Facebook and Instagram owner, Meta, has announced it is introducing a new paid subscription model to remove ads for paying users. Users can expect to be notified in the coming weeks of the change, allowing them to choose whether to pay a monthly subscription to continue to use their chosen platforms ad-free.
This is not totally new, however. EU users of its platforms can already pay a fee starting from €5.99 a month to see no ads, following a contentious battle between Meta and EU regulators over data privacy. Despite this, the EU subscription has received little enthusiasm and has already been reduced from an initial €9.99 a month – with packages for UK users set to start at a lower £2.99 monthly fee.
This model comes after the UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), published guidance for firms about ad-free subscriptions earlier this year.
In its announcement, Meta said the subscription model would give users ‘choice about whether their data is used for personalised advertising’. Outside of consumers, this is likely to have significant ramifications for brands.
While initial uptake is expected to be modest, the exclusion of subscribers from targeting and measurement pools will gradually reduce the reach available to advertisers. Meta’s competitors will also be watching closely for signs of the subscription’s success, potentially leading to similar models becoming available to users in the future.
To stay ahead of the curve, brands should monitor changes in audience composition, particularly among privacy-conscious and higher-income users, and should anticipate marginal increases in CPMs and CPAs in tightly contested segments.
To mitigate the impact of audience fragmentation, advertisers should maintain broad targeting structures and continue using Meta’s automated tools such as Advantage+ Shopping. Frequency caps should be applied judiciously as opt-outs grow. At the same time, investment in robust measurement infrastructure, including CAPI, offline conversions, and incrementality testing, will be essential. These tools will help to preserve performance visibility as the pool of trackable users diminishes.
Finally, the shift towards subscriptions appears to coincide with Meta’s broader push to invigorate its creator ecosystem. Brands should take this opportunity to lean into creator partnerships, which offer a durable route to attention, even when ads are switched off. Creator content remains visible to subscribers, helping to maintain brand presence and cultural relevance in a landscape where traditional reach is no longer guaranteed.
