The new plan focuses entirely on customisation, offering exclusive themes, icons, and sounds, while Meta keeps core messaging, calls, and privacy features free for everyone
WhatsApp has introduced its first paid subscription tier in India, called WhatsApp Plus, priced at Rs 79 per month. The launch marks a notable shift for a platform that has built its global dominance on being free, though Meta has been careful to ring-fence the subscription strictly around personalisation rather than functionality.
What Exactly Is WhatsApp Plus
WhatsApp Plus is a paid add-on for WhatsApp (available on both Android & iPhone) in India, which will alter the visual appearance and user experience, but will not add new functionality such as messaging, calling or privacy features. This initiative is part of Meta’s ongoing plan to implement paid subscription tiers across its major platforms (Instagram and Facebook).
What You Actually Get
Subscriber Benefits include:
– 18 exclusive colour themes (including Vibrant Blue, Royal Purple, and Forest Green)
– 14 alternative app icons (to replace the standard green WhatsApp logo)
– 10 exclusive notification sounds/ringtones (including names like Flutter, Ripple and Meadow)
– The most useful extra is the increased amount of “pinned chats.” The WhatsApp free-tier user only has a few pinned chats, while WhatsApp Plus subscribers have the ability to “pin” 20 chats.
What Stays Free for Everyone
Meta has stated that none of WhatsApp’s core features are subject to the paywall of WhatsApp Plus. All current features will remain available to all users free of charge (including End to End Encrypted Messaging; Voice and Video Calling; Channels; Status Updates; File Sharing; and all existing Security & Privacy Protection). Users who do not subscribe to WhatsApp Plus will continue to have the same primary functions as all other users, just without the visual enhancements provided by WhatsApp Plus.
