With more than 540 million active users, X, formerly known as Twitter, is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Whether you're a fan of the site or can't stand it, it's hard to deny X's cultural impact.

One of X's talked-about changes is its subscription-based X Premium (formerly known as Twitter Blue) service. From edit buttons to Elon Musk, there are many reasons why the subscription service is a hot topic. But it's important to learn the basics before diving into the nuance. What is X Premium, and why did it make such a splash?

Elon Musk acquired Twitter on October 27, 2022. Twitter was rebranded to X on July 24, 2023, and other changes resulted from this new name. Tweets are now called posts, and Twitter Blue is now X Premium.

X Premium at a glance

X Premium, formerly known as Twitter Blue, is a paid subscription service that provides several features for individual users, including verification, the ability to edit tweets, and additional two-factor authentication.

Although verification may be X Premium's most popular feature, there are dozens of other perks for paid subscribers.

X Premium is a subscription feature for individuals. Verification and blue checkmarks are not available for businesses. X provides a different subscription product called Verified Organizations for businesses, non-profits, and government agencies.

How much is X Premium?

X Premium subscription prices vary by region and device. U.S. subscribers pay $11 per month or $115 per year if they subscribe using the Android or iOS app. Subscriptions using a web browser cost $8 per month or $85.00 per year. X Premium subscriptions are non-refundable unless required by law.

Verification and blue checkmarks: X Premium's main feature

Although the blue checkmark is now available to many X users, it is not available to all. New X Premium subscriptions are currently only available in select countries. Once subscribed, you must meet the eligibility requirements to become a verified account.

If you're an established, long-time user who subscribes to X Premium and is eligible for verification, you should see the blue checkmark on your account about three days after you subscribe. It's worth noting that X Premium subscribers can temporarily lose their blue checkmark if they change their display name, username, or profile picture. You can also lose your blue checkmark if you violate the company's terms of service or purchaser terms.

Eligibility for the blue check can be broken down simply, and you can check the X Help Center blue checkmark article for further details. Your X account needs to be active and complete to qualify.

X Premium exclusive features

Verification is only one of many features available to X Premium subscribers. Here's a quick rundown of many of the features:

X Pro (AKA TweetDeck)

Long-time X Pro (FKA TweetDeck) users were met with a paywall popup stating they would need to subscribe to Blue to continue using the app.

X Pro, formerly known as TweetDeck, is an app for X power users. The app lets users track multiple timelines, create and organize content, and monitor the X feed in real time.

TweetDeck, beloved by journalists, social media, and PR teams for over a decade, was rebranded as X Pro in 2023. On August 16, 2023, X Pro became an X Premium exclusive feature.

TweetDeck was rebranded as X Pro, or possibly XPro, in 2023.

Edit posts

X users have been asking for an edit button for a long time. With X Premium, you get 30 minutes to make a limited number of changes to a published post. Right now, this only applies to original posts and quote posts.

Undo posts

This option is in the same family as the edit posts feature. You can retract a post after you send it but before it's publicly viewable. Once the undo window of time has passed, you need to delete it like usual.

Text formatting

X subscribers can add bold print or italics to their posts.

Bookmark folders

You can group bookmarked posts into folders and organize them however you wish. These folders remain private, and you are allowed an unlimited number of bookmarks and folders.

Longer video uploads

X Premium subscribers can upload 1080p videos up to 60 minutes long via the web or up to 10 minutes long using the mobile app.

App icon customization

You can choose how the mobile app displays on your smart device from a bank of custom app icons. X offers several options and has hinted that there will be more in the future.

NFT profile pictures

NFTs can be used as profile pictures and are displayed in a hex-shaped profile icon. You must own the NFT for it to display as your profile icon in this way.

Two-factor authentication

X now only offers two-factor authentication (2FA) for X Premium subscribers. 2FA is essentially an extra security measure for logging in to your account.

Longer posts

The character limit had been a core aspect of Twitter for a long time. With an X Premium subscription, users can craft posts with as many as 4,000 characters. That's a lot more than the original 280-character limit.

Reader mode

Reader mode is a feature that improves the experience of reading long threads. A quick button press helps clear away the noise when buckling down for a longer read on X.

In addition to the features mentioned here, there are a few other X Premium features you'll want to check out.

What's all the controversy with X Premium?

X Premium, including its predecessor Twitter Blue, has seen a fair amount of controversy in its young life. It even experienced a temporary pause and relaunch while first being rolled out. There are a few potential reasons for all the talk. The easiest answer is that this change comes on the heels of Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter. Musk has a knack for finding controversy in the public eye. It's fair to expect changes at X to invite some discussion in his wake.

The meaning of the blue checkmark has been called into question. When the platform was called Twitter, users found ways to verify deceitful accounts through Twitter Blue with a variety of intentions. This forced Twitter to pause the rollout temporarily. When Twitter Blue relaunched, one of the developers published a clarifying article discussing what the blue check means. The blue check was for Twitter Blue subscribers with verified accounts. Legacy blue check holders need to transfer to this classification as well. Gold checkmarks and gray checkmarks will be used for certain business and government accounts. The article also clarified that organizations can apply for early access to these kinds of verification.

Since Twitter Blue has been renamed to X Premium, all it takes is a subscription to X Premium to add the blue checkmark to your profile.

Many seem frustrated about the arrival of another subscription service in an already cluttered digital landscape. Twitter had always been free, so why introduce this? Although X Premium promises fewer ads, it doesn't create an ad-free X experience. The other features may need to do more to make users feel that it is worthwhile.

Are X Premium features the same on Android and iOS?

Yes. The X app should generally function the same whether you use iOS or Android devices. The same is true for X Premium. Subscribing through any method guarantees access to X Premium regardless of how you access X. iOS and Android users who subscribe via the App Store or Google Play Store pay more to cover payment processing fees.

A new X era

X has experienced a lot of changes in the last year. Is this a new era for X or another step in a longer evolution? Either way, X enthusiasts are bound to see more about X Premium. If you have issues using X, you may want to check out some of the most common X problems and solutions.