The cost of using X just went up

Owner of popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk has revealed plans to charge a subscription for using the app in the future.

The fee, when implemented, will affect new users who sign up for the app. Paying the fee will allow new entrants to access previously free functions on the app such as liking, posting and replying.

The goal? To cut down the number of bots and fake users that have populated X as of late.

From Twitter to X

Since Elon’s takeover of Twitter in 2022, the app has seen some drastic changes. Musk has introduced X Premium, where users can pay to access hidden features starting from as low as $3.

In addition, for $7 per month, users can get a verification badge, fewer ads and background video playback.

X Advertiser Challenges

Also, big spending advertisers like Sony, Disney and Universal have all withdrawn from X since Musk joined.

With advertising revenue taking a hit, Musk could be looking to the users for an additional revenue stream. Musk continues to hold his ground regarding statements that triggered the advertising boycott and it appears the big players are not planning to return soon.

According to the New York Times, X could lose up over $70 million and more than one hundred brands because of advertisers withdrawing their ads.

How much will X cost?

Currently, X is testing a $1 annual subscription fee in the Philippines and New Zealand for new users in order to combat the rise of bot activity.

Users who do not pay the fee will still be able to use the app but only on a read-only basis; allowing them to only read tweets, watch videos, and follow accounts. They cannot, however, post, reply, like or quote other tweets.