Hot Take WhatsApp Premium? New Leak Reveals Meta’s Plan to Launch Ad-Free Subscriptions

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A recent leak reveals that Meta is planning to introduce a new "WhatsApp Premium" subscription, offering users an ad-free experience. This optional paid tier would remove all advertisements from the Status/Updates feed while keeping core messaging, voice, and video features unchanged. The move signals Meta's shift toward a hybrid revenue model, combining ads for free users with a subscription option for those willing to pay for an uninterrupted experience.
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chipp.in

WhatsApp Premium? New Leak Reveals Meta's Plan to Launch Ad-Free Subscriptions - Chipp.in Tech News and Reviews

Ever since its inception, the world’s most popular messaging app has retained the status of an ad-free, then almost ad-free experience, but that “free” ride is officially reaching a fork in the road. WhatsApp is reportedly preparing to launch a paid membership tier this year starting with users...
chipp.in chipp.in
 
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lokamoka820 said:
A recent leak reveals that Meta is planning to introduce a new "WhatsApp Premium" subscription, offering users an ad-free experience. This optional paid tier would remove all advertisements from the Status/Updates feed while keeping core messaging, voice, and video features unchanged. The move signals Meta's shift toward a hybrid revenue model, combining ads for free users with a subscription option for those willing to pay for an uninterrupted experience.
chipp.in

WhatsApp Premium? New Leak Reveals Meta's Plan to Launch Ad-Free Subscriptions - Chipp.in Tech News and Reviews

Ever since its inception, the world’s most popular messaging app has retained the status of an ad-free, then almost ad-free experience, but that “free” ride is officially reaching a fork in the road. WhatsApp is reportedly preparing to launch a paid membership tier this year starting with users...
chipp.in chipp.in
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What you’ve linked to is best treated as an unconfirmed report/leak, not an established product announcement. As an AI, I can’t verify the accuracy of that claim from inside the WhatsApp app or Meta’s internal plans, so I wouldn’t assume “WhatsApp Premium” is real until Meta/WhatsApp or the official app store listings explicitly announce it.

Security / scam angle (most important)
Any rumor about a “Premium” tier tends to trigger abuse quickly. If this idea spreads, expect:
  • Phishing pages claiming you must “activate WhatsApp Premium” to remove ads
  • Fake “WhatsApp Premium APK” downloads (often malware/spyware)
  • Social-engineering messages asking for payment, verification codes, or card details

Safe rule: only trust changes that appear inside the official WhatsApp app (from WhatsApp LLC) and only pay via Apple App Store / Google Play billing. Never install “premium” builds from websites or Telegram/Discord links.

What would be plausible vs. what to be cautious about
  • Plausible: ads limited to the Updates/Status/Channels areas (not inside 1:1 chats), with a paid option to hide those ads.
  • Be cautious: claims that paying changes encryption, “boosts privacy,” “prevents bans,” or “recovers deleted messages.” Those are common scam talking points.

If you see “WhatsApp Premium” offers in the wild
  • Do not click; do not enter your phone number, SMS code, or payment details.
  • Check the sender and the URL carefully; look for impersonation (typos, weird domains).
  • If you already clicked: run a reputable AV scan, review installed apps (Android), and enable 2-step verification in WhatsApp.

Bottom line
Until it’s confirmed by WhatsApp/Meta through official channels, treat “WhatsApp Premium” as a rumor and assume scammers will weaponize the name; only trust in-app prompts and official store billing if anything like this ever launches.
 
In case the leak turns out to be true, Meta may have found the magic formula: first you get used to “free,” then the ads show up, and finally they offer you the chance to pay for silence. Calling it Premium sounds classy, but it’s really just the old tax on patience. In the end, WhatsApp would simply confirm what we already know: online, the only thing truly free is the surprise. 📲🪙
 
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Its the old story, get used to something then you need it then charge you likely their long term roadmap, however WhatsApp is the only social media I use I its only used for conversations with friends & family but with that its incredibly useful & in the past its saved lots of £'s when been out of UK esp. in NZ & Canada & so far I've never seen an ad on it so I'll see??
 
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I do not mind ads.

Nothing is free; you have to pay either by your data (telemetry, AI training), ads, or being the guinea pig for a newly released app until bugs are reported and fixed.
 
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Parkinsond said:
Can DNS block ads in Whatsapp?
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You can I think but blocking Facebook tracking and adds I imagine renders WhatsApp useless and unable to run.

I stopped using WhatsApp awhile ago, just crypto scam spam and annoying idiots with self destructing messages. No thanks!
 
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I am using Threema. Had to purchase gift licenses to convince my family and friends to start using it. Those who refused cannot contact me in any way other than using Signal. Whatsapp is a red flag and I turned down multiple job offers which required using WhatsApp.
 
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Sorrento said:
Its the old story, get used to something then you need it then charge you likely their long term roadmap, however WhatsApp is the only social media I use I its only used for conversations with friends & family but with that its incredibly useful & in the past its saved lots of £'s when been out of UK esp. in NZ & Canada & so far I've never seen an ad on it so I'll see??
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If you’re only using WhatsApp for personal messaging, you won’t see ads. Ads will only appear in the Updates tab, in Status and Channels, separate from your personal chats and calls.
Ads in WhatsApp Status and Channels are rolling out gradually and may not be available in your region yet.

About ads in WhatsApp Status and Channels | WhatsApp Help Center

faq.whatsapp.com faq.whatsapp.com
 
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Zero Knowledge said:
Threema is great but I have more than a few contacts but it's paid, I'm not sure about it's security compared to Signal/Telegram which are E2EE apps of choice for me.
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Threema is opensource and they developed their own way of handling notifications instead of Google's (Threema Libre).
 
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Parkinsond said:
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Proton thinks this is just an unsubstantiated claim at the moment.

proton.me

What a new lawsuit claims about WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption | Proton

A class-action lawsuit challenges WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption claims. We break down the allegations, denials, and what’s actually known.
proton.me proton.me

It’s important to distinguish between allegations and established facts. The complaint does not include technical evidence demonstrating a cryptographic backdoor or otherwise proving that WhatsApp’s encryption has been compromised. At this stage, the claims remain unproven.
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Now, a cryptography professor at Johns Hopkins thinks this can't be substantiated.

blog.cryptographyengineering.com

WhatsApp Encryption, a Lawsuit, and a Lot of Noise

It’s not every day that we see mainstream media get excited about encryption apps! For that reason, the past several days have been fascinating, since we’ve been given not one but sever…
blog.cryptographyengineering.com blog.cryptographyengineering.com
 
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Meta offers two little mirrors: “unbreakable” encryption 🔒 and ad-free subscription 💸. But we’re still in the same theater 🎭: you can pay to silence the vendors, yet the hidden script never gets revealed.
 
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