Instagram is following the lead set by services like Patreon and OnlyFans, allowing users to pay for exclusive content from their favorite creators. The move is part of an effort by the social network to move away from monetizing in traditional ways, such as conventional ads.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in an May 2021 interview with The Information that the platform was exploring the idea of subscriptions, explaining there are “different ways to facilitate a financial relationship between a fan and a creator.” “Being able to subscribe to some differentiated or unique or exclusive content actually feels more additive as a fan than seeing an ad,” he added.
Instagram appears to be taking steps to accomplish the above, as TechCrunch reports Instagram’s App Store listing has recently added new in-app subscriptions. The new in-app purchases, first spotted by Sensor Tower, are listed as “Instagram Subscriptions” for $0.99 and $4.99. Previously, the only available in-app purchase available were “Instagram Badge” options.
The new subscription will likely allow users to pay their favorite creators for exclusive content not seen by non-paying users. In screenshots shared by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, we see that a subscription will include a “Member Badge,” which gifts subscribers a “special badge” next to their username, and “Exclusive content.”
Subscriptions isn’t the only monetization possibility for creators on the platform. Instagram is also reportedly working on “Exclusive Stories,” which will offer paying followers access to exclusive stories.
