Soon You'll Be Able to Pay to Be Verified on Facebook and Instagram — Here's How Much It CostsThe blue badge is more within reach than ever before.

ByAmanda Breen•Feb 21, 2023

If you've been angling forInstagramorFacebook verification, you're in luck.

This week, parent company元will unveil its new subscription service Meta Verified in Australia and New Zealand, and the rollout will soon extend to other countries, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Sunday via posts on Facebook and Instagram, perThe New York Times.

In the past, obtainingInstagram verificationwas somewhat opaque; once users submitted their request and necessary documentation, they had to wait up to 30 days to hear if the platform deemed their account "authentic, unique, complete and notable" enough to earn the designation, according toTechCrunch.

Now, those who already have verified accounts will be able to hold onto them at no charge, but those who want to snag the blue badge for the first time will have to pay $11.99 per month (or $14.99 if purchased on Apple's operating system iOS). It's not all-inclusive either — leveling up on both platforms will cost $24 per month (a bundled subscription is in the works).

Verified users will also receive direct access to customer support. "This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services," Zuckerberg wrote.

元appears to be taking a page out ofTwitter's book — new owner Elon Musk charges users $8 per month for blue check marks via its Twitter Blue Service.

A Meta spokeswoman told theNYTthe subscription will be available in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.