Actually, Meta Verified is $30/month if you subscribe on both Facebook and Instagram

The Meta Verified price is on the high side, with Meta expecting you to purchase its new subscription separately on Instagram and Facebook.

  • What’s happening? US users can now pay to be verified on Instagram and Facebook, with prices set at $12/month on the web and $15/month on mobile.
  • Why care? Twitter started the trend, but we don’t like where this is going because if everyone can be verified, then no one is verified.
  • What to do? Get to the Accounts Center in your Instagram or Facebook settings to see if this subscription is already available to you. If not, check back later.

What is Meta Verified?

Banner showcasing the Meta Verified subscription for Facebook and Instagram
Image: Meta

After a test in Australia and New Zealand, the new Meta Verified subscription is now rolling out to all users. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the subscription will initially roll out in the US before expanding elsewhere.

Meta Verified is currently available in the United States, Australia and New Zealand for people 18 years or older. “It is not yet available in all places or for businesses,” reads the announcement published in the Meta Newsroom on March 17, 2023.

How much does Meta Verified cost?

Prices are set at $15/month when subscribing through the in-app purchase mechanism in the mobile Facebook and Instagram apps for iOS and Android.

However, you must subscribe separately on Instagram and Facebook if you’d like to use your Meta Verified on both apps. In that case, you’re looking at $30/month if purchasing a Meta Verified in the mobile Facebook and Instagram apps.

You can also subscribe via Facebook for a lower $12/month fee. In that case, signing up for the Facebook and Instagram subscription will cost you $24/month.

What perks does Meta Verified offer?

Here are the benefits that come with your Meta Verified subscription:

  • Verification: Help your community know it’s the real you with a verified badge, which uses a verification process with a government ID to securely establish your account’s authenticity.
  • Exclusive features: Get exclusive stickers on Facebook and Instagram Stories and Facebook Reels, and 100 Stars a month on Facebook so you can show your support for other creators.
  • Proactive account protection: Get protection from impersonation with proactive account monitoring and secure your account with the required two-factor authentication.
  • Direct account support: Get help when you need it from a real person on common account issues that matter to you.

TechCrunch notes that a Meta Verified subscription in Australia and New Zealand includes increased visibility and reach in search, comments and recommendations. However, the US version of the subscription won’t get you increased visibility and reach like it does in those countries.

“Meta heard feedback from users who said this offering was confusing, so the company plans to further explore the offering before it considers expanding it outside Australia and New Zealand,” reads the article.

Join the waitlist for Meta Verified at about.meta.com/technologies/meta-verified.

Meta Verified: The fine print

The Meta Verified prices are a bit on the high side, especially compared with Twitter Blue’s $8/month ask. And if you’re on the fence, consider that a single subscription doesn’t make you verified on both platforms.

You’ll also need to prove your identity to Meta if you’d like to add that coveted blue check mark to your Instagram and Facebook accounts. Meta will only accept your government-issued photo ID to confirm your identity before being approved for a Meta Verified subscription. You also need to turn on two-factor authentication.

With your identity confirmed and your subscription active, you will no longer be able to change your profile name, username, date of birth or profile photo unless you go through the verification process again.

While existing verified badge holders won’t have to pay extra for their verification, they, too, can apply for a Meta Verified subscription.

For more info on Meta Verified, visit the Help Center on Instagram or Facebook.

How to subscribe to Meta Verified

If Meta Verified is available to you, navigate to your settings on Instagram or Facebook, click Accounts Center and find a message saying Meta Verified is available under your profile picture.

  1. Open the mobile Instagram or Facebook app on your iPhone.
  2. Touch your profile picture in the tab area at the bottom.
  3. Choose Settings and Privacy.
  4. Hit Account Center below the Your account heading at the top.
  5. Touch Meta Verified below your profile name and picture.
  6. Choose your desired payment method for this subscription.
  7. Complete the verification process.

With your identity confirmed, you’ll receive a message confirming your subscription.