WhatsApp has fiercely defended its status as a free, no-nonsense online messaging app for over a decade, but a new subscription tier is muddying the waters.
Meta is rolling out WhatsApp Plus, a paid subscription model, to a limited number of iPhone users using the latest version of the App Store.
So, what does WhatsApp Plus actually offer?
The list of benefits included as part of the WhatsApp Plus subscription sounds more like a cosmetic buffet than something useful. First, subscribers get 18 accent colors to replace the app’s signature green theme.
Then, there are 14 alternative home-screen icons to choose from. Additional perks include premium animated sticker packs, 10 exclusive call ringtones, and the ability to pin up to 20 chats (up from three), which is the only benefit I can imagine using.
What’s more is that subscribers can also apply unified themes and alert tones across entire chat lists, but the core WhatsApp experience, including E2EE messaging, calls, video, and status updates, remains the same.
How much does the WhatsApp Plus subscription cost?
In European markets, the subscription is priced at around €2.49 per month. While the US pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, it could land around $2.49 to $2.99. A free trial, for a week or a month, depending on the region, may also be available for eligible users.
For now, the WhatsApp Plus subscription is billed monthly via the App Store. For now, WhatsApp Business accounts can’t access the subscription, which is all the more questionable, since such users are more likely to pay for paid tiers.
What doesn’t sit well with me is that several WhatsApp Plus headline features are already available on rival messaging platforms for free; no monthly fee required.
Competitor apps offer chat background customization for free
Take the custom themes feature as an example. Telegram has already had the chat background customization feature, along with dark/light mode switching, for years, without a paid subscription.
Signal recently added a paid tier for cloud backups (removing the 45-day restriction on media storage), but even so, it lets users set custom chat wallpapers at zero cost. Apple’s native messaging service, iMessage, also offers free chat customization inside the Messages app, including per-contact photo backgrounds.
You see? What WhatsApp is charging for is already available in the base package of its competitors.
The paid tier should have included more useful features
The Telegram Premium subscription, which costs $4.99 per month in the US, raises the file upload limit from 2GB to 4GB, provides voice message transcription, real-time chat translation, boosts download speeds, and allows users to join up to 1,000 Telegram channels.
These, in my opinion, are functional updates that change the way you use the app. WhatsApp Plus, however, only changes how the app looks, for the most part.
WhatsApp Plus, I’d say, isn’t a bad product. It’s a perfect add-on for enthusiasts who might want a purple app icon and animated stickers. However, for value-seeking buyers like me, the competition is offering more, either for less or nothing at all.