Facebook, Instagram will soon let you get rid of ads, but there is a catch

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Scrolling through Facebook and Instagram might soon feel a little different in the UK. Meta, the parent company of both platforms, has announced that it will start giving people an option to subscribe and use these apps without seeing ads. But, of course, there’s a catch, you’ll have to pay for it.

Starting in the coming weeks, UK users over the age of 18 will be notified that they can choose between sticking with the current free, ad-supported version of Facebook and Instagram, or paying a monthly fee to go ad-free. The subscription will cost £2.99 per month on the web, while those using iOS or Android will pay £3.99 per month, thanks to extra charges by Apple and Google. If you have multiple accounts, you’ll need to pay an additional £2 per month on the web or £3 on mobile for each extra account.

For those who don’t want to pay, nothing changes. Ads will continue to appear, but users will still have access to controls like “Ad Preferences” and “Why am I seeing this ad?” that help manage what shows up on their feed. Meta also emphasised that it doesn’t sell personal data to advertisers.

The move comes after discussions with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Regulators wanted clearer choices for users around how their data is used for personalised ads. Meta says this new model strikes a balance: people can either keep using the platforms for free with ads, or pay to stop seeing them.

Meta argues that personalised ads aren’t just about convenience for users but also fuel small businesses in the UK. In fact, it claims its ad technologies supported £65 billion in economic activity and over 357,000 jobs in 2024 alone. The company also pointed out that every £1 spent on ads through its platforms brings in an average of £3.82 in revenue for UK businesses.

While Meta maintains that ads are the best way to keep the internet free and personalised, the subscription model gives people a choice — even if it comes with a price tag.