“For Users Who Want More”: WhatsApp Rolls Out R28.99 Plus Subscription in SA With Exclusive Features

• Meta Platforms rolls out WhatsApp Plus in South Africa for R28.99 monthly, adding new premium features
• Users get extra customisation options like more themes, chat tools, and limited exclusive extras
• WhatsApp still dominates locally, with massive user uptake across the country, sitting at around 94% adoption

Meta Platforms has introduced a new WhatsApp Plus subscription in South Africa, adding a monthly fee of R28.99 for users wanting more personalisation on WhatsApp.

My Broadband reported that the feature set is aimed at people who want a more tailored chat experience. Meta says:

“We designed this for users who want more ways to personalise their experience,”

The service was first tested in April 2026 and forms part of Meta’s push to grow revenue beyond advertising. The company also stressed that basic messaging remains unchanged.

“We don’t plan to charge for private messaging or core features."

What you get for the money

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WhatsApp Plus users get a set of extra features, including custom app icons, more theme colours, and expanded chat customisation. Users can also set different alerts, ringtones, and themes for individual chat lists.

Pinned chats also increase significantly, going from three for free users to up to 20 for subscribers. The package also includes exclusive sticker packs and extra ringtone options.

Price and how it works in SA

The subscription is free for the first month, but users must add a payment method to try it out. After that, it costs R28.99 a month in South Africa, cheaper than the US price of $2.99 (about R49).

To activate it, Android users go via Settings → Subscriptions in WhatsApp, while iPhone users can find it under their profile settings.

WhatsApp dominates South African messaging use

Data from DataReportal shows that by 2025, WhatsApp had become the leading messaging platform in South Africa, with about 94% of internet users on the app. Yazi’s analysis supports this, estimating usage at around 93.9% among internet users in late 2025 and roughly 28–29 million active users nationwide. With internet usage at about 74.5%, this places WhatsApp usage at roughly 45% to 50% of the total population, reinforcing its role as the country’s dominant communication tool.

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Football excitement brought into chats and Channels

On 04 June 2026, WhatsApp rolled out new football-themed features to help fans follow the upcoming 48-team tournament more closely, including a special Trionda ball emoji, new calling effects, and a football sticker pack for chats. The app is also upgrading Channels with match updates, countdowns, and real-time highlights, while Meta AI provides quick tournament info and nearby viewing suggestions, all while keeping personal messages encrypted and private.

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• A WhatsApp scam reportedly tricked pensioners into losing about R12 million in savings after fraudsters used the platform to manipulate victims into handing over money.
• A TikTok creator discussed the possibility of WhatsApp introducing monetisation features for content creators, sparking conversation about how the platform could eventually allow users to earn from their activity.
• Meta Platforms is reportedly introducing a paid WhatsApp Plus subscription in South Africa that offers extra customisation and features for about R28.99 a month, while keeping core messaging free.

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Source: Briefly News