In 2021, Twitter launched its first-ever premium subscription service called Twitter Blue. This offering provides paying members with exclusive access to special features not available to regular users, including advanced customizations, early previews of new tools, and ad-free content.
One of the most notable features of Twitter Blue is the blue checkmark verification badge. Subscribers can get verified status, which was previously reserved only for public figures, celebrities, and brands.
The blue checkmark provides identity authentication and helps Twitter Blue subscribers stand out.
With Twitter Blue now in place, some coveted features sit behind a paywall for the first time.
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Launched in 2021 as Twitter’s first premium service
Twitter Blue was first rolled out in June 2021, marking the company’s initial foray into subscription offerings. It kicked off in Australia and Canada initially before expanding to the United States and New Zealand.
The launch built anticipation around what other premium features Twitter may consider monetizing in the future through new tiers or upgrades to Twitter Blue itself.
According to Twitter, the goal of the service is to offer users a way to customize and control their Twitter experience even more and support the ongoing development of new features.
However, charging for formerly free tools has also been met with criticism by some users hoping to maintain Twitter’s accessibility.
Overall, though, Twitter Blue signals Twitter’s exploration into diversifying beyond ad revenue alone
Also read: How to subscribe to Twitter Blue
Available for a monthly or annual fee
Twitter Blue is available as either a monthly or annual paid subscription. The monthly Twitter Blue subscription costs $2.99 per month. Opting for an annual membership lowers the per-month cost to $2.99 annually, or $34.99 paid upfront each year.
Membership provides ongoing access to Twitter Blue’s exclusive features for the duration of the subscription period. Users can manage their subscription and turn auto-renewal on or off through their Account Settings.
Twitter Blue is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Expanding access to more countries in the future could attract an even wider base of potential subscribers.
Key Features of Twitter Blue Service
Twitter recently launched a new subscription service called Twitter Blue that offers users access to premium features for a monthly fee.
The key benefits exclusive to Twitter Blue subscribers are the blue badge, early access to new features, customizable app themes, and longer video uploads.
Undo Tweet
One of the most popular features of Twitter Blue is the ability to Undo Tweets before they are posted publicly.
Subscribers can set a customizable timer ranging from 5 seconds up to 30 seconds to confirm tweets before they go live. This gives you a chance to preview your tweet and retract it if you notice any errors or second-guess posting.
The Undo Tweet capability is extremely helpful for catching embarrassing typos, incorrect information, or tweets you later think better of sharing.
It can prevent cringe-worthy mistakes from being permanent. This is a benefit regular Twitter users have long requested but has previously only been available to Twitter Blue subscribers.
Reader Mode
Twitter Blue also introduces an enhanced Reader Mode for simplifying the reading experience for long articles shared on Twitter. Reader Mode removes ads, promoted tweets, and other visual distractions to create a clean, text-focused view.
Subscribers can also customize things like text size, font style, color scheme, and layout to optimize articles for readability. Images and videos can be toggled on or off as well. This improved Reader Mode allows effortless reading without annoying disruptions.
Regular Twitter users must put up with cluttered article previews and interruptive ads. But Reader Mode in Twitter Blue delivers an uninterrupted long-form reading environment catered to your preferences. It turns Twitter into a convenient one-stop place to read content and discussions.
Custom App Icons
One fun exclusive feature is the ability for Twitter Blue subscribers to change their default Twitter app icon to unique designs that better reflect their personality or branding.
Twitter provides a wide selection of custom icon options to choose from, including artistic, minimalist, abstract, and patterned icons.
Whereas regular Twitter users are stuck with the standard blue bird icon, Twitter Blue members can select icons that make their app stand out on their home screen. Custom icons help individualize your Twitter presence and may align better with an existing brand, aesthetic, or online identity.
Ad-Free Articles
Twitter Blue provides an ad-free article-reading experience by removing promotional tweets and in-article advertisements from news links.
Article previews will hide suggested tweets and promotions so only the headline and key details are shown.
