WhatsApp may soon require paid subscription for ad-free experience

The messaging service WhatsApp is apparently preparing to introduce a paid subscription that removes ads. According to a recent report by WABetaInfo, corresponding code references were discovered in the current WhatsApp beta for Android (version 2.26.3.9). They suggest that users may soon be able to choose between a free, ad-supported version and a paid but ad-free option.

WhatsApp ads for all users?

Until now, WhatsApp has largely been financed through its integration with the infrastructure of its parent company Meta. Some users have recently started seeing ads, but for the time being they do not appear in private chats and are limited to status updates or channels that can be found in the updates tab. According to Meta, these ads are supposedly not personalized or targeted. Therefore, users who are chatting about their cat should not receive ads for cat food on their phone. On its business website, Meta is already promoting the upcoming option of showing ads to more than 1.5 billion people.

Users who do not want to see ads might be able to pay for a monthly €4 subscription. The core features of WhatsApp, such as sending messages and making calls, are expected to remain free for everyone. For now, this would mean that ads would still be shown in status updates, as suggestions for interesting channels would still appear from time to time. Many users will probably find this rather distracting.

The subscription is likely aimed at users who value uninterrupted usage when looking at status updates or browsing their channels. The WhatsApp subscription is also expected to hide the aforementioned channel suggestions. A screenshot shows a monthly subscription fee of €4, although this might just be a placeholder. It’s unclear if or when this new WhatsApp update will be rolled out.