Meta launches UK ad-free subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram at £2.99 a month

Meta is rolling out paid subscriptions in the United Kingdom that let users view Facebook and Instagram without advertisements. The service will cost £2.99 per month on the web and £3.99 per month for iOS and Android apps, with a notification window to be sent to users in the coming weeks inviting them to subscribe if they want to browse ad-free.

UK prices are lower than the EU, where no-ads subscriptions have already been offered. EU subscribers can pay from around €5.99 per month to remove ads, and Meta has previously reduced prices in the bloc after regulatory concerns. In the UK, there will be no option to see less personalised ads as a payment alternative; users can either view ads or pay to remove them.

Meta said the program aims to give users a clear choice about whether their data is used for personalised advertising while preserving free access and the value of the ads-supported internet. The higher mobile app price offsets transaction costs charged by Apple and Google.

The move comes as the UK Information Commissioner's Office welcomed the development, describing it as an important shift in Meta's approach to targeted advertising. The ICO noted that the UK price point is significantly lower than in the EU and said the policy demonstrates regulators' influence in shaping digital offerings.

The UK regime is not isolated from regulatory concerns. Earlier this year, Meta faced a UK court case in which the company agreed to stop targeting ads based on a British woman's data after she argued that Facebook's targeted advertising fell under the UK's direct marketing rules. The ICO also published guidance for firms on ad-free subscriptions, signaling regulatory interest in consent-based models.

In Europe, Meta has faced scrutiny over how quickly it expands such subscriptions across member states. The company said its EU price reductions were partly in response to regulators and that the initiative in the bloc remains separate from the UK plan.

Analysts have said the subscription option adds a new revenue stream for platforms that still rely heavily on advertising. The model, often described as a consent or pay approach, is seen by publishers as a pathway to monetize users who object to widespread tracking across sites.

Meta stressed that the UK market environment is more pro-growth and pro-innovation compared with some regions, and it expects the plan to coexist with the existing free, ads-supported experience.

In addition to price differences, Meta's decision to offer no-ads at a lower price in the UK reflects the global push to reframe data collection and advertising under tighter regulatory standards. The company said the subscription is a way to give users more control over whether their data is used for personalised advertising.

The company did not provide a specific launch date beyond the note that details will be shared with users as the rollout begins.