Opening the full article eliminates distractions like like/share buttons and recommended stories so you can simply focus on reading. For avid readers on Twitter, the removal of disruptive ads results in a much improved, uninterrupted reading environment.
Top Articles
The Top Articles feature gives Twitter Blue subscribers quick access to the most popular articles about topics they follow and care about.
This allows you to easily stay in the know about key conversations and trending news stories related to your interests and connections.
Top Articles save you time hunting for context on timely topics. Everything is instantly surfaced based on relevance, recency, and the amount of engagement. For heavy Twitter users, Top Articles provides an indispensable digest.
Custom Navigation
Twitter Blue lets you tailor the main navigation bar at the bottom of the app to match your preferences. Rearrange menu items like Home, Search, and Notifications to customize your flow.
You can also bookmark specific pages like Lists or Bookmarks for easy access instead of digging through menus. Fewer taps make navigating Twitter quicker.
Blue Badge
One of the most coveted features of Twitter Blue is the blue badge that subscribers get displayed next to their username. This verification badge lets people know an account is authentic and adds credibility. The blue checkmark helps stand out from regular users and builds trust. For only $2.99 a month, Twitter Blue subscribers can get the same verification checkmark that was previously only granted to public figures and organizations.
Early Access to New Features
In addition to the blue badge, Twitter Blue subscribers also get first access to try out new features before they are rolled out to all users.
This perk allows power users to provide feedback and catch bugs in new tools before the public launch.
Getting early previews of upcoming additions like conversation settings, analytics, profile customizations, and more allows subscribers to stay ahead of the curve.
Customizable App Themes
Twitter Blue lets you customize the look and feel of the Twitter app to match your preferences. Subscribers can choose from different color themes for the main app, including fonts, links, sidebar, trends, and other elements.
With colorful icon options as well, users can change up the visual style of their Twitter interface for a more personalized experience.
Longer Video Uploads
Finally, Twitter Blue offers expanded video upload limits from the regular 2 minutes up to 10 minutes in length. This makes it easier to share longer-form video content without having to split and thread multiple tweets.
Whether it’s interviews, tutorials, sports highlights, or mini-docs, Twitter Blue lifts the constraints on more engaging videos.
For $2.99 per month, Twitter Blue grants subscribers a range of special perks not available to regular users. The blue verification badge, early access, custom themes, and longer videos let power users get the most out of Twitter.
While still expanding, the subscription service offers exclusive ways to stand out and customize your experience.
Twitter Blue Pricing and Availability
Twitter Blue comes with an array of premium features, but how much does it cost and where is it available?
Here’s a breakdown of the subscription pricing and regional availability for Twitter’s new service.
Pricing
On the web, Twitter Blue costs $2.99 per month. However, on iOS devices, it runs $4.99 monthly due to Apple’s App Store fees. This 30% “Apple tax” gets tacked on for in-app purchases, making the iPhone subscription considerably higher.
Compared to other social media paid tiers like Telegram Premium ($5.99/month), Discord Nitro ($9.99/month), and Facebook Stars ($4.99/month), Twitter Blue is relatively cheap for what you get. The blue verification badge alone is highly coveted and makes the price worthwhile for many users.
Availability
Although Twitter Blue is still rolling out, it first launched in June 2021 and is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Twitter has not provided a timeline for expanding availability to other countries. However, the service will likely continue its gradual global rollout. Given the App Store fees, it makes sense that Twitter would first launch Blue in English-speaking countries with higher incomes.
As Twitter figures out pricing, deals with local app stores, and tests out features, the launch regions remain limited. But if Twitter Blue proves successful, wider international expansion should be on the horizon.
For now, only Twitter users in the United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand can sign up for the $2.99/$4.99 subscription and start enjoying the perks.
The blue badge in particular has tremendous appeal for individuals, brands, and organizations looking to verify their identities and stand out on the platform.
While not yet global, Twitter Blue provides an affordable way for English-speaking Twitter users to unlock premium features and customize their experience. And if its popularity continues to grow, the blue checkmark may soon spread across the world.
