What Instagram Plus costs and what you get
Instagram Plus is an optional subscription that costs $3.99 a month in the US.1 2 It began rolling out worldwide on 4 June 2026 and adds features mostly around stories: longer stories, more audience lists, a story preview that keeps you off the viewer list, and a count of how many times your stories were rewatched.3 4 Prices vary by country.2
It doesn't remove ads and it doesn't give you a verified badge. Instagram itself stays free: "The Instagram you know and love today isn't changing and will always be free; this new subscription is simply an optional upgrade."3
What's included
Instagram's announcement lists eleven features in three groups,3 and by mid-September 2026 Meta said a few more had been added.5
| Feature | What Instagram says it does |
|---|---|
| Story Spotlight | "Give your story priority for your friends." |
| Super Hearts | Animated hearts "that burst across the screen to celebrate stories from friends" |
| Multiple Story Audiences | "Create as many audience lists as you want" |
| Story Extend | "Set your story to last 48 hours" |
| Story Preview | "Preview stories without the pressure to react." |
| Story Rewatch Insights | "See how many times your stories were rewatched." |
| Search Viewer List | "Quickly check if a specific person viewed your story." |
| Custom App Icon | Icons designed by Instagram and creators |
| Custom Bio Font | A different font for your bio |
| More Profile Pins | "Pin up to 6 posts to your profile" |
| Post Directly to Profile | Post "without it appearing in friends' feeds" |
| Added by September 2026 | "custom DM and Story fonts, notifications when certain people view your Story, and DM previews"5 |
Instagram adds that "Included benefits may vary" and that the benefits available to you are shown "during onboarding before you subscribe."3
What it costs
Meta lists "Instagram Plus ($3.99/mo)" among its single-product plans,5 and Fox Business reported that Meta said that's the US price, with prices varying by country.2 Reported prices elsewhere:
| Country | Monthly price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $3.99 | Meta5 |
| India | ₹99, with 50% off for the first six months at launch | Inc426 |
| Malaysia | RM4.50, with a launch discount | RinggitPlus7 |
| Spain | €3.99 | El Español8 |
Meta's own caveat: "Plans, benefits, pricing, and availability may vary by region, by app, and by account."5 The price shown in your app is the one that counts. If you're reading older articles that quote 39 Mexican pesos or 65 Philippine pesos, those were test prices from March 2026, when Instagram was trying Plus in a few countries.9
What it doesn't do
- It doesn't remove ads. None of the features is ad removal. In the EU and UK, Meta sells a separate ad-free subscription for Facebook and Instagram: "This subscription is only available in the European Region and the United Kingdom."10
- It doesn't verify you. A verified badge comes with Meta's plans for creators and businesses. Meta's September 2026 post lists an Essential plan "starting at $14.99/mo" that includes "a verified badge" once you pass verification.5
- Meta says it doesn't show who rewatched your story. A Meta representative told Fox Business that "Instagram Plus does not give subscribers more information about other people's viewing habits," and that the rewatch figure is a total that doesn't name anyone.2
Story Preview and privacy
Story Preview has drawn the most privacy discussion. Instagram's feature page says it "lets you peek at someone's story without appearing in their viewer list,"4 and the Help Center says the viewer list and view number "do not include the usernames of Instagram Plus subscribers who have previewed your story."11
Two limits are worth knowing. Fox Business reported that Meta confirmed a subscriber can take a mini preview without appearing on the viewer list, and that people who post stories are shown a notice explaining that previews may not show up there.2 So, as we read it, the person posting is told previews exist, even if they can't see who used one. We compare Story Preview with the other ways of watching stories in how to view Instagram stories anonymously.
On the other side, Search Viewer List and Story Rewatch Insights make it easier for the person posting to check whether a particular person watched. We explain what the viewer list does and doesn't reveal in do Instagram story viewers appear in order.
