Why it’s just not necessary to have a WhatsApp Plus subscription

WhatsApp Plus is starting to roll out to some iOS users in some regions, following an Android beta that launched in April. Often, when a service adds a premium tier, previously free elements, like hidden WhatsApp features that everyone should use, can be locked behind a paywall. With more than 3 billion monthly users, the messaging platform is one of the most used for communications, especially outside the United States, so these concerns are more than fair.

Luckily, you really don’t need to get WhatsApp Plus. Even WhatsApp itself would tell you this, as its help center page calls the subscription “optional.” Its premium features are mostly cosmetic, while all important WhatsApp functions, like calling and messaging, remain available to all users.

So far, WhatsApp Plus appears to be available only in Europe and costs €2.49, which suggests a price of around $2.99. Although the rollout started small so the company could get user feedback, it is expected to expand to more accounts in the coming weeks. WhatsApp Plus will likely add new features once it becomes widely available, but so far there’s nothing that would really make WhatsApp Plus worth it.

WhatsApp Plus launches with five features:

• Themes and app icons
• Up to 20 pinned discussions (instead of three)
• Premium ringtones you can set for specific contacts
• Personalization of the chat list (alerts, ringtones, themes)
• Premium stickers with special effects

Of the five, four are strictly cosmetic. These extra customization options are probably fun, but things like ringtones and stickers don’t actually improve the service significantly. The only feature that actually impacts the app’s functionality is the increase in the number of pinned chats, which is nice since three is pretty low, especially for anyone using WhatsApp as their primary form of communication.

However, that alone probably isn’t enough to justify adding another subscription service to your monthly spending. While it’s not expensive, it’s also not particularly compelling. This is a good thing from a consumer perspective, but it makes the service and its deployment seem like nothing at all.

This is not the first time that WhatsApp has offered a subscription. From 2013 to 2016, WhatsApp was only free to use for the first year, charging $0.99/year thereafter. While this is obviously not a huge fee, it has impacted WhatsApp’s ability to grow and retain its users in developing countries, particularly in places where even those with money don’t have access to credit or debit cards. Removing this has certainly helped the service expand to what it is today, although there are plenty of other great messaging apps for Android and iOS to check out if you’re unhappy with WhatsApp.