Meta introduces new subscription option for no ads on Facebook and Instagram

Meta is introducing a new subscription option for people in Europe to use its products without ads. Starting in November, the company will offer the choice to pay a monthly subscription to use Facebook and Instagram without any ads or continue using these personalised services for free with ads.

"Meta will offer people in the EU, EEA and Switzerland the choice to pay a monthly subscription to use Facebook and Instagram without any ads. They can alternatively continue to use these services for free while seeing ads that are relevant to them," Meta said in a statement on Monday.

The ad-free subscription service will cost €9.99/month on the web or €12.99/month on iOS and Android. The subscription for no ads will be available for people aged 18 and up and will be applicable to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts in your Accounts Center.

Notably, starting March 1, 2024, you will be charged an additional fee of €6/month on the web and €8/month on iOS and Android for each additional account listed in your Account Center.

Meta noted that opting for free service with ads will not impact your experience on both platforms.

"If you choose to continue to use our products for free, your experience will stay the same – and that experience will continue to be supported by the tools and settings that we have created to empower people to control their ads experience," Meta wrote in a blog post.

Meanwhile, advertisers can continue running personalised advertising campaigns in Europe to reach those who choose to continue to receive a free, ad-supported online service.

Meta said that the new service has been introduced to comply with evolving European regulations.

"In its ruling, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) expressly recognised that a subscription model, like the one we are announcing, is a valid form of consent for an ads-funded service," Meta said.