TikTok is the latest platform offering an ad-free experience to its users. The ByteDance-owned app has confirmed that it is testing a premium subscription tier in regions outside of the U.S.
Android Authority initially spotted the upcoming tier by examining a line of text in TikTok’s code. “We are testing the Ad-free plan with the TikTok community,” the text reads. “By continuing, you agree to the {%s} and acknowledge that you have read our {%s} to learn how we collect, use, and share data. You also accept the immediate provision of the Ad-free subscription. Price includes VAT.”
The report also includes a screenshot that shows two separate TikTok tiers. If the image is accurate, U.S.-based TikTok users would be able to continue with the free, ad-supported version of TikTok or pay $4.99 to upgrade to the ad-free tier.
Subscribe for daily Tubefilter Top Stories
A day after Android Authority published its report, a TikTok rep confirmed that the company is running a test for an ad-free experience, though the test is “limited to a single English-speaking market outside the USA.” The rep also noted that “small-scale tests don’t indicate a product launch is inevitable.”
TikTok has turned to a specific “English-speaking market” to run multiple tests that eventually evolved into full-fledged features. A U.K.-based retail operation titled Trendy Beat preceded the launch of a direct-to-consumer Shop page in the U.S. In addition, the first-ever brick-and-mortar TikTok storefront popped up in central London back in July.
It should be noted that TikTok’s site-wide subscriptions would be wholly different from the channel-specific subscriptions that started rolling out last year. Those subs serve as a monetization source for creators and an opportunity to engage with inner-circle fans.
If TikTok does end up launching a paid, ad-free tier, it would join other platforms that already offer premium subscriptions. YouTube recently instituted a $2 price hike for its Premium service, while Snapchat+ gained one million subscribers less than two months after its initial launch.
