Facebook and Instagram users in the UK can soon pay to use the social networks without ads. Meta, the company behind the platforms, will offer an ad-free subscription for web users at £2.99 a month and mobile users at £3.99 a month. Accounts that are linked across platforms require only one monthly fee.
The move comes as Meta responds to regulatory pressure over personalised ads, where user data is analysed to deliver targeted marketing. The subscription will give UK users a choice: continue using Facebook and Instagram for free with targeted ads or pay for an ad-free experience.
Meta said the new service will roll out in the coming weeks. Users who do not subscribe will continue to see ads on both platforms. This approach mirrors a similar service offered in the European Union, which faced scrutiny under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Earlier this year, the European Commission fined Meta €200 million for failing to provide a free version of its sites that relied on less personal data for advertising.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) welcomed the subscription service, noting it aligns better with UK data protection law. “This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services,” said an ICO spokesperson.
The subscription follows a 2025 settlement in which Meta agreed to stop using data to target ads for UK human rights campaigner Tanya O’Carroll. O’Carroll had challenged the company over breaches of UK data laws, arguing she had the right to demand that Facebook stop collecting her data for personalised advertising.
Gareth Oldale, partner at UK law firm TLT, said the ICO’s support for Meta’s subscription service highlights the growing difference between UK and EU regulatory approaches. “This position is pro-business and shows the UK government’s direction to regulators to support economic growth and the digital economy,” he said. “It also means the divergence between UK and EU positions has grown a little wider.”
Meta’s new ad-free option reflects the company’s efforts to balance user privacy with ongoing business needs. By offering a subscription model, the company can comply with UK regulations while still generating revenue from users who prefer to avoid personalised ads. The subscription is expected to appeal to users who value privacy and want more control over their data, without losing access to the platforms they use daily.
