Europe gets ad-free Facebook and Instagram subscriptions

Meta is rolling out ad-free subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram users in Europe. It is also putting a “temporary” ban on ads to those under 18.

People over 18 in the EU, EEA and Switzerland will be given the choice to either continue using these platforms with personalized ads or pay a fee to remove sponsored posts completely starting in November. Subscriptions will cost €9.99 per month on the web or €12.99 per month on iOS and Android.

Why we care. The success of ad-free subscriptions could greatly influence reach and, consequently, ROI for this new service in Europe. Nonetheless, the expense of these paid services, coupled with the planned additional fees for next year, may act as a deterrent for potential sign-ups.

Dig deeper: Hate speech on social media can significantly damage brands: Study

Under 18 get ad free for free. Meta also announced it will stop showing ads to all users under 18 on Nov. 6. The EU has banned showing ads to minors that use online profiling. The company described the move as temporary, saying it is exploring new ways to offer teens a “useful and responsible ad experience.” So how temporary this is remains to be seen.

Subscription costs. An ad-free experience will be applied to all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts in a user’s Accounts Center, meaning users will only need to pay for one subscription to cover all of their accounts. However, that is set to change next year.

From March 2024, an additional fee of €6 per month on the web and €8 per month on iOS and Android will apply for each additional account listed in a user’s Account Center.

Why now? Providing a choice to subscribe without ads meets European regulations and lets Meta continue to serve users in the EU, EEA and Switzerland.