The news: TikTok is now offering an ad-free subscription option for UK users above 18. The subscription, which costs £3.99 ($5.26) monthly, allows users to avoid ads and prevents data from being used for marketing purposes.

Subscribers will still see paid or sponsored creator content.

The trend: Other social platforms are turning to subscriptions as a potential revenue stream.

• Meta debuted a “pay or consent” ad model in the EU and UK in 2025 that allows users to pay for an ad-free experience or continue using its apps for free with targeted advertising. Though it hit a snag in the EU, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office said it “welcomed” the model.
• Snapchat has seen notable success with its Snapchat+ subscription; the more expensive Snapchat+ Premium tier removes the majority of ads for subscribers.

Why it matters: TikTok is betting that ad-free subscriptions, especially in regions where regulators are placing tighter limits on behavioral advertising, will prove meaningful and diversify revenues.

TikTok’s latest feature could be a means of complying with the UK’s GDPR legislation, which prohibits companies from collecting user’s online data for advertising. By offering users a paid alternative to targeted ads, TikTok may be trying to show regulators that users have more control over their data.