Instagram Starts Testing Subscriptions In The US

Last year, it was reported that Instagram was looking to launch a subscription service where creators could lock content behind a subscription that users could pay to unlock. Now according to a report from TechCrunch, it appears that Instagram has started to roll out the feature as part of a test over in the US.

However, as it stands, only 10 creators were chosen to take part in this test which means that it represents the tiniest fraction of Instagram users. The company is treating this like an alpha test so it’s understandable that they aren’t giving all users access to it right now, and are also seeking feedback from fans and creators at the same time.

It’s an interesting direction for Instagram, but one that’s not completely unheard of. For example, over on YouTube, the platform also offers creators to create a subscription service that fans of the channel or creator can join. We’ve also seen creators try to create their own subscription service using other platforms like Patreon, where usually they offer up additional content like behind-the-scenes footage, or giving subscribers early access before the public.

Instagram’s subscription feature will allow creators to choose from various price points. This starts as low as $0.99 a month to as much as $99..99 a month, which presumably Instagram will be getting a cut of. There is no word on when the feature will be rolled out to all users, but as this is the alpha, it could be a while before it is eventually available to all.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Instagram