Facebook Tests £9.99 Monthly Subscription to Limit External Link Sharing

Meta is quietly testing a change on Facebook that could significantly alter how people share content on the platform, and it is already stirring strong reactions among creators, businesses, and digital publishers. In a limited trial currently affecting selected users in the United Kingdom and the United States, Facebook has begun restricting the number of external links a user can share to just two per month unless they pay for a subscription priced at £9.99 per month, or the local equivalent. Users who are part of the test report seeing in-app prompts explaining the new limit and encouraging them to subscribe in order to continue sharing links freely, with Meta describing the move as an experiment to understand whether expanded link-sharing is seen as a premium feature worth paying for.

The restriction is primarily impacting users who operate in Professional Mode and those who manage Facebook Pages, groups that include creators, influencers, independent publishers, and small businesses who rely heavily on sharing links to drive traffic to websites, blogs, online stores, and other platforms. Once the two-link limit is reached, additional links are blocked unless the user signs up for Meta Verified, Facebook’s paid subscription service, effectively placing a cost on a function that has traditionally been free and central to how the platform works.

The test has raised concerns across the social media and digital marketing space, as it appears to signal a broader shift in Meta’s strategy. Industry experts have pointed out that this move fits into a wider trend of social platforms turning previously open features into paid benefits, pushing users toward subscriptions as advertising growth slows. Social media analyst Matt Navarra has noted that limiting link sharing could have serious implications for how creators and news publishers distribute content, suggesting it represents a gradual move away from Facebook’s role as an open traffic driver for the wider web.

For creators and small businesses, the potential impact is especially significant. Many depend on frequent link sharing to maintain visibility and engagement, and a monthly fee could become an added cost of staying active on the platform. Affiliate marketers and independent publishers have also warned that such limits could reduce organic reach and force users to either pay up or drastically rethink how they use Facebook to connect with audiences.

Meta has emphasized that the change is only a test and applies to a limited number of users, stressing that feedback gathered during this phase will help determine whether the feature is adjusted, expanded, or abandoned altogether. However, the experiment has already reignited debate about the future of social media, as platforms increasingly explore subscription-based models and move away from the idea of fully free access to essential tools.

As Facebook continues to experiment with monetisation, creators, publishers, and everyday users are watching closely. Whether this link-sharing limit becomes a permanent feature or remains a short-lived trial, it highlights a growing tension between platform profitability and the open sharing culture that helped social media grow in the first place.