It’s been a long time coming, but WhatsApp’s paid-for ‘Plus‘ subscription is now live for some Android beta testers. Meta is taking its time with the rollout, meaning only a select few regions have access at the moment. WhatsApp hasn’t confirmed exactly which those are, but one thing is certain: South Africa isn’t involved. Yet.
Would you pay for WhatsApp Plus?
We’re not complaining. For the moment, WhatsApp Plus is a ‘nice to have’ for folks who spend a lot of time on the messenger. It mainly offers cosmetic upgrades, judging by the official FAQ. That might change somewhere down the line if our theory is correct. For now, though, South Africans really aren’t missing out on anything.
“WhatsApp Plus is an optional subscription that gives you access to additional premium features on WhatsApp. The WhatsApp you know and rely on remains free—simple, reliable, private messaging and calling. This subscription does not change your core experience, and we are committed to ensuring that WhatsApp continues to get better for everyone,” the FAQ reads.
We already had a rough idea of what to expect from a paid-for WhatsApp subscription. But seeing it be made official, we’re even less excited than before. For example, subscribers get access to exclusive features such as, er, changing the WhatsApp logo on their device. Or pinning up to twenty chats at a time, instead of the standard three.
Premium ringtones and exclusive sticker packs also make an appearance, though we don’t imagine it’ll be long before someone makes them downloadable elsewhere. It’ll just take some looking. As many as eighteen new themes are also available, according to WABetaInfo. These include Vibrant Blue, Royal Purple, Deep Navy, Bright Lavender — you get the idea. New colours. A little more personalisation. For money. Real-life money.
How much money, even WhatsApp doesn’t seem to know. Pricing appears to vary across the regions where it’s available, like US subscribers forking over $3/m — or R50/m converted. It’s a different story in Pakistan, with WhatsApp charging PKR230 for access. That’s a far more budget-friendly R14/m in South Africa. We could see that price rise when WhatsApp eventually introduces ads — and a way to be rid of them. For money.
