Meta rolls out ad-free subscription for UK Facebook and Instagram users

Facebook and Instagram users in the United Kingdom have begun seeing in-app notifications offering a new paid subscription that removes ads. Over the past week, millions of users aged 18 and over have been prompted to decide between continuing with free, ad-supported access or subscribing to avoid ads.

The monthly fee is priced at £2.99 on web browsers and £3.99 on iOS and Android apps. Users with additional Facebook or Instagram accounts linked through Meta Accounts Center face incremental fees. Each linked account costs £2 per month on the web and £3 per month on mobile. 

Meta first announced the subscription plan in September 2025, saying UK users would soon have the choice to “subscribe to stop seeing ads” on Facebook and Instagram. The company says notifications can be dismissed initially, but Meta expects users to choose in the coming weeks. Subscribers will not see ads, and their personal data will be excluded from personalised advertising systems. Those who do not subscribe will continue using the free, ad-supported apps with no other changes to the user experience.

Why Meta is rolling out subscriptions in the UK

The subscription is part of what critics and regulators call a “pay or consent” model — where users either pay for an ad-free experience or consent to having their data used for personalised ads.

Rolling out a subscription plan is Meta’s response to guidance from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office. Regulators have asked social media platforms to offer users clearer consent options for personalised ads. The ICO argued that targeted advertising should let users decide how their information is used, including whether they want personalised ads at all. 

The company claims that the UK framework allows for more user choice while supporting advertisers.

Financial implications for Meta

Meta’s business remains heavily dependent on advertising. In 2025, Meta reported $60 billion in revenue in Q4, with nearly all driven by advertising. 

Industry estimates indicate that the average revenue per user (ARPU) in Europe is about $23.14 per year, generated primarily from ads. By comparison, a UK user subscribing to the ad-free tier could generate more revenue than the typical European ad-supported user, even at the lower web price. On mobile, the annual subscription revenue is more than double the European ARPU. This highlights the financial value of the paid option relative to the existing ad-supported model.

Previous rollout in the European Union

Meta first introduced a paid ad-free subscription in the EU in late 2023. At launch, EU users could pay €9.99 per month on the web or more on mobile to remove ads. However, the company faced regulatory action, including a €200 million fine in April 2025 for a “pay or consent” model that was judged not fully compliant with EU consent rules. In response, Meta reduced its EU subscription prices by 40%, from roughly €9.99 to €5.99 per month on web platforms.

The UK rollout is similar in structure but comes at lower subscription prices. Meta has said the UK framework is “pro-growth and pro-innovation” compared with the EU regulatory environment, which it claims has gone “beyond what the law requires” by demanding less personalised ads.

‍