Facebook has begun experimenting with charging for one of its most basic features, link sharing. In a new test discovered by users, Meta limits the number of links certain Facebook accounts can post unless they pay for a subscription.
Users participating in Facebook’s Professional Mode or running Pages can only post two links in regular posts unless they subscribe to Meta Verified. The paid plan starts at $14.99 per month in the US.
This change comes as new research shows how deeply Facebook is still woven into everyday online habits. This could have a direct impact on creators and businesses that use Facebook to share articles and products or drive traffic elsewhere online.
Why does Facebook limit sharing links?
Meta confirmed the experiment, telling TechCrunch that it was a “limited test” designed to examine whether the ability to post more links added value to Meta-verified subscribers. While Meta states that publishers are not currently included in the test, many creators rely on professional mode profiles and pages to reach their audience.
According to social media strategist Matt Navarra, links in comments are still allowed, as are affiliate links and links to other Meta-owned platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.
Facebook’s own data could help explain the thinking. In a recent transparency report, Meta said that more than 98% of feed views in the US come from posts without links. Posts with links only make up a small portion of views and are mostly seen on pages that users already follow.
Navarra told the BBC that the move signals Meta’s broader push to monetize the distribution of content itself, calling it “the fundamental ability to send people to other parts of the internet” being placed behind a paywall. “Tests like this underscore why building a business overly dependent on a platform’s goodwill is incredibly risky,” he said.
Such tactics are not new. Platforms like At the moment this is still a test. But it adds to growing concerns about a future in which even simple actions on social platforms could come at a price.
