Meta to Introduce £2.99 Ad-Free Subscription for UK Facebook and Instagram Users
Meta will soon begin offering Facebook and Instagram users in the UK the option to pay for an ad-free experience, marking a significant shift in how the social media giant operates in the country.
The company confirmed on Friday that UK users will be notified in the coming weeks of the new subscription option, which will start at £2.99 per month on the web and £3.99 via iOS and Android apps. The higher mobile price reflects fees charged by Apple and Google on in-app payments.
The move mirrors a system already in place in the European Union, where subscriptions to avoid ads currently begin at €5.99. However, unlike EU users, those in the UK will not be able to choose a “less personalised ads” option – a compromise Meta introduced on the continent after regulatory pushback.
Meta said the subscription would give UK users “a clear choice” over whether their data is used for personalised advertising, while maintaining free access for those who continue with the ads-supported model.
The rollout comes after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued guidance earlier this year on ad-free subscriptions and privacy rights. The ICO welcomed Meta’s move, saying it marked a step away from requiring users to accept personalised advertising under standard terms of service.
“This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we’ve been clear is not in line with UK law,” an ICO spokesperson said.
The regulator also noted that Meta had significantly lowered its UK subscription price following engagement with officials, setting it at about half the level offered to EU users.
Meta has faced mounting scrutiny in Europe over its handling of advertising and data privacy, including a recent case in which it agreed to stop targeting a British woman with ads after she challenged its practices under UK direct marketing laws.
The company defended its approach in Britain, contrasting what it described as the UK’s “pro-growth and pro-innovation regulatory environment” with the stricter stance taken by EU authorities.
