WhatsApp is testing a paid subscription tier for the first time globally, marking a major shift for an app that has been free for over a decade. The new plan, called WhatsApp Plus, is currently rolling out to a small group of beta users, mainly on Android. This move is part of a broader strategy by Meta to diversify revenue beyond ads and business tools. Despite this change, the core experience remains untouched. Messaging, voice and video calls, and end to end encryption will continue to be free for all users.