Is it worth paying for Facebook and Instagram Plus? We take a look at the differences

Just a few years ago, the answer to the question "how much does Facebook or Instagram cost?" was very simple nothing. All you had to do was create an account, and you could freely publish photos, watch stories, send messages, or scroll through your feed for hours every day.

Today, the situation looks a bit different. Meta has introduced several paid services to convince users to pay a monthly subscription. In addition to the ad-free plan, new Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus packages are also available, offering extra features that are not accessible in the free version.

Is it worth paying? What are the differences between paid and free Facebook and Instagram? And does the subscription affect the reach of your published content? Let's find out.

Free Facebook and Instagram - what do you get?

For most users, the free version still offers all of the most important features:

• publishing posts, photos, and videos,
• using Stories,
• watching Reels,
• hosting live streams,
• communicating via Messenger and direct messages (DMs),
• Facebook groups, events, and Marketplace,
• following creators, businesses, and friends.

In exchange, Meta displays ads and uses a portion of the user's data to personalize marketing content. For the vast majority of people, the free version remains fully functional and allows them to use the platforms without major restrictions.

Paid Facebook and Instagram without ads - for those who value privacy

The first paid option introduced by Meta was a subscription that allows using Facebook and Instagram without ads. This solution was rolled out partly in response to European personal data protection regulations.

In practice, this means:

• ✅ no ads in the app,
• ✅ limited marketing profiling,
• ✅ a cleaner user experience,
• ✅ less sponsored content in your feed.

At the same time, it is worth emphasizing that this subscription does not add any new social features. Once you subscribe:

• ❌ you will not increase your reach,
• ❌ you will not get more followers,
• ❌ you will not receive extra tools for creators,
• ❌ you will not influence the algorithm.

You are primarily paying for convenience and greater control over how your data is used.

Facebook Plus - what does the paid version offer?

The Facebook Plus packages are a new feature, now also available in Poland. They cost 12.99 PLN per month and add several features aimed at the platform's most active users.

Facebook Plus users receive, among other things:

• the ability to watch stories without appearing on the viewers' list (anonymous viewing),
• extending the visibility of Stories to 48 hours,
• searching for specific users in the list of people who watched your stories,
• special reactions for Stories,
• a custom app icon.

For many people, the biggest advantage will be anonymous story viewing. This is a feature that Facebook users have been demanding for a long time.

Instagram Plus - way more new features

The Instagram Plus offer looks even more interesting. The package costs the same as Facebook Plus (12.99 PLN), but the list of available extras is much longer.

As part of the subscription, the user receives:

• anonymous viewing of Stories,
• previewing messages without sending a read receipt ("seen" notification),
• extending the display time of Stories to 48 hours,
• checking the exact time a story was viewed,
• statistics on story replays,
• highlighting stories for followers,
• pinning up to six posts to your profile,
• additional fonts in stories, bios, and messages,
• the ability to create multiple close friends / audience groups,
• sending special reactions like Super Hearts,
• a custom app icon.

Currently, Instagram Plus is the subscription that offers the highest number of extra features compared to the free version.

Does paid Instagram or Facebook increase reach?

The short answer is: No.

This is one of the most popular myths that appeared after the paid packages were introduced. Purchasing Facebook Plus or Instagram Plus does not automatically result in:

• more post views,
• a higher position in the feed,
• more followers,
• better performance for published videos.

The algorithms still evaluate content based on user interests and community engagement. If you care about boosting your business reach, you still need to use Meta Ads or focus on creating high-quality, valuable content.

Good to know: There is a separate service called Meta Verified. This is a completely different subscription aimed primarily at creators and businesses. It offers a blue verification badge, extra account protection, and direct tech support—the consumer Plus packages have nothing to do with it.

How much data do Facebook and Instagram consume?

Regardless of whether you use the free or paid version, one element remains the same—mobile data usage. Modern social media platforms are primarily video-driven.

Estimated data consumption is as follows:

Watching Reels for a few hours a day can quickly add up to a dozen or even several dozen gigabytes over a month.

Why a good internet plan matters more today than paid Instagram

In reality, most users will feel a shortage of gigabytes much faster than a lack of premium features. Even the best extras offered by Facebook Plus or Instagram Plus are useless if your mobile data is too slow or you run out of transfer.

That is why at Lyca Mobile, we designed packages (such as To All M or To All L) that perfectly solve these issues. Those who regularly watch Reels, Stories, short videos, or live streams will find everything they need for smooth scrolling:

• Huge data packages: so you don't have to count every video you watch,
• Access to a fast 5G network: ensuring smooth playback of reels in top quality,
• Convenient eSIM technology: allowing you to activate your plan in minutes without waiting for a physical SIM card,
• Unused data rollover: meaning any unused data rolls over to the next month and never goes to waste.

Thanks to this, using Facebook, Instagram, and other social apps remains fully seamless wherever you are.

Is it worth paying for Facebook and Instagram?

It depends on how you use the platforms.

You should consider the paid subscription if:

• ads annoy you,
• you care about greater privacy,
• you want to view stories anonymously,
• you regularly publish Stories,
• you enjoy extra customization options.

The free version is enough if:

• you use Facebook and Instagram occasionally,
• you don't mind ads,
• you don't need special premium features,
• you mostly care about staying in touch and posting content.

For the majority of users, the free version remains the best choice. However, with the arrival of Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus, it's the first time we can say that Meta's paid options actually offer something more than just removing ads. And to make sure your connection to the world and your followers is always stable, Lyca Mobile plans have got you covered.

FAQ

How much does Facebook Plus cost in Poland?

Facebook Plus costs 12.99 PLN per month and offers extra features related mostly to stories and app customization.

How much does Instagram Plus cost?

Instagram Plus is available for 12.99 PLN per month. Users get access to anonymous story viewing, extra statistics, and new customization options.

Does paid Instagram remove ads?

Not necessarily. Instagram Plus and the ad-free subscription are two entirely different products offered by Meta. The Plus package on its own does not remove ads from the app.

Does paid Facebook increase reach?

No. Meta does not state or guarantee any reach boost or algorithm favors after buying the Facebook Plus or Instagram Plus packages.

Is Instagram Plus worth buying?

If you use stories frequently and care about extra privacy features (like viewing stories without a trace) and customization, Instagram Plus can be an interesting option. However, for most users, the free version will still be completely sufficient.