Paying users will also get more control over which accounts are permitted to see photos or videos they share in Story posts on the popular social network.

The new tier is being tested in “a few countries worldwide”, a spokesman said, without providing further details.

According to TechCrunch, they include Japan, Mexico and the Philippines, with subscription prices hovering around US$2 per month.

Meta launched ad-free, paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in the UK last year to comply with legislation there.

Social media platforms Snapchat and X have offered paid premium version for several years.

Snapchat’s parent company Snap recently reported having more than 25 million subscribers to its premium tier and being on pace for US$1 billion in annual revenue.

Content creators at Instagram already have the ability to charge fans for access to exclusive content.