Instagram testing subscription service for creators to sell content

Currently, only 10 US creators have gained access to the new feature, including basketball player Sedona Prince, model Kelsey Cook, actor-influencer Alan Chikin Chow, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and digital creator Lonnie IIV.

San Francisco: Meta-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram has started testing subscriptions, a new feature allowing creators to offer paid followers access to exclusive content.

Currently, only 10 US creators have gained access to the new feature, including basketball player Sedona Prince, model Kelsey Cook, actor-influencer Alan Chikin Chow, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and digital creator Lonnie IIV.

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“Subscriptions are for creators,” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said in a video posted on Twitter.

“Creators do what they do to make a living and it’s important that it is predictable.”

Followers will pay a monthly fee to access subscriber-only content from creators they follow. Subscription pricing ranges from $0.99 per month to $99.99 per month.

Instagram users who subscribe to a creator will have access to subscriber-only stories, live streams, and other content.

Meanwhile, Instagram is also reportedly testing Stories redesign with vertical scrolling in its app.

As noted by social media consultant Matt Navarra, some users located in Turkey have received an Instagram update that brings vertical scrolling to Stories.

While Stories from the same user can still be viewed by tapping the left or right side of the screen, jumping to the next user’s Stories requires a swipe down.