Elon Musk recently hinted that Twitter, now referred to as X, might soon introduce a subscription fee for its users. This news has stirred up even more interest since Bloomberg reported that X is testing three subscription tiers. The twist here is that subscribers paying the most would encounter the fewest ads.
Sources familiar with the matter disclosed to Bloomberg that the current Premium tier, starting at $8 per month, might be split into Basic, Standard, and Plus tiers.
Under this proposed setup, the Basic tier would display the regular number of ads, the Standard tier would show half as many ads, and the top-level Plus tier would be ad-free. Presently, the Premium tier showcases about half the ads visible on the free version. The exact pricing details for these tiers are not yet known.
However, what remains uncertain is whether a free tier would continue to exist and, if it does, whether it would display more ads than it does currently. One concern is that making X a subscription-only service might push away millions of casual users.
To counter this, there is a possibility that X might keep its free tier while introducing a low-cost Basic tier with some perks to attract sign-ups.
Musk stated in mid-September that X is considering implementing a small monthly payment for using the platform. He emphasized that this move is necessary to tackle the issue of numerous bots flooding the platform. These bots often inundate direct message inboxes and replies with spam, hateful content, or content designed to influence elections.
The rationale behind introducing fees for all accounts is to make it more expensive for bot operators to create fake accounts. The inconvenience of setting up a new payment method for each account could act as a deterrent against this practice. In such a scenario, it becomes challenging to maintain a free tier.
Musk’s hope is that making subscriptions mandatory for all users would not only deter bots but also boost X’s revenue. This move aims to attract advertisers back to the platform, following the departure of many advertisers after Musk acquired the company in a $44 billion deal that concluded a year ago.
X has not provided any official confirmation regarding the new subscription tiers. However, various reports and leaks strongly indicate that changes are underway. Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.
