Instagram is reportedly developing a new paid subscription feature that could introduce advanced tools for creators and power users, including the ability to create unlimited audience lists. The feature was spotted by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a), who frequently uncovers upcoming Meta features through code references.
What the New Instagram Paid Subscription May Offer
This new subscription would exist alongside Meta Verified, Instagram’s current paid offering that provides a blue verification badge and identity authentication. According to Paluzzi, the upcoming paid plan may unlock several new features that are currently unavailable to standard users:
- Unlimited audience lists for better content targeting
- Ability to see followers who don’t follow back
- Option to view Instagram Stories anonymously
- Search within Story viewers list
- Possible access to a new “Super Like” feature
The rumoured Super Like feature could allow users to show extra support for Stories by pressing and holding the like button, going beyond the standard like interaction. Some of these tools may either become part of this new subscription or be added as extra benefits for Meta Verified users.
👆🏻 #Instagram is working on a new paid subscription** that will offer new perks, including the ability to create unlimited audience lists, see the list of followers who don’t follow you back and sneak a peek at a story without showing that you’ve viewed it 👀 pic.twitter.com/cQp6xUEzOY
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 22, 2026
How this compares to Meta Verified
Instagram already offers Meta Verified, a paid subscription available in India and other regions. The service includes:
- Blue verified badge after ID verification
- Direct access to Meta customer support
- Proactive monitoring against impersonation
- Increased account credibility for creators and businesses
In India, Meta Verified pricing starts at ₹639 per month for a single app, with higher-priced bundles going up to around ₹21,000 annually. The newly spotted subscription appears to focus more on advanced audience control and content interaction tools, rather than identity verification.
As of now, Instagram has not officially announced or confirmed the new paid plan. Since the feature was discovered through internal code, it is still unclear when it will launch, which features will be final, whether it will be a separate tier or bundled with Meta Verified, or part of Instagram’s broader feature expansion.
The rumoured subscription aligns with Instagram’s recent push toward creator-focused tools and monetisation features. Over the past few months, Instagram has introduced:
- “Your Algorithm” controls for feed customisation
- Reels AI translation and dubbing for Indian languages
- New Indian language fonts for captions and text
- Expanded creator editing and interaction tools
If launched, this new paid subscription could mark another step in Instagram’s strategy to turn advanced social features into premium services for creators and heavy users.