WhatsApp Rolls Out $29 Plus Tier on iOS With 18 Themes and 20 Pinned Chats
Updated
Updated · MacRumors · May 11
WhatsApp Rolls Out $29 Plus Tier on iOS With 18 Themes and 20 Pinned Chats
11 articles · Updated · MacRumors · May 11
WhatsApp has begun a limited iOS rollout of its paid Plus subscription, extending a personalization-focused tier beyond beta testers to a small group of App Store users.
The plan centers on cosmetic upgrades: 18 accent colors, 14 alternate app icons, premium sticker packs with fullscreen animations, and bulk theme and alert settings across chat lists.
Plus also lifts the pinned-chat cap to 20 from 3 and adds 10 new ringtones; it is available only to regular accounts, not WhatsApp Business users.
Pricing shown so far is €2.49 a month in Europe and $29 in Mexico, with some users offered one-week or one-month free trials as wider availability expands in coming weeks.
Core WhatsApp features remain free, including messaging, voice and video calls, status updates, and end-to-end encryption, making Plus an optional add-on rather than a paywall.
With WhatsApp now charging for premium features, are essential free services next to be put behind a paywall?
Amidst 'backdoor' lawsuits, how does paying for WhatsApp Plus actually impact your data privacy and security?
As WhatsApp's revenue crosses $2 billion, can its original promise of user privacy survive Meta's monetization goals?