Reports from multiple sources have surfaced that point to confirmations of TikTok testing an ad-free subscription service, with primary testing taking place outside of the U.S.
The proposed service, priced at $4.99 USD, aims to provide a seamless, ad-free browsing experience for subscribers. While the tests are taking place in a currently undisclosed English-speaking region, TikTok did clarify that the small-scale test doesn’t guarantee a broader rollout.
Additional details indicate that the service would only cover ads served by TikTok, leaving influencer marketing and campaigns unaffected, however, this isn’t uncommon and something most users are aware of from experiences on other platforms.
It also doesn’t seem that TikTok is doing this out of desperation for revenue, as recent reports indicated they’ve been one of the leading social media destinations for ad spend. The report showed that TikTok was the favored platform for 60 percent of cautious ad buyers, with big names like Pepsi, DoorDash, Amazon and Apple contributing to its growing ad revenue share.
What seems more likely is that the platform is matching the actions of its competitors like X and YouTube who both offer subscription services. While details are scarce at the time of writing, we expect to see some official word from TikTok in the coming weeks or months.
In related tech news, X plans to integrate game streaming and live shopping features.
