New leaks from the latest WhatsApp beta (version 2.26.3.9) suggest that Meta is preparing to offer a paid subscription for users who want to remove advertisements from the app. Since the official rollout of “Status Ads” and “Promoted Channels” in June 2025, Meta has faced consistent pushback from users accustomed to the app’s historically ad-free environment. This new “No-Ads” plan appears to be Meta’s solution for balancing revenue growth with user privacy and choice.
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The subscription is expected to cost approximately €4 (roughly $4.35) per month, aligning with the “Subscription for No Ads” model already active for Facebook and Instagram in Europe. Initial findings indicate this option will launch first in the European Union and the UK to comply with strict digital market regulations. For paying users, all sponsored content and promoted channels will be scrubbed from the Updates tab, ensuring the interface remains strictly for personal contacts and followed content.
Ad-free subscription options already exist on Facebook in some regions
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— Samaa News (@SamaaEnglish) January 25, 2026
While Meta stresses that personal chats and calls will always remain end-to-end encrypted and ad-free, the introduction of a paywall marks the final end of the “no ads, no gimmicks” era promised by WhatsApp’s founders. For now, the feature remains “under development,” with a wider release expected later this year. If the pilot in Europe succeeds, industry analysts expect a global rollout by late 2026.
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