Instagram Plus, Meta One, Meta Verified and the ad-free plan
Meta now sells several subscriptions that overlap. As of September 2026:
| Subscription | Price (US) | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Plus | $3.99/month | The story and profile features above5 |
| Meta One Core | $7.99/month | A bundle that includes Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus and Facebook Plus, plus extra Meta AI use5 |
| Meta One Premium | $19.99/month | "Everything in Core," with more Meta AI capacity5 |
| Essential (creator and business plan) | From $14.99/month | A verified badge after verification, impersonation protection5 |
| Ad-free Facebook and Instagram | EU and UK only | No ads, and your information isn't processed for ads10 |
Meta said in September that its paid plans had reached "15 million subscriptions and trials to-date," across all of Meta One, not Instagram Plus alone.5
How to subscribe or cancel
Mosseri's launch video said people can sign up in their profile settings.12 To cancel, Instagram's Help Center says you can cancel Instagram Plus "at any time through the Accounts Center in the Instagram app."13 Don't confuse it with the EU and UK ad-free subscription, which has its own cancellation page.10
Is it worth it?
If you post stories every day and want to know who's watching, or you want stories to last 48 hours, the features are real and the price is modest. If you mostly watch other people's stories, Story Preview is the feature that matters, and it gives you a preview, not a full view. Everything else about Instagram stays free.3
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Instagram Plus?
$3.99 a month in the US.5 Prices vary by country: ₹99 in India and RM4.50 in Malaysia were reported at launch.6 7
Does Instagram Plus remove ads?
No. Ad removal isn't one of its features. The ad-free option Meta sells is a separate subscription, only in the EU and UK.3 10
Does Instagram Plus give you a blue tick?
No. A verified badge comes with Meta's creator and business plans, not with Instagram Plus.5
Can Instagram Plus subscribers see who rewatched my story?
No. Meta says subscribers see a total, not names.2
Can Instagram Plus subscribers watch my story without me knowing?
They can preview it without appearing in your viewer list.4 11 Meta says people who post stories see a notice that previews may not appear there.2
Is Instagram Plus available in my country?
Instagram said on 4 June 2026 that it was "rolling out globally starting today,"3 but its Help Center also says "This feature is not available to everyone right now."14 Check the subscriptions section of your profile settings.
Sources
Pages were read on 8 October 2026. Help Center pages show no revision date.
- Engadget, The Instagram Plus subscription has officially launched, 4 June 2026: "Instagram Plus costs $3.99 a month."
- Fox Business, Meta pushes back on claims Instagram Plus exposes repeat story viewers, Stepheny Price, 27 September 2026.
- Instagram, Introducing Instagram Plus, 4 June 2026.
- About Instagram, Instagram Plus: Exclusive Features for Your Instagram.
- Meta Newsroom, Introducing Meta One: A Subscription Service With More Features and AI to Create, Connect, and Stand Out, 15 September 2026.
- Inc42, Meta Rolls Out Instagram Plus Amid Broader Monetisation Push, June 2026.
- RinggitPlus, WhatsApp, Instagram, And Facebook Plus Plans Are Now Live From RM3.50 A Month, June 2026.
- El Español, Ya es oficial: llega a España Instagram Plus, la nueva suscripción de pago de la popular red social, 5 June 2026.
- TechCrunch, Meta starts testing a premium subscription on Instagram, 30 March 2026.
- Instagram Help Center, How to cancel your subscription for no ads.
- Instagram Help Center, How to tell who's seen your Instagram story.
- 9to5Mac, Instagram Plus launches on iPhone, here's every new feature, 4 June 2026.
- Instagram Help Center, Cancel your Instagram Plus subscription: "You can cancel your Instagram Plus subscription at any time through the Accounts Center in the Instagram app."
- Instagram Help Center, Subscribe to Instagram Plus.
The StoryStalker editorial team
StoryStalker runs a viewer for public Instagram content, so we follow how Instagram works and how it changes more closely than most people would want to. Each guide is built from Instagram's Help Center, Meta's announcements and developer documentation, and named reporting, and every claim links to the page it came from. When Instagram doesn't document something, we say so instead of guessing. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Published October 27, 2026 · How we work
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