TikTok Is Testing an Ad-Free Subscription Plan
Written by djfrosty on October 3, 2023
TikTok is testing an ad-free subscription plan, the company has confirmed to Billboard.
The new tier, first reported by Android Authority after the site uncovered code in the latest version of the TikTok app, is being tried out in a single non-English-speaking market outside the United States, according to the company. TikTok shot down Android Authority’s earlier contention that the test was available to U.S. users and added that the release of an ad-free subscription product is not inevitable. It also did not confirm the plan’s price tag, which Android Authority reported at $4.99 per month, or what specific market the test is being conducted in.
TikTok has been an advertising-based platform since its inception, making this the service’s first toe-dip into a potential subscription model for the app itself. That said, last year the company unveiled LIVE Subscription, a monthly subscription to TikTok LIVE that allows users to subscribe directly to individual creators in exchange for exclusive benefits including custom emotes and subscriber-only chats and videos. And in September, the company rolled out TikTok Shop, a U.S.-based feature that allows users to discover and buy products from brands and creators without leaving the app.
TikTok’s test wouldn’t be the first time a social platform has unveiled an ad-free tier. Last year, Snap launched Snapchat+, a $4-a-month subscription service that has since signed up more than 5 million users, according to the company. Elon Musk has also floated his intention to introduce an ad-free tier to his X Premium subscription plan, though that has yet to come to fruition. Currently, the premium plan on X (formerly known as Twitter) starts at $8 a month and boasts an “approximately 50%” reduction in ads in the For You and Following timelines, according to the company.
TikTok claims more than 1 billion monthly users globally and more than 150 million in the United States.