Twitter has announced that it will no longer offer free access to the Twitter API starting February 9, 2023. Instead, the company plans to launch a paid version in an attempt to push its monetization attempts further.
The announcement was done via the Twitter Developer account in a series of tweets. The company revealed that support for both the legacy v1.1 and the new v2 of its Twitter APIs will be ending and a new paid basic tier will be available instead. Although it is still not clear how much Twitter will charge for use of its API.
Starting February 9, we will no longer support free access to the Twitter API, both v2 and v1.1. A paid basic tier will be available instead 🧵
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) February 2, 2023
The news comes after popular third-party Twitter apps like Tweetbot, Fenix, and Twitterrific are facing a service outage since mid-January due to which users of these apps have been unable to view and send tweets. Developers haven"t yet received an official statement from Twitter regarding the cause of this outage. As Twitter prepares to launch its paid API, it is still unclear what the future holds for these popular apps.
The Twitter Developer account took to the platform to share the power of its data, declaring that it"s one of the world"s most powerful data sets, a statement that could easily pass as a tweet from Elon Musk himself.
Over the years, hundreds of millions of people have sent over a trillion Tweets, with billions more every week.
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) February 2, 2023
Twitter data are among the world’s most powerful data sets. We’re committed to enabling fast & comprehensive access so you can continue to build with us.
— Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) February 2, 2023
We’ll be back with more details on what you can expect next week.
The impact of Twitter"s new paid API on researchers and firms working to combat misinformation remains uncertain as the company has yet to clarify its stance on free API usage for these groups. Twitter also recently planned to venture into the world of payments, with plans to compete with well-established players like PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay. With Elon Musk at the helm, Twitter is making a concerted effort to control access to the platform and monetize its services.
All this has resulted in changes to its subscription service, which has already become more expensive, as well as modifications to the appearance of tweets on a user"s timeline, all in the pursuit of making the platform more engaging and appealing to advertisers.
Editor"s Note: The article was updated after publication to clarify that Twitter has indeed clearly stated that third-party Twitter apps are now banned. You can find the updated Developer Agreement here. The incorrect text has been stricken through.