WhatsApp has been ad-free since its inception in 2009, but that’s about to change. The messaging app will soon begin running ads — but only in certain circumstances, according to the app’s parent company, Meta.

So how does this work for the average user?

If you’re one of the many people who mainly use WhatsApp for one-on-one and group chats — don’t worry, you’ll likely see little to no difference. Meta says private conversations will stay ad-free. Ads will only appear in the “Updates” tab, which is where you can view Status updates or follow other people and businesses called “Channels” for content related to things like news or entertainment.

The move is part of Meta’s broader efforts to bring in money while respecting privacy.

Ads That Don’t “Disrupt Personal Chats”

“We are committed to running ads in ways that do not interrupt your personal chats,” Meta’s head of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, told the public. And to make that happen, the ads will not appear within messages. Meta’s taking a more focused approach to ads, putting them in areas where conversations don’t take place. As you scroll through Status updates, you’ll see posts from businesses — which can look just like any other status story — and include photos, videos, or text. Users can reply to the ad and chat with the advertiser on WhatsApp.

Next up are the Promoted Channels — a new type of ad that allows channel admins to increase the reach of their channels. They’re one of the only ways advertisers can reach WhatsApp users organically. And last but not least is a new subscription feature that lets businesses charge users a monthly fee to access exclusive content. Think a cooking channel with paid recipes or updates for paid members.

Meta says it will keep ads “out of your personal conversations” — even as it shows them to you.

Still, with the ads on WhatsApp comes concerns. Some users may be put off by the idea of seeing ads on an app that was once a respite from advertising elsewhere.

The company said it will run the ad differently. Ads will only be targeted based on general data — such as your country, city, language, and age range — plus what phone you’re using and what app you’re using WhatsApp on. Meta will also consider how you interact with content in the Status and Channel sections. Think, for example, what Channels you follow, what you engage with, and how you respond to the ads.

And your private messages are still encrypted and won’t be touched.

But it’s also possible for ads to overlap with other Meta products (like Facebook and Instagram) if you connect your WhatsApp account to Meta’s Accounts Center. The option is turned off by default, but if you choose to connect, Meta can use activity from all its apps to serve you better ads.

Meta will let you see why a particular ad was served to you, block or report ads, and control your preferences for topics or advertisers.

What’s Behind this Decision?

This isn’t the first time Meta has begun selling ads on WhatsApp. Meta (which bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $16 billion) has been inching toward a future beyond just free chat for years.

Most of its revenue has historically come from its Business Platform and “Click-to-WhatsApp” ads on Facebook and Instagram. Those ads help businesses start a conversation with a customer through a link in an ad.

But in April, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pointed to WhatsApp’s Business Platform as one of the bright spots in the company’s businesses, and in a July product briefing, Meta’s VP of product Alice Newton Rex noted that “We want to tap into the huge number of WhatsApp users to help them with the app, as well as grow our ad business.”

The first ad for WhatsApp may feel a bit intrusive — or familiar.

And in recent times, many have asked for more from WhatsApp. When users started asking for this feature, it wasn’t a surprise. “That was what we were increasingly hearing from businesses,” said Newton Rex.

WhatsApp isn’t alone. Other messaging platforms are doing the same. Discord began testing ads in 2024. And social media platform Reddit, a place where it’s known for offering community-first features, turned a profit for the first time in part because of interest from advertisers. Other social media apps — like Twitter — are exploring a similar future.

Beyond that, there’s the macro-economic climate. It’s hard to know how much ad spending will be around in the coming years, and Meta’s finances are not where they used to be. In the last three months, 98% of its total revenue came from ads. So for WhatsApp, which has always been viewed as a goldmine, it makes sense to try it out.

But WhatsApp’s ads are going to start small — for now.

So far, the way Meta presents ads in WhatsApp is fairly subtle. The ads will appear in an app called Status, which many may not even be aware exists. “They may not even see ads right away,” said Daniele Giacalone, an engineer who has worked on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and currently serves as chief of staff for the new ad business at WhatsApp.

As Giacalone notes, people who use WhatsApp don’t use it as a discovery platform. So WhatsApp’s original intention with the feature is to run ads that feel less intrusive — in hopes of increasing usage.

“Given the traction we’ve seen with the ad platform on other products, this will be an experiment we’re willing to scale up,” he said.

Whether people love or hate it, it’s here to stay.