WhatsApp is testing a paid subscription that would let users remove ads, even as it plans to expand advertising to more regions. Beta testers in Europe and the UK have already spotted the new option in the latest Android release.
Screenshots shared by WABetaInfo show the subscription could cost around €4 per month. Meta has not confirmed pricing, and the feature is still under development. The company is keeping the core messaging experience free for everyone.
Currently, ads appear in the Updates tab, showing up between Status posts and as promoted Channels. Private chats, voice calls, and video calls remain untouched. Under the paid plan, those ads would disappear for subscribers, while free users would continue to see them.
Meta started showing ads in WhatsApp’s Updates tab in the United States last year and gradually expanded them to other markets. The company says ads do not rely on private chat content. Instead, they are based on general signals such as language, location, and activity in the Updates section.
The paid, ad-free option also complies with European and UK regulations that require platforms to offer a choice between ad-supported access and paid alternatives. Similar subscriptions already exist on Facebook and Instagram in those regions.
Subscriptions would go through Google Play, and changes may take a few minutes to take effect. It’s still unclear whether the plan will be limited to WhatsApp or linked across Meta’s wider account system. There is no confirmed launch date, and Meta says the feature must meet regulatory requirements before release.
