3 comparisons available
About Twitter
Twitter (now rebranded as X) is a social media platform founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, Noah Glass, and Evan Williams. Elon Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, subsequently renaming it X in July 2023 as part of his vision to build an 'everything app.' X has approximately 400 million monthly active users globally, though daily active monetizable users are reported at ~250 million. The platform is known for real-time news, public discourse, and its 280-character post format (expanded from 140 characters in 2017). Under Musk's ownership, X introduced X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue, $8/month or $168/year) which provides blue checkmarks, longer posts, editing, reduced ads, and revenue sharing for creators. The platform eliminated most legacy verified checkmarks, controversially removing many journalists, politicians, and celebrities' blue marks unless they paid. X Spaces (audio rooms) competes with Clubhouse. Musk's ownership has been controversial — advertisers pulled back spending following policy changes, and X's advertising revenue fell significantly. The platform is pursuing X Money (payments), creator monetization, and job listings to diversify beyond advertising.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Twitter now called X?
Yes — Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, replacing the iconic blue bird logo with an 'X' logo. The app URL changed from twitter.com to x.com (though both still work). The rebrand is part of Musk's vision to create an 'everything app' similar to WeChat in China, incorporating payments, messaging, and more. Most users and media still commonly refer to the platform as 'Twitter.'
What is X Premium (Twitter Blue)?
X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) is a subscription at $8/month (web) or $11/month (iOS/Android). Benefits include a blue checkmark, ability to post longer content (25,000 characters and longer videos), post editing within 60 minutes, reduced ads (50% fewer), higher reply priority, and revenue sharing for creators who meet eligibility thresholds. Premium+ at $16/month eliminates ads entirely and provides further boosts.
Twitter vs Threads: which is better?
X (Twitter) is better for real-time news, breaking events, and public discourse with journalists, politicians, and public figures. Threads (Meta) is better for users who want a less toxic environment with Instagram's social graph — easy to grow an audience if you have Instagram followers. Threads lacks a chronological feed and advanced search, while X has a more mature feature set but a more contentious atmosphere post-Musk.
Top Alternatives to Twitter
Threads
Meta's Twitter alternative, Instagram integration, 200M+ users
Bluesky
Decentralized Twitter alternative, open protocol (AT Protocol)
Mastodon
Open-source decentralized social network, no algorithm
Professional networking, better for B2B and career discussions
Community-based discussion, better for niche topics
Visual platform, Meta ecosystem, Reels