TikTok Confirms It Is Testing an Ad-Free Subscription Tier
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital Editor TikTok is exploring a new way to make money: The popular video app has kicked off a limited-scale test of a monthly subscription service that eliminates ads.
However, contrary to an earlier report, the company says it is not currently available in the U.S. According to a report Monday by Android Authority, code in a new version of the TikTok app showed a new ad-free subscription tier, which was supposedly priced at “$4.99 per month in the USA during this testing phase.” Reached for comment, a TikTok spokesperson confirmed that the company has launched a limited-scale test of a subscription plan without ads in one market, but that is outside the U.S.
The rep declined to identify where the test is currently running or how much it costs. Note that the code surfaced by Android Authority indicates, “Price includes VAT,” or value-added tax — and the U.S.
does not employ a VAT on goods or services. For now, TikTok’s subscription plan is just a single-market test, and the company may not move forward with the offering more widely, according to the spokesperson.
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