WhatsApp may introduce €4 subscription with no added features

WhatsApp may expand advertising to more regions while offering users a paid option to remove ads, according to details discovered in the app’s Android beta version.

Code identified in WhatsApp beta version 2.26.3.9 suggests the company is testing a monthly subscription that would provide an ad-free experience. Screenshots shared by WABetaInfo indicate that the subscription is aimed at users in Europe and the United Kingdom, with an estimated cost of around €4 per month. Meta has not officially confirmed pricing.

At present, advertisements on WhatsApp appear only in the Updates tab, which includes Status posts and Channels. These ads consist of Status Ads displayed between updates and Promoted Channels shown as recommendations. Under the proposed subscription, these ads would be removed, while core services such as private messaging, voice calls and video calls would remain free.

Meta introduced ads in WhatsApp’s Updates tab in the United States last year and has since expanded them to additional regions.

The company has said ad targeting does not use private chat content, and instead relies on factors such as language, general location and user activity within the Updates tab.

The move comes amid regulatory requirements in Europe and the UK that mandate platforms to offer users a choice between ad-supported services and paid, ad-free alternatives. Similar subscription models have already been introduced on Meta’s other platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, in those markets.

According to the report, subscriptions would be managed through Google Play in-app purchases, with changes taking effect shortly after activation. It remains unclear whether the ad-free option would apply solely to WhatsApp or be bundled across Meta’s apps via the Accounts Center.