subscriptions in Southeast Asia.
My read on this: ₱65/month is a smart entry price for the Philippine market where spending decisions are highly sensitive. Compare it to what TikTok and YouTube already offer: TikTok has no paid tier, and YouTube Premium costs ₱159/month. Instagram Plus looks like a calculated move to grab early subscribers before competition heats up. The “anonymous story viewing” feature alone will likely drive signups, since Filipinos are notoriously curious about who’s watching their content. The real test, though, is whether Meta can keep adding enough value to justify monthly renewals once the novelty wears off.
If the test performs well, a wider Philippine launch – and eventually a regional rollout – could follow within the year